Weaving mats in safeguarding measina a Samoa...

 

It's been a crazy busy fortnight with so much going on. During that time, my mum and I were able to weave another fala or mat as I had started weaving in Samoa during our last holiday and thought to continue it in Auckland as I had already brought some pandanus over for weaving.

Unfortunately, some of the pandanus fronds were a bit too dry but on the whole we were able to complete a mat with the pandanus that was weaveable.

As you can see in the pick on the left, the first recipient to sleep on the mat was one of our four cats. As it was a particularly hot day and he was very happy to lie down and fall asleep on the cool matting.

My mum has since started another one and I'll be helping to keep up with the weaving as she is looking at showing me how to weave a baby's mat.

Sadly, a baby's mat was something that was given to new born babies by a weaving relative or withing the village but this is a practice that is no longer happening and something that I'm so glad my mother is teaching me about so that I can share with my community in time.

I see this as a measina a Samoa or cultural treasure that needs to be revived as it continues the cultural heritage practices from whence we came and is something very special that I hope to be able to speak about in time to come...