Weaving - Lalaga in Samoa...

 

I can almost not believe it! In an earlier blog this week, I spoke about learning to weave a mat or fala from my mum, and I've been so busy working on it that it's almost finished!

This is a dream come true for me in December of 2024, in that I'm able to tick off that I can now say that I've learnt to weave a skill that was passed from my great grandma Eleni (namesake), to my mum, in Samoa, and now I'm able to do it as well.

The sides were a little hard to figure out as there's a special way of weaving it out, and also, the corners are a little' tricky for a novice like me, but I'm still in disbelief that I've finally been able to learn it.

It would have been the basic pattern for making the sails of the early canoes. I know it's stretching it a bit, but I see and feel a generational echo that I've wanted to know for a long time.

I first learned to weave from watching a demonstration of making Māori putiputi or woven flowers when I worked as a lecturer/teacher at AUT (Auckland University of Technology) in 2006 - 2009 on a community project. I then tried it and enjoyed it so much, but I wanted to learn how to weave Samoan styles.

My mother was a very good weaver, but because we didn't have the products, i.e. the pandanus, I bought some and took them home to Auckland with me, but I was just too busy with so many projects, work, church and family life that I didn't quite get to it.

But then, in returning to Samoa with my last week to go (a few days), I decided to boldly ask my mum to show me how to do it, and the rest is history. I must also thank the ladies who taught me when I was on the Measina workshops in 2020 - 2021 as the basics I had retained in memory, and now I'm ready to tackle making a small 'iē Toga or woven mat that originated from Tonga.

I only have a couple of days left before flying back home, but I'm really going to try and finish it, as it's been such a blessing to finally succeed in something I've wanted to learn for years. It's also neat to think that it's never too late to learn a new skill, and I've also wanted to experiment with making hats and fans. 

Roll on 2025 as I have a countdown with my family over Messenger with those in New Zealand. Afterwards, we plan on continuing the celebrations with pain popo (coconut buns), a New Year's chocolate mud cake and a puligi or steamed pudding after midnight. However, if I'm not up to midnight eating, there's always the new year tomorrow for continuing the festivities and celebrations...