Over the recent few weeks, I have been involved in three funerals and a wedding. The bride and groom were from Australia but their wedding was in the lovely Fijian town of Sigatoka, two hours drive from Suva, the capital.

Two funerals were in Samoa, and one in Auckland, New Zealand.

But the take this week is not about the wedding per se or the funerals themselves, rather it’s about the costs in money, goods and fine mats.

The two funerals in Samoa were lavish affairs. According to the sister of one of the deceased, it was the last thing she would ever do for her sister.

The other funeral was that of the family’s oldest member and it was deemed appropriate that her funeral befit her position as the family’s most senior member.

The one in New Zealand was an example of a different kind of attitude to old practices. The deceased left clear instructions on what was to be done for his funeral. He did not want his family to be ‘tigaina’ (suffer) with any debts because of his funeral.

If there are any funds donated then remember the Heart Foundation which helped to extend his life. He had had a bypass operation some years before. Remember also the renovation work on the church, he had instructed.

Only one fine mat was used; a gift to the officiating priest.

The story in Samoa was quite different. The families dutifully did what was expected according to tradition. Huge sums of money were exchanged between the family of the deceased and that of her spouse, even though in one case the spouse had died several years before.

While tradition was mainly adhered with, these were noticeable changes.

In one case there were hundreds of cases of corned beef and canned fish.  In the other, only money was used instead.

In both cases, fine mats were used.

And this is where the biggest change has taken place, in my view. There was hardly a mat that could be truly called a ‘fine mat’. The mats were so big that it took four and five persons to display and carry the mats from one party to the other. Quantity has obviously won over quality. What a pity. Why?

Because: “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” ~ William A. Foster.

Mr Foster’s word resonate when we remember what happened in the past because of the renowned fine mats:

Na o le Pepeve’a na tau lona taua. Only the Pepeve’a had its war. According to legend, the Pepeve’a, the fine mat of the Faumuina, the Tupufia, was the cause of the war called, o le Paegauo nai Falesama in Leulumoega – the aligning of friends at Falesama in Leulumoega.

There is also the saying: O le ‘ie o le ‘au’afa e tatala i puapuaga. The fine mats kept by the big chiefs that are released only at times of trouble. For example, the story of the fine mat that saved the Samoans from the wrath of the Tu’I Tonga, in the days of yore.

Would there be fighting over the so-called fine mats used nowadays? Would a life be saved by the use of any of the present so called ‘fine mats? What do you think?

Manuia le aso Sa.