Traditional proverbs of American Samoa in sm and English — each with its meaning and source.
E lele le toloa ae ma'au i le vai.
“The wild duck flies far and wide, but it always returns to the water.”
No matter how far a person travels or how long they are away, they will always return home to their family and roots.
Source: Traditional Samoan proverb (fa'a Samoa), shared heritage across American Samoa and independent Samoa, public-domain oral tradition
O le ala i le pule o le tautua.
“The path to authority is through service.”
In Samoan society, chiefly status and leadership are earned through years of humble service to family and village, never simply inherited or seized.
E pala ma'a ae le pala 'upu.
“Stones decay, but words do not decay.”
A promise or vow given in formal oratory endures and binds a person long after physical things have crumbled away.
E sui faiga ae tumau fa'avae.
“Ways and customs may change, but the foundation remains constant.”
Even as daily life adapts to modern times, the core values and foundations of fa'a Samoa endure beneath the surface changes.
Source: Traditional Samoan saying (fa'a Samoa), shared heritage across American Samoa and independent Samoa, public-domain oral tradition
Teu le va.
“Tend carefully to the space between us.”
The relational space between people, families, and generations must be nurtured and respected, since harmony depends on how well that space is cared for.
Source: Traditional Samoan proverbial value (fa'a Samoa), shared heritage across American Samoa and independent Samoa, public-domain oral tradition
Amuia le masina, e alu ma sau.
“Blessed is the moon, for it goes and it returns.”
Unlike the moon, which can leave and always come back, a person separated from loved ones by distance cannot simply return at will — a lament of longing.
Source: Traditional Samoan proverb and song reference (fa'a Samoa), shared heritage across American Samoa and independent Samoa, public-domain oral tradition
Ua motu le fau.
“The binding cord has been broken.”
Spoken of a family or social bond that has been severed, drawing on the image of the plaited fau cord traditionally used to bind and connect kin and duties together.
O le upega e fili i le po, 'ae tatala i le ao.
“The fishing net is knotted in the night, but untangled in the morning.”
Conflicts and grievances are best set aside overnight and resolved calmly the next day, rather than argued while emotions run high.
Source: Traditional Samoan proverb (fa'a Samoa), widely documented in Samoan proverb collections, shared heritage across American Samoa and independent Samoa, public-domain oral tradition
O le i'o i mata o le tama o le teine.
“The pupil of the brother's eye is his sister.”
A brother is called to protect his sister as closely as he would guard his own eyesight, part of the sacred sibling bond (feagaiga) in fa'a Samoa.
E leai se mea e sili atu i lo lo'u aiga.
“Nothing surpasses my own family.”
Family is held as more important than any other possession or achievement.
La malu le vai i lou finagalo.
“May your thoughts be as calm as still water.”
A blessing wishing someone a calm, settled state of mind, like still water.
Le malaga faiaga e timuia.
“The journey that keeps being delayed gets rained on.”
Putting off a journey or task invites misfortune; it is better to act without delay.
O au a matua fanau.
“Children are the treasured offspring of their parents.”
Children are regarded as precious gifts entrusted to their parents.
Solo i tua ni ao taulia.
“The gathered clouds are passing and clearing.”
A time of hardship is passing, and clearer days are approaching.
O lupe sa vaovao'ese'ese o le a toe fuifui fa'atasi.
“Pigeons once scattered through separate forests will flock together again.”
Family and loved ones separated by distance or circumstance eventually come back together.
Uo i aso uma uso i aso vale.
“Friends in the easy days, but only true siblings in the hard ones.”
Fair-weather friends fall away in hard times; only true family remains loyal through adversity.
A malu i fale, e malu i fafo.
“When there is shelter inside the house, there is shelter outside it too.”
Order and care within the household extend outward as protection and dignity for the wider community.
E tua le fale tele i le faleo'o.
“Even the great house leans on the small house.”
Even the powerful and prominent still rely on humble people for support.
Se'i fono le pa'a ma ona vae.
“Let the crab first take counsel with its own legs.”
Before acting, consult and coordinate with everyone who will carry out the task.
Na o le gata e fasia, 'ae pupula ona mata.
“Only the snake, when struck, still keeps its eyes open.”
Praise for someone who endures suffering or injustice with calm, watchful dignity rather than flinching.
E so'o le fau i le fau.
“One fau cord is joined to another fau cord.”
Individuals bound together, like plaited fau fiber, become far stronger through unity.
Tautua nei mo sou manuia taeao.
“Serve now, for your good fortune comes tomorrow.”
Diligent service given today is what earns respect and blessing in the future.
Ua o gatasi le futia ma le umele.
“The one who casts the line and those who paddle must move as one.”
A successful group effort needs everyone, not just the leader, moving in coordinated rhythm.
O isi e momo'o.
“Others merely covet from afar.”
Praise given for what you own can be a disguised expression of envy or desire for it.
E vave taunu'u le malaga pe a tatou alo va'a fa'atasi.
“The journey arrives quickly when we paddle the canoe together.”
A shared goal is reached quickly when a community works together toward it.
O fanau a manu e fafaga i fuga o laau, o fanau a tagata e fafaga i upu.
“The young of birds are fed on the nectar of flowers; the children of people are fed on words.”
Just as birds are nourished by nectar, children are shaped and nourished by the words spoken to them, stressing the power of speech in raising a child.
O le tele o sulu e maua ai figota, e mama se avega pe a ta amo fa'atasi.
“Many torches gather the shellfish; a burden is light when carried together.”
Cooperative effort makes shared work lighter and more abundant than working alone.
O le i'a a tautai e alu i le fa'alolo.
“The fisherman's catch swims willingly into the net.”
Said of a respected, skilled leader (tautai) whose plans succeed because people follow him willingly.
A'oa'i le tamaitiiti ina aua ne'i alo ese mai ona ala.
“Teach the child so that they do not stray from their own path.”
Children should be taught and guided early so they do not grow up astray.
E le sili le ta'i, nai lo le tapua'i.
“The leader is no greater than those who support from behind.”
Those who support quietly from behind (tapua'i) are just as essential as those doing the visible work out front.
E le tu fa'amauga se tagata.
“No person stands alone like a mountain.”
Nobody achieves anything truly alone; everyone depends on family and community.
Fale taeao e le afiafi.
“He who stays home in the morning will not eat by evening.”
Praises diligence and warns that laziness in the morning leads to want by evening.
Ua sausau fialele manu na i utufiu.
“The bird of Utufiu flaps its wings, eager to fly.”
Describes someone restless and eager to act or depart, drawn from a place-named story in Samoan oral tradition.
Ua fa'ala'au tu i vanu.
“Like a tree standing at the edge of a ravine.”
Describes someone in a precarious, exposed position, vulnerable to sudden misfortune.
O upu o le po, e ta'u fa'ali'a.
“Words spoken in the night are only ever told as dreams.”
Private or nighttime words are treated as confidential, spoken of carefully if at all.
E le pu se tino i upu.
“Words alone do not break the body.”
Harsh words, though painful, do not cause the physical harm that actions do, a call not to overreact to speech.
Ua aofia i le futiafu e tasi.
“In a drought, water is found only at the base of the one waterfall.”
In scarcity or crisis, people are drawn together to depend on the one remaining shared resource.
Ua tagi le fatu ma le eleele.
“The very stones and the earth weep.”
An expression of deep collective mourning, traditionally spoken at the death of a respected chief.
'O lalo ifi lenei.
“This is beneath the chestnut tree.”
A way of signaling that what is said is meant to stay private and not be repeated.
Se'i lua'i lou le 'ulu taumamao.
“Pick the far-off breadfruit first.”
Tackle the most difficult or distant task first, before the easier ones.
E toa e le loto, a e pa le noo.
“Brave in heart, though the back may break.”
Describes someone whose courage and willpower exceed their physical strength or resources.
Ua se ta'ata'a a le ala.
“Like grass growing by the roadside.”
Describes a person with no fixed home, drifting wherever circumstance takes them.
Ua se moo le sosolo.
“Like a lizard that keeps on crawling.”
Describes someone who will not settle or obey, always slipping away from guidance.
Ua le se'i seu fa'a'alo.
“Why not steer politely out of the way?”
A gentle rebuke asking someone to show more courtesy or deference.
Ia lafoia i le fogava'a tele.
“Let it be cast upon the deck of the great canoe.”
A traditionally humble opening asking that any error in the speaker's words be forgiven by the wider gathering, as a large canoe can bear more weight than a small one.
Source: Traditional Samoan proverb (fa'a Samoa), recorded in George Pratt, Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language (1862); shared heritage across American Samoa and independent Samoa, public-domain oral tradition
'O le fogava'a e tasi.
“We are of one canoe deck.”
A declaration that a gathered group, however varied, is truly one family.
Ua iloa i va'a lelea.
“Known only like a drifting canoe.”
Describes someone rarely seen, appearing only occasionally like a drifting canoe.
Ua le se'i mau se ala va'a.
“Why does the canoe not hold a steady course?”
A criticism of a speech or plan that wanders without a clear direction.
E pogai i vao, a e lia'i i ala.
“It grew in the forest, yet was cast away on the road.”
Something once nurtured and valued is later discarded and left behind.
Ua se va'a tu matagi.
“Like a canoe running swift before the wind.”
Describes anything moving with remarkable speed.
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