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Samoan Material Culture

Serving

page 139

Serving

For ordinary scratch meals, women may be seen eating out of a basket. For men, the food is properly served on laulau platters. The platters are flat, oblong trays made of coconut leaflet, and form part of the essential furnishings of dwelling and guest houses. The young men or women serving the food bring down a pile of platters from the fata shelf and place them beside the baskets of cooked food at the back of the house. A platter for each guest is laid out and the cooked leaves (afei) from the oven which form covers for the food baskets, are spread over the platters as covers. The green leaves so often used on the trays for foreign visitors are an innovation introduced for them. The cooked afei leaves were the only form of leaf allowed by Samoan custom. When there are not enough platters, the less important chiefs are served on leaves alone. The food is then distributed on the platters. In an important meal with guests present, a talking chief personally superintends. Breadfruit and talo, which form the basis of the meal, are distributed on the basis of one or two whole talo and a breadfruit to each platter. The fowl, pork, packages of fish, and palu sami follow. The young men quickly place a platter before each guest, commencing with those of highest rank. The pork in ceremonial distribution may be delayed and follows after. One attendant may place the platters and others follow in quick succession bearing-shares of flesh foods which are added to the platters before the guests.

As a beverage, drinking nuts are distributed to each guest. If anyone desires a drink of water, he calls to an attendant and a coconut shell cup of water is brought to him. The fingers of both hands are used in eating, but for the soft cooked talo leaves in palu sami, a piece of green coconut leaflet midrib (su'i) is provided by the attendants. The su'i is used as a fork to convey the palu sami to the mouth. To eat palu sami with the fingers direct is not regarded as correct.

During a day meal, girls or young men fan the principal guests and incidentally keep the flies off the food. Guests of honor are particularly waited on by the taupou. The service during the meal is very good. The attendants watch the guests and are ready to anticipate every wish. At a feast, the portions of food are far in excess of what can be eaten in one meal. It is the person's just share with the appropriate portions of flesh food due to his rank. A member of his family sits behind him under the eaves with a basket. When he finishes his meal, he passes the remaining food back and it is taken home. A member of the family with whom I was staying performed this duty for me. Any choice bits were served up again later, but the rest were the natural share of the family. In an ordinary meal, the platter is pushed away by the guest and speedily removed by an attendant. There is no ceremony of waiting till the others have finished. A bowl of water is brought for washing the hands. In these days, it is accompanied by a towel.

page 140

The girls and young men who attend on the guests, never eat until the guests have finished and the food is cleared up. They may then eat at the back of the guest house or retire to the dwelling house at the back.

Food is nearly always served with the guests sitting before the various wall posts. Occasionally in a family gathering, a long setting is made by laying green banana leaves on the floor and placing the food on them. Then men and women sit down together, but the seating places are always indicated by a talking chief or one who acts in that capacity.