Why the ends of Samoan houses are round?

After considering the matter, he pointed to the dome of Heaven and to the horizon and he decreed that in future, all houses built would be of that shape, and this explains why all the ends of Samoan houses are as the shape of the heavens extending down to the horizon.

What are the houses like in Samoa?

Samoa – Housing Most Samoans live in villages in traditional Samoan houses called fales. A fale is usually round or oval, with pebble floors and a thatch roof. It has no walls, being supported on the sides by posts. Coconut-leaf blinds can be lowered to exclude wind and rain.

Who builds Samoan fale?

carpenter
On an ordinary dwelling house about three thousand sections of thatch are laid. No levels or plans are prepared by the carpenter who builds the fale; he relies solely on his judgment and past experiences.

What is a fale used for in Samoa?

A fale tele, or big house, is used within a village as a meeting house for chiefs, for family gatherings and for ceremonies such as funerals. It’s normally sited in a prominent position within the village. The afolau is a longer oval (also called a long house) that is normally used as a family home or guest house.

What is a Tongan fale?

In Tonga: People. Traditional structures are called fale; they are rectangular in shape and have thatched or corrugated tin roofs and sides made of woven coconut leaves, reeds, or timber. Some Tongans reside in South Seas colonial-style wooden homes with gingerbread trim and exterior walls in pastel shades.

What is a Polynesian house called?

A beach fale is a simple thatched hut in the architecture of Samoa. The word fale (pronounced fah-leh) is the Samoan word for any type of building. A similar word is used in other Polynesian languages, for example whare in the Māori language. In the Samoan language, these simple huts are called faleo’o .

Do Samoans live in huts?

CULTURE NOTES The intricate web of Samoan courtesies and customs is confusing, but it’s also the reason Samoa is such a unique and interesting place. Many people still live in villages in fales, traditional open-sided huts on stilts.

What causes fale?

description. Traditional structures are called fale; they are rectangular in shape and have thatched or corrugated tin roofs and sides made of woven coconut leaves, reeds, or timber. Some Tongans reside in South Seas colonial-style wooden homes with gingerbread trim and exterior walls in pastel shades.

What type of music do Samoans listen to?

Modern Samoan music shows influence from electrical instruments, jazz, and reggae, and even some house and techno styles.

Did Tonga take over Samoa?

Samoa came into the sphere of influence of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire of Tonga in 950 as the Tui Manuʻa Empire of Samoa was declining. The Manuʻa Islands were excluded from the Tongan empire because they were considered sacred to the Tongan kings. Many of the Tuʻi Tonga Kings married Samoan noblewomen.

Is Tongan Aboriginal?

Tongans are Polynesians, and the population is relatively homogeneous. Tonga remains a constitutional monarchy and the king exercises considerable influence; nobles also have enormous political and economic power and Tonga is probably the most stratified contemporary Polynesian society.