What
are we doing to improve
the lives of women and families? |
Presented by
Leatuolevao Ruby Vaa |
Mar 8, 2002 |
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| A
linguistic perspective |
Presented by
Dr. Emma Kruse-Vaai |
Feb 27, 2002 |
SAWG Logo
The tanoa ava or the ava bowl symbolizes Samoan
culture and tradition. A young girl traditionally mixes the ava in a tanoa and
the drink is then distributed in a coconut cup to different people who are
gathered for the ceremony. The ava ceremony is about recognition,
representation and acknowledgement. Important occasions in Samoa are marked by
an ava ceremony. For SAWG, the ava bowl therefore symbolizes the importance of
fostering a community spirit which encompasses not only its own members and
supporters but also the importance of others. The coconut cup for drinking kava
from the tanoa is an adaptation of the IFUW lamp of learning. A coconut cup is
also and is still used as a receptacle for carrying fire from household to
household or person to person. SAWG therefore sees this coconut cup carrying a
flame as representing knowledge that is received when we become graduates and
passed on to others for their own development as well as that which would
benefit others. |
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