Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# gift for samoan family Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Samoa
kvmarlow 04:51 UTC 04 May 2009 | Any ideas on a gift for a Samoan family? I'm coming from the US. Thank you!! |
drgreenthumb 20:58 UTC 05 May 2009 | if you want the american way, buy cigarettes and alcohol. but for me the faa samoa way is better. buy a live pig at the market in apia then give it to the family as gift. they will then slaughter the pig within frw or days in you your honor. | 1
wksamoa 05:15 UTC 06 May 2009 | There are no pigs for sale at the market in Apia, especially not living ones. And at least in the last 12 years (that I go to that market daily) they never were ... What to bring entirely depends on what kind of family it is and the range is huge. Are they town folks or village people, do they have many young kids or not, do they have a more Western lifestyle or traditional Samoan way? Do you know anything about the family? Why do you consider to bring a gift anyway? Are you staying with them and do not know them already? Food would indeed be the traditional gift but nobody would expect that at all from you, especially as you are not allowed to bring in food to Samoa. So just get to know the people and then you will see what might be appropriate as a gift for them. And don't be shy to give money - unlike as in many Western countries it is quite alright to give cash as a gift in Samoa. Give it to the head of the family or to the eldest person - never give money to children. | 2
pago 03:52 UTC 08 May 2009 | We were going to suggest cash also.... | 3