Calkins: My Samoan Chief Paper

By Fay G. Calkins

Book Overview

This is an engaging autobiographical account of a young American woman's life in her Samoan husband's native home. Fay Calkins, a descendant of Puritan settlers, met Vai Ala'ilima, a descendant of Samoan chiefs, while working on her doctoral dissertation in the Library of Congress. After an unconventional courtship and a typical American wedding, they set out for Western Samoa, where Fay was to find a way of life totally new and charming, if at times frustrating and confusing.

Soon after her arrival in the islands, the bride of a few months found herself with a family of seven boys in a wide range of ages, sent by relatives to live with the new couple. She was stymied by the economics of trying to support numerous guests, relatives, and a growing family, and still contribute to the lavish feasts that were given on any pretext--feasts, where the guests brought baskets in which to take home as much of the largesse as they could carry.

Fay tried to introduce American institutions: a credit union, a co-op, a work schedule, and hourly wages on the banana plantation begun by her and her husband. In each instance, she quickly learned that Samoans were unwilling or unable to grasp her Western ideas of input equaling output, of personal property, or of payment received for work done. Despite these frustrations and disappointments, however, life among the people of her Samoan chief was for Fay happy and productive.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087022932X
• ISBN13: 9780870229329
• Release Date: July 1971
• Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

lighthearted and educated look at samoan culture

Fay Calkins and her husband, Vai, meet while studying for graduate degrees in the U.S. They return to Vai's native Samoa with dreams of developing Samoan politics and economics. "My Samoan Chief" offers a humorous look into the cultural and practical issues that confront their academic ideas. Fay provides a loving Western lens on different aspects of Samoan culture. This is a great read for economists, and those interested in third world development. Even when development ideas come from the inside out, it proves nearly impossible to implement them without significant cultural adjustment. An enlightening and beautiful story of the interactions of Western and Samoan culture. Also, a well written and entertaining read.

A clear dipiction of "faaSamoa"

I grew up in the polynesian culture and for two years I lived, ate and breathed "Samoa" by attending a Samoan church, singing the hymns in Samoan and dancing with the church up and down the coast of California. As well, my BIL is Samoan and while reading this book I kept shaking my head a vigorous YES at what the author so clearly outlined. I was delighted, moved to tears, captivated, and thrilled to have read this story of life in Samoa. I read it from cover to cover while on a month long vacation throughout the Hawaiian islands and every chance I got I called my sister to read her bits and pieces of this wonderfully crafted book. Her understanding of the "Samoan way" was reinforced by the authors life experience. Anyone know where she is now??? I recommend this book HIGHLY, for anyone...anywhere....anytime. FAA-Samoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great Read!

This book was a really a great read and well worth it! It's quite amazing how I too could relate to the experiences present in the book. The author really put me in her shoes and in turn I thought I was walking them during some of the chapters. I passed the book on to the non-Samoan members of the family who can appreaciate the culture or at best hunger for some faaSamoa incite.

Fantastic book

This book was a truly great read for those looking to understand more about Samoan society. Not much has really changed in 50 years . It will give insight into the differences between western thougts and ideals and faaSamoa, the Samoan way. It is also humorous and very entertaining.

Interesting, funny & insightful in cross-cultural experience

My Samoan Chief tells the experiences of a young American woman who falls in love with a Samoan exchange student, marries him and returns to the Islands. Throughout the book she encounters Faa Samoa (The Samoan Way). Because she is palagi (pa-la-ngee - European) certain concessions are made. Some of the most funny stories for me, like trying to get shoes in the United States for her fiance and his sister - their feet were TOO wide, were funny to me because I'm married to a Samoan myself and had exactly the same experiences Fay Calkins had. If you plan to go overseas to the South Sea Islands, you gotta read this to get the flavour of meeting some of the friendliest and most hospitable people in the world