It's a way of life that that binds the community together, yet welcomes strangers in its midst. Thanks to Fa'a Samoa, Samoans live in open houses, yet the crime rate is one of the lowest in the world. It is not unusual for men and women alike to be heavily tattooed in traditional patterns with boar teeth needles dipped in soot-based ink. Tattooing is done from breast to knee, where it is not usually seen by the public. The special matai language, spoken only by selected people, is kept for oratory and ceremonial occasions and is considered an art.
Samoan music tells the stories of Samoan history, of events past and present, real and legend.
While traditional singing is accompanied with the beat of sticks on wood or bamboo or the beating of mats, modern songs are accompanied by modern instruments, particularly the guitar. Samoa is perhaps best known for its dancing. Dressed in fine mats decorated with flowers and dyed feathers, women weave stories with their bodies, each leg, arm and hand movement having significance. Elegant, vibrant and sometimes erotic, the dances are as intriguing as the Samoans themselves. The dances can be sad or joyous, and often men will leap onto the dance floor to accompany the dancer with evocative movements of their own.