Traditional Performance in Samoan Culture: Two Forms

Abstract

Relationships between ritual and theatre are found in earliest performances. Here I am using term ritual to mean a sequence of activities which involve words and gestures designed to influence preternatural entities or forces on behalf of actor's goals. Efficacy is a characteristic of ritual. As Victor Turner says, the objects and activities in point are not merely things that stand for other things or something abstract, they participate in powers and virtues they represent (1977, 183). Further, elements of ritual (efficacy) and theatre (entertainment) combine in performance. Richard Schechner's theory that efficacy and exist as opposites on a continuum is useful in this regard. He observes that whether one calls a specific performance ritual or theatre depends on degree to which performance tends toward efficacy or entertainment (1977, 75). In Samoan culture, we can examine two forms of traditional performance that illustrate a relationship between ritual and theatre. Each centers on a specialist performer. Afofo (native doctor) performs shamanistic rituals for healing of illnesses. A fofo was a healer of village community before advent of Western culture. While Western medicine is available in Samoa today, services of afofo continue to be employed in lieu of or along with modern medical treatment. Afa'aluma, or clown, performs satirical village comedy for of community. Fa'aluma traditionally performed in festive atmosphere of a village celebration; today, however,fa'aluma may perform in a variety of cultural settings. Though performances byfofo lean toward efficacy and performances of thefa'aluma toward entertainment, they share a similar function