Samoa tsunami

Please see latest blog entry for August 2010

The tsunami of Sept. 29, 2009 took many lives and destroyed thousands of dollars worth of property in Independent Samoa. Villages on the southern shores of Upolu, particularly Saleapaga, were utterly destroyed. There was NOTHING left whatsoever, and like most Samoans, the Legalo family had no insurance.
Please click here for a video of Kueva Legalo describing the devastation.

Please click here for a recent news story about Saleapaga and the FaoFao (Legalo) Family

Blog For further info and news from Singing in Samoa participants.

Foreign tourism and foreign dollars are the only things that have supported the Legalo family for years. Please, let us continue to support these kind, loving Samoans in their time of greatest need. If you have ever slept in one of those sublime little fales, consider the fact that they are now all destroyed, along with the rest of the FaoFao complex, the village of Saleapaga, and more than 30 human lives. If you have ever enjoyed that gorgeous beach, the endless crashing of the waves, the fia fia celebrations and food, Au'vaa's siva afi fire knife performance, the traditional music of the Legalo family, or any other aspect of your vacation at FaoFao, NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.

Donations
Donations are being sent both to the family bank account and to a reliable source who will be managing funds for the people of Saleapaga. We are obtaining recipient signatures on delivery of goods & funds. We have requested that the money be spent on -

• Clean water
• Food
• Shelter, camping gear, utensils
• Medicines & medical care
• A temporary school, pens, pencils, books etc
• Clothes
• Rebuilding homes

Please click here to go direct to payments page to make a donation to the Legalo extended family.

Thanks Jennifer

Help Raise a Roof at the
'Raising Voices, Raising Hope' concert

Saturday, 27th February

Time - 3pm
Cost $50 generous / $20 waged / $15 concession
Brunswick Uniting Church, 212 Sydney Rd, cnr of Merri St.

The full list of participating choirs are:

The Love Handles

Mood Swing

Thursday's Children

LaLaville and Loose Arrangement

Brunswick Women's Choir

Melbourne Massed Gospel Choir

Julea Miguel will also be there to talk about her recent experience of spending a month in the village.
Book and Pay online through the singabout website.
Send a contact form with your details and booking info to this link.
http://www.singabout.com.au/contact.html

Payment can then be made via the secure credit card system, Click tour - Samoa then pay via Visa or Mastercard
https://singabout.worldsecuresystems.com/payments.html
Please ensure you send your name and payment amount via the contact form.

100% of this payment will go to the village of Saleapaga to help with rebuilding hope in the community.

 

'Singing in Samoa' 

 There will be no 'Singing in Samoa' workshop with Tony & Tapu in 2010 whlst re-building is taking place.
Please check the BLOG page on the website for up-dates to re-building.

when
TBA

where
The island of Upolu - Samoa

what is this trip like?
Imagine 9 days of singing, dancing and swimming on an exotic unspoilt island ...
Some notes from previous 'Singing in Samoa' trip.....stepped off the plane into the warmth of pacific island hospitality. Met with sounds of ukeleles and well rounded island voices, greeted with scented flowers, hugs and huge smiles and we were off on the beginning of this extraordinary journey. A quick dip in the ocean with colourful coral fish looking on, ceremony with the Matai chiefs, a feast of island food, singing and drumming and dancing and this was just day one! Learnt a Samoan hymn from Tapu and a gospel number from Tony, we think we sung them perfectly to the locals, well everyone was surprised! We’ve woven our plates, made our bamboo drums, learnt a Samaon dance... the village join in with everything. We’ve made some really great friends. We stay in simple little thatched huts (2 in each hut) right on the beach. I never want to leave my island home!

Don’t miss out!.

cost 

Currency converter

LAND PACKAGE 

Land package- adults:	AUD $
Package available for children on request.

 

travel insurance

Please note that travel insurance is essential for this trip.
Australians can purchase insurance at a 10% discount through Singabout.
It is recommended that you purchase travel insurance at the time of booking.

Click here to download 'Covermore' travel insurance policy

Print the form found on the back pages of this brochure, complete this form and post to Singabout- po box 532, potts point, nsw, australia, 1335

+Travel insurance is aged based - confirmed price on application

programme / itinerary

Two very different teachers are coming together to share their extraordinary talents on this wonderful island where song plays such a large part of every day life and spiritual tradition.

The programme will include daily sessions of singing, these will be led by Tony Backhouse and Tapu Legalo, co owner of Faofao Beach Fales. Tapu is also the local choir director.

optional / electives

excursion / island tour

There will be an excursion mid week that will include a trip to the rainforest visiting Saleapago Waterfall and stopover at Togitogiga Forest Reserve for a rainforest stroll and swim. We will have a picnic lunch in the grounds of Robert Louis Stevenson's house and have a look around this wonderful piece of Samoan history.

There will also be plenty of time to relax and read, walk the beaches and swim.

Meals will consist of plenty of fresh island food and be served banquet style at our home stay.

accommodation

We are staying in simple traditional thatched roof fales on the beach at Faofao Beach Fales (huts). Faofao Beach Fales are situated on the south eastern side of Upolu. The fales will be shared - 2 people in each. Please let us know who you wish to share with. There is one fale with room for a family of 4 people.

Extensions: It is possible to extend your stay in Samoa with this arrangement. Please confirm your preferred day of departure at time of booking.

Please note:

If you are making your own travel plans to and from Samoa you will need to notify Singabout of the time of arrival in Samoa. You will also be required to meet the group at their time of arrival for pick up /transfer to Faofao.

Tony Backhouse, Choir Director

Singer, composer, vocal arranger, musical director, workshop leader and author Tony Backhouse, is one of the leaders in the Australian a cappella movement. He led the Café of the Gate of Salvation gospel choir for 21 years and has sung with male a cappella trio Heavenly Lights since 1996.
 

He has made several trips to the USA to research African-American gospel traditions. He has studied ethnomusicology at Memphis State University, observing and singing with black choirs, quartets and congregations. In 1995 he taught and performed at the West Coast A Cappella Summit in California. He has led four singing tours of the USA, taking participants to sing in black churches.

Tony was Choir Director of the 2007 & 2008 'Singing in Samoa' trips.

Tapu Legalo, Choir Director

Tapu is the co-owner of Faofao Beach Fales and the local choir master for the Congregational Church in Saleapaga. In 2007 the Singing in Samoa group was delighted to have the privilege of Tapu teach us a mixture of traditional Samoan songs and hymns. This was the first time he had taught anyone from outside his village.

Organiser/ Tour Manager, Jennifer Richardson, will ensure that you enjoy a unique and culturally rich experience and that the trip is seamlessly smooth for you to fully relax. Owner of Singbout and known for having organised highly successful trips to Italy, ‘Singing in Tuscany’ 2004 & ‘Singing in Siena’ 2005, 2006 and 'Singing in Samoa' 2007 & 2008.

how to book

click here to go to booking page

All bookings subject to booking terms and conditions.
SINGABOUT recommends offsetting your CO 2 emissions.
For further information please check out - http://www.climatecare.org

visa

A visa is not required to visit Samoa. Further information is available through your Department of Foreign Affairs.

singing experience

You do not need to be an experienced or confident singer to join this group, a love of music and a good sense of humour is all that is required. It is not compulsory to take part in the singing, however, it will be a lot more fun if you do and work with the group towards a performance at the end of the trip.

general information

Weather

Samoa has two seasons - the dry season, which runs from May - October and the wet season from November to April. Average monthly minimum temperatures are in the low 20's (Celcius, 70's Farenheit), with maximums in the high 20's (Celsius, up to 86 Farenheit) all year round.

People

Samoa's population is approximately 180,000. Samoans are the most populous full-blooded Polynesian race in the world.

Language

Samoan is the national language, but English is the official language of business. Most Samoans are competent in English. Below are some useful Samoan words to learn:

English	Samoan	Pronunciation
Hello	Talofa	Tah-low-far
Goodbye	Tofa	Tor-far
Thank you	Fa'afetai	Far-ah-fay-tie
Please	Fa'amolemole	Fah-ah-more-le-more-le
Yes	Ioe	Ee-or-e
No	Leai	Le-eh
Maybe	Masalo	Mar-sar-lor

 

Dress

Light summer clothing is appropriate all year round, with perhaps a light sweater for the cooler evenings. Smart casual evening wear is appropriate for hotels and restaurants. Visitors are requested not to wear bathing suits in Apia or in the villages. No nude or topless (for women) swimming or sunbathing. Women are recommended to wear a lavalava (sarong) or dress, rather than shorts or trousers, if they attend church.

Religion & Church

The main religious denominations in Samoa are Congregational, Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Assembly of God, Seven Day Adventist, Bahai, Latter Day Saints and Jehovah's Witness. Sundays in Samoa are dedicated to God, with families usually attending church in the mornings followed by a family to'onai (lunch) and resting for the remainder of the day. You are welcome to attend the services. Please ask at your hotel reception for service times.

 

This event may be filmed.

singabout
po box 532,
potts point, nsw,
australia

tel +61 2 93322213
fax +61 2 93322215

mob +61 (0) 411 467915