Senate resolution bans fa’alavelave practices to prevent COVID spread

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Concerned with increased coronavirus cases, senators last week Thursday approved a Senate Resolution requesting Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga to “ban fa’alavelave public gatherings and other traditional fa’alavelave practices in an effort to prevent the growing COVID-19 community spread of positive cases on island.”

“It is critical to now prohibit all cultural fa’alavelave practices including family si’i during the current state of emergency, to prevent and control any further community transmission,” according to the non-binding resolution sponsored by Sen. Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono.

During the session more than a week ago, Soliai suggested that the Senate request the COVID-19 Task Force to ban Samoan traditional “si’i” during funeral services, claiming that such cultural events have caused the increase in COVID-19 cases, as he has observed several funerals during one weekend with many people in attendance during the cultural presentations.

Prior to passage of the resolution, the Senate Government Operations Committee held a hearing Thursday morning, where Sen. Muagututi’a Tauoa said the measure should include “si’i” and Samoan gift giving for other events — such as sa’ofai, the Flag Day celebration and birthdays. He said these are all public activities where “si’i” are involved bringing together too many people at one time during the pandemic.

Other senators agreed with Sen. Malaepule Saite Moliga saying that the government should fully enforce current COVID-19 restrictions. He said that he has witnessed stores where social distancing is not observed and it should be fully enforced.

Committee chairman, Sen. Togiola T.A Tulafono suggested and the senators agree to all add the word “fa’alavelave” in the resolution, thus covering all issues raised by Muagututi’a and other senators, who remain concerned with the quick spread of the deadly virus.

Togiola is of the opinion that more “fa’alavelave” happening per day, means more positive cases are recorded.

One of the media advance questions submitted for the virtual news conference last week deals with funerals and “si’i” — following concerns from the public.

In response, Lt. Gov. Talauega Eleasalo Ale, explained that the governor’s declaration explicitly states that when it comes to public gatherings, there’s a limit of 10 people in doors and 20 outdoors.

“We also have a funeral policy that requires all funerals must be completed within a four-hour-period, once the remains are removed from LBJ Medical Center,” he said.

Health director Motusa Tuileama Nua added that the Emergency Operations Center has a schedule as to when the remains are to be released from the LBJ morgue, where a DoH representative is present as well as police, which will escort the remains home and also be there the rest of the time to make sure that the service does not go beyond 4p.m. that day and not go beyond the 4-hour limit.

He also said that the enforcement for COVID-19 declaration restrictions rests with police and village pulenu’u. “We also rely heavily on our community to make sure that these services comply with the policies and report violations to EOC,” Motusa said.

The Senate resolution, which was recorded in the Fono journal and is being transmitted to the Governor’s Office, points out that it’s obvious from social media and first-hand accounts while passing through the villages that families are continuing to host their private functions, especially fa’alavelave preparations and they are not observing the outdoor 20 maximum persons and they are not practicing social distancing.

In addition, there has been no visible enforcement from the Public Safety Department to regulate these functions, which would also help to deter the community from violating the COVID-19 directive.

The resolution acknowledges that “our cultural practices during fa’alavelave are extremely important to families” and it’s “difficult to stop loved ones from bringing a cultural si’i and attending a family fa’alavelave.”

However, with the current COVID-19 state of emergency, “it is vital for our people to realize the risks that public gatherings pose to our territory as a whole.”