Fales in Samoa

Samoan Fales (Faw-lays) are a very versatile structures.  For most people it is their primary living structure, and for others it is a place to hold parties and meetings.  As you drive down the road, you will find it is lined on both sides with Fales.  People who have money, have built a home behind the Fale, another Fale just closed in (sort of), as their residence.

Used as a meeting room.

As many as 10-14 people live in this Fale

Fales come in many different sizes and colors.  Some Fales are very elaborate, and others are just poles supporting a roof, a concrete floor, and with or without  a single light bulb hanging in the center(that is an upgrade).  Other upgrades include, running water (other than when it rains) a closed in bathroom, and separate sleeping quarters.  All residence of the village, including all future family members, have a right to a plot to build a Fale.  Because of the large families, you can imagine how many Fales are constructed in a village.

An average Fale will have electricity so that the  TV will work (just a couple of channels), and you can recharge your cell phone.  Cooking is done in a different structure over a wood fire.    Everyone sleeps on the cement floor on woven mats with blankets hung over a rope to separate adults from kids (sometimes).  Some Fales have beds for Mom and Dad.  Thick screen like structures made out of palm fronds are rolled down from the roof to close off the Fale at night.  As we drive home at night, we generally see the Fales wide open with the blue hew of the TV coming from the center pole of the Fale.  The bathroom is an outhouse that is shared by many different families. Some do have private bathrooms hooked to septic tanks.  Baths are taken at the local "bath tub" which is a rock lined structure on the beach that empties and fills with sea water as the tide comes in and out.  The bath tub is a village community place to catch up on how your neighbor is doing as you take your weekly bath.  Men and boys wear a pair of shorts or a lava lava as they bathe and girls and women wear a lava lava and a shirt as they take a bath. 

Village Bath Tub

Very few people use electricity to cook with because it is too expensive and because of the large family meals. Electric stoves are for the rich.   Huge pots dangling over or sitting right on a wood fire is where bananas and taro are cooked, rice is prepared, and sometimes meat (fish, pork, chicken) is cooked. 
This is a third world country where people are very poor but no one goes hungry.  The growing season is year around an the bounties of the land keep the people from going hungry.

Samoa has two main islands.  Savaii, which is the one we are on, is very rural and living conditions have not changed much over the past 100 years.  Upolu, the island with the center of government, has many homes that have the features we enjoy.  As soon as you get out into the rural area, it also looks like Savaii.

Village meeting with all the men sitting at their assigned pole.

In honor of those that have come before

Meeting Fale,with residence behind it

The next time you turn on a light, go to the bathroom, take a warm shower, or cook a meal, remember how blessed you are.


The wet season is upon us and it rains almost every day.  This is one of their two seasons; dry and hot, and wet and hotter.  Multiply the worst rain storm you've ever seen by 10 and then you can begin to understand what it is like here when it rains.  Every time it rains we have flash floods and as soon as it stops it is like it never rained.  The big difference here is that when it rains the temperature is in the 90's and the humidity is at 100%.

Love you all,

Elder and Sister Budgett, Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Jim and Cherri