In Sāmoa’s not-so-distant past, Pili Sā Tauilevā is a proud Ali’i (chief) in the village of Moa. He has devoted his life to the sacred fa’a sāmoa tradition of service. When he suddenly falls gravely ill and refuses to name a successor, his daughter and son become rivals for the title.
In a sacred paradise where “your path to leadership is through service”, Pili’s dwindling light sends the family into overdrive to keep the fire going. But nothing plays out as expected when others come out to join the race.
Power, politics and tradition collide in this darkly comic piece by Natano Keni (Sāmoa/Aotearoa) and Sarita So (Khmer/Aotearoa). It is a commentary on the growing divide between those who have chosen to stay and those who have chosen to leave.
Using both English and Gagana Sāmoa, O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward is a modern tale of a man who’s out of step with the times and whose time is running out. Who then will survive?
A collaboration between Auckland Theatre Company, Auckland Arts Festival and I Ken So Productions.
Sāmoan Translation
O se fatuga fa’amālie e au’ili’ili ai le Fa’a -Sãmoa, ma le gaogaosā pe a feiloa’i aiga, ta’ita’i ma talatu’u.
O vaitaimi e le’i leva atu i Samoa, sa iai Pili Sā Tauilevā o se Ali’i (matai) mitamitavale mai le afio’aga o Moa. Ua tu’u atoa lona ola ma le malosi i le tausisia o agaifanua Fa’a-Sāmoa. Na faaulumalō e leai ma se isi e sui tulaga ia te ia ina ua fa’afuase’i le ma‘i tigaina, ma ua vevesi lona afafine ma le atali’i i le suafa matai.
Na tofotofoina faiga mamalu e faasili ai le talitonuga “o le ala i le pule o le tautua” ma ua vevesi le aiga o Pili e saili se auala e faatumauina ai le susulu o le lamepa. Ae leai ma se tasi na mafaufauina le palasi mai o isi mo le fia pa'i i le suafa matai.
E fete’ena’i le pule, manatu fa’aupufai ma agaifanua i le tala mālie na tusia e Natano Keni (Samoa/Aotearoa) ma Sarita So (Khmer/Aotearoa). E fa’amatala ai le fa’atuputeleina o fete’ena’iga i le va o ē o mananao e nonofo ai pea ma ē o fia o ese.
E fa’amatalaina i le Fa’aperetania ma le Gagana Samoa le tala, O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward ma o se tala fatu faaonaponei i se tamaloa e mau i mafaufauga tuai ma ua fai ifo le malosi. O ai a tulai mai?
