Research - Samoan architecture

NB. main difference between the Maori whare rununga and the Samoan fale tele is where ceremonies take place: Maori - outside the building; Samoan - inside the building

Fale - main elements to note:

• openess - open to sides, can see outside (cf. whare runanga is traditionally very enclosed with only one window)
• high ceiling
• sometimes sitting on a raised base
• smells - from outside but also a strong smell of the woven material the fale is made from

 

Albert Refiti article on Samoan Architecture

Pacific Space article (Bill McKay, Antonia Walmsely)

 

See this article on the ceremony of the raising of the posts - the working builders (Sa Tangaloa) have high prestige http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-BucSamo-t1-body1-d2-d8-d14.html#BucSamo-fig-BucSamo091a