Samoan music

I wanted to share what kinds of music have been popular on-island since I've been here, since that's been a big part of not only the assemblies, dancing, and singing that goes on the classroom, but also my experience in general.  Some of these songs have also taken their hold on the mainland, but these are some of the things that will always make me think of Samoa.


-The American Samoan version of "Gangnam Style". The song is the same, but the video is made on-island and I've met the guy in it multiple times. I've also been to most of the places in this video!
-"Pretty Little Teine"!  The Samoan Version of Justin Bieber's "Baby".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EmI5wonkHE

-"Fika mai le pese"- kind of like a rap battle, I think. One of my fav Samoan songs to listen to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI5t3xlBx94

-One of my students shared this video with me of Samoan firefighters somewhere off-island. It illustrates perfectly what some of the dance performances here have been like.

-"Azonto", which has been HUGEEEEE all year and is finally just dying down. My students ROCK at dancing to it. Funny, because it's from Ghana. So we had a geography lesson about where Ghana is. Which included the fact that Jamaica is indeed NOT in Ghana, and that Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTUIlOudlHI

-"Cheerleader" is HUGE right now. It's the new Azonto, so everyone is walking around blaring it on his or her speakers at school. I have super cheeky students who grab my arm as I walk by their desks and start singing, "When I need motivation....." and serenade me to it. Ohhh Samoa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_NVUZNsh2E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8STgy58k2U&feature=player_embedded

It will have you singing, "Pretty lil teine, seki a oe" forever!!!
(Pronounced "tay-ney, sec-ee-ahhh oi"
Translation: Pretty little girl, she' so awesome/cool.)

Enjoy! Manuia!