Samoans unite for celebration of sport
Next to the Olympics, the biggest athletic event on our island is the South Pacific Games, which this year is being held by Samoa. Tanya O'Shea reports.

This year, nations from the South Pacific participating in the SP Games include: Palau, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Western Samoa, American Samoa, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Tonga and well... there are 22 of them.

The South Pacific Games are a mini-Olympics.

The event line-up doesn't mirror the Olympics, but there are some similarities and it's very serious competition - winning a medal at the SP Games is a very high honour.

This year, the SP Games will have lawn Bowls, cricket, golf, hockey, Netball, va'a (outrigger canoeing), sailing, surfing, and three different Rugby events (sevens, touch and rugby league nines).

One of the biggest competitions is the cheering - oh and the opening ceremony... it's GOT to be bigger and better than Fiji's... Suva hosted the last games four years ago.

Samoa's sea eel legend with its themes of loyalty, rebirth and legacy will be central to the grand opener..Samoa's South Pacific Games chairman, Tapasu Leung Wai says the story of the maiden Sina, the eel and the coconut tree, will be retold at Apia Park, on August 25.

Lueng Wai, who's gaining a reputation for his turn of phrase, says that while China has its dragon, Samoa has its eels and its maidens.

This same man remarked that Samoans were all very comfortable with homosexuality, "There are no closets in Samoa."

And, as Lueng Wai went on to say, the Team Samoa managers rapidly backed down on their ban of gay sex in Samoa's games village, not quite, but almost apologising for the strongly worded message that condemned such acts as 'unchristian'.

After this came an avalanche of sex stories, the Samoans Aids Foundation leading the press with the import of 50 thousand condoms, and the chief health official urging athletes and officials to keep displays of their prowess for the track and not the hotel.

Meanwhile Samoa's fafafine community is setting up an exclusive enclave at the games, a nightclub entertainment arena with entry prices so steep, it will keep most people out.

The games opening ceremony also promises to delight the senses, its executive producer, Walter Frazier, promising Samoan culture, dance, music and some amazing props, the theatrical aspect of the opening will be world class.

He's set the Olympics as a benchmark.

Frazier's creative team includes music director and composer, Igelese Ete, who was sought as choirmaster by US film director Peter Jackson to provide the haunting choral work on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.

Locals are calling the SPG the super games, giant new arenas have gone up, paid for with Chinese funding, and roads rebuilt - go to man for games co-ordination, Niko Palamo explains that the government spending has been huge.

He's looking after everything from the ball boys at the tennis to the running of 33 sports, 27 venues and 4,200 athletes.

Past game have been great because of the strong Pacific spirit of family... and this time, countries are to billetted at one of 18 schools, their hosts will take charge of providing uproarious support.

Samoans take team support seriously, so there will be a crowd of cheering, singing and dancing fans for all 22 countries at the South Pacific Games.

< back