puaʻa
The Samoan word for pig is puaʻa.
The term puaʻa refers to the mammal of the family Suidae.
Meaning: mammal of family Suidae (noun)
Did you know?
- The glottal stop in puaʻa, represented by the symbol ʻ, is a distinct consonant sound that completely changes the meaning of the word if omitted.
- A pig is often considered more valuable than a cow in traditional Samoan gift-giving exchanges. This makes the ‘puaʻa’ a highly prized commodity in communal celebrations.
- In some traditional contexts, the word for pig is avoided or treated with specific protocols during certain sacred rituals to maintain 'tapu', or spiritual restrictions.
Examples in context
- Sa latou fusi atu le pua'a i totonu o le fale.They tied up the pig inside the house.
- O le puaʻa e fiafia e ai.The pig likes to eat.
Example conversation
Talisa and Tasi are visiting a village farm.
- TalisaSeʻa puaʻa le puaʻa lenʻi?Is that pig a small pig?
- TasiIoe, o se puaʻa tama.Yes, it is a young pig.
- TalisaE matagofie le puaʻa lenʻi.That pig is beautiful.
- TasiFaʻafai, e lelei le puaʻa.Indeed, the pig is healthy.
