Teuila Kilikiti Samoa Tournament Back in Play

By Staff Reporters/

Apia, Samoa – 04 September 2024 – After an absence for some years, the Teuila Kilikiti Samoa Tournament is back in action with ten teams competing at the Methodist church grounds at Faleula.

Eight men’s teams are competing with one from Utah USA and two women’s teams as the tournament marks the revival of a traditional sport that is on the verge of dying out.

The two weeks tournament was officially opened by the Minister of Sports Laumatiamanu Ringo Purcell who spoke about the importance of traditional sports such as Kilikiti Samoa.

“It builds people and human relationships and brings about harmony and peace between villages and young people,” he said.

Kilikiti Samoa has been a part of the Teuila Festival for over 20 years and in 1994, the sport recorded the highest number of clubs registered under Kilikiti Samoa.

“It recorded 142 men’s team and 126 women’s team, and the good thing about it is that Kilikiti Samoa Committee is making an effort to retain this traditional sport,” said Laumatiamanu.

Kilikiti Samoa patron Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao acknowledged the committee’s effort in reviving the sport through organising the tournament.

“They approached me last year with their vision for the sport hence the tournament that was held in Savaii last year, and this year, we bring it to Apia,” said La’auli.

Kilikiti Samoa Vice President, Manu’u Fale said they have also approached the previous Government but were not interested in Kilikiti Samoa as they were investing resources in English cricket.

“The FAST Government accepted our request and so we started reviving the sport last year,” he said.

Executive of the Kiliikiti Samoa Association (Left- Right) Tulatoa Ioapo (Vice Treasurer), Taulefili Euta (Treasurer), Manu’u Fale (Vice President), Fiu Siolo (President), Poulava Amosa (Secretary), Taulagi Pule and Tapusoa Fa’afia.

Concern over lack of interest in Kilikiti Samoa
Kilikiti Samoa is one of Samoa’s oldest traditional sports which involved nt just the team but the whole village who form the tapuaiga, the supporters who also provide entertainment during the matches.

Kilikiti traditionally had also been responsible for martial connections with suitors finding romantic connection when visiting teams are billeted to their hosts during the tournaments that ran for weeks.

As a sport, Kilikiti had its own language with proverbs and sayings derived from the sport that are popularly used as metaphorical references in everyday activities. Songs have been composed and sang during the Kilikiti connections and the elders of the travelling teams instruct their single young players, “Vaai se ‘ai o le malaga” – a reference to picking up a woman as their prize.

“That is our concern because our younger generation shows no interest in the sport,” said Manu’u Fale.

He said the sport is fading out because of the deliberate attempt to replace it by the English cricket “because it earns money”. He said something needs to be done about it like running national tournaments like Teuila and including it in the school physical education and sports programs.

Teuila Kilikiti Samoa Tournament Competing Teams:

• I’a ole Vai- Tanugamanono (Women)
• Fetuao – Tiavea (Women)
• I’a o le Vainu’u – Manono
• Tanifa o le Vao – Sili
• Pusiula – Fagaloa
• Ainiu Sami – Lefaga
• Snow Boys – Utah, USA
• Aumaga Tupua – Fagaloa
• Vaigafa – Ga’utavai
• Fa’atolotologa Tama – Gataivai