Youngsters revive ancient skill

Seven young men who have been learning to make siapo (traditional tapa) will learn how to sell their products next week.

This is the first such workshop and part of the U.N.E.S.C.O Office for Pacific States plan to promote gender equality. Eight young women are also involved.

There is even one participant each from Manono Tai and Manono Uta.

Known as the Siapo Making Business Training, the workshop, which is also funded by the International Trading Organization (I.L.O.), is one way of addressing youth issues.

The programme comes under U.N.E.S.C.O’s social and human science project that targets marginalised youth such as people with disabilities, those who have dropped out of school and were deported. It’s about making them financially independent and reviving tradition at the same time.

Education Officer with U.N.E.S.C.O, Yusuke Nii said that culturally, it was unheard of to have men making siapo. They were told it was impossible to get men involved but were surprised when more than 100 people applied to participate. Included were male applicants.

“Our project promotes gender equality and an equal opportunity to participate in everything. [the local organizers at the Samoa Cultural Centre] said it’s almost impossible as it was a woman’s job. If advertised, it will be 100 percent women.”

It was decided that the only way to reduce the numbers were to set the age from 17 to 24.

“So really, we got a really good response from the public, it was very surprising. Traditionally, it was a female job".

The each participant is from a different village and it is expected that they will return and continue to this trade and teach others. Next Friday, the siapo making component ends and is followed with three days of business training. The trainer is being brought in by I.L.O. “So, it is not just about making it but to help them with skills and knowledge and confidence to network to sell these kinds of products to the market".

Prior to the workshop, the male participants had no experience at all. They knew nothing of what tree was used or what it looked like.

Based on interviews with the participants, Mr. Nii found that so far, the young men have realised that it is no easy task. They agree that women should not be doing this alone. The mulberry tree needs to be cut and brought to a certain place and the pieces of wood, widened with a shell.

“The boys found it really difficult and was hard work.”

During the workshop, the participants glued the white tapa together with the starch from a cooked cassava, then the red ink made from the clay found in the rivers, was painted over the upeti designs onto the siapo.

Although they may want to keep them, there are plans to sell some of the pieces during the closing on May 20, at the Samoa Cultural Centre.

For Mr. Nii, the siapo workshop is a breakthrough of social inclusion with the intention of putting these youth back into the mainstream.v He found that the youth were more flexible in thinking. They weren’t bothered about gender and their roles in society. Instead, they just got involved and really enjoyed it.

Mr. Nii hopes that this continues to move forward and continue towards achieving a different aspect of gender equality.