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Some Children in Samoa have been missing school because they have been on the streets of Apia trying to get a bit of money to buy food for White Sunday.
The Samoa Observer reports that in among the shoppers on Friday, there were sellers – some only of primary school age – selling things such as chips, soda and matches just so they would not feel left out of the festivities.
One seller, 13-year-old told the Samoa Observer reporter, “I am a school boy and I am here to sell chips and cocoa to help out my parents so they can buy food for White Sunday.”
“Not only so they can feed my younger siblings on White Sunday, but so we have enough to buy lunch when we go back to school next week.”
In Samoa, the second Sunday in October is call White Sunday. The celebration of White Sunday was introduced in the islands by London Missionary Society missionaries in the 1800s.
On White Sunday parents and communities acknowledge and celebrate childhood by hosting special church services during which children re-enact Biblical stories, recite passages from scriptural and perform creative dances.
Children receive gifts (often new clothing and/or school supplies) on White Sunday and are allowed privileges normally reserved for elders, such as being the first to be served food at family meal time.
Samoan women and children dress completely in white clothing. Some of them trim the clothes with the other two colours of the Samoan flag, red and blue. Men will wear white shirts with either white slacks or the traditional ‘i.e. faitaga form of the lavalava.
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News category: Asia Pacific.
