Something that never ceases to amaze me is the functionality of the coconut tree in everyday life. Wednesday evening, my family made baskets from palm fronds they picked from the gardens around our fale. These fronds will be used to weave baskets, which are for holding taro as they sell it along the roadside.
The first step in the basket-weaving process is to actually get the branches from the tree. The tree above is over 30 feet tall, so unless someone is going to climb up there (the younger boys are often tasked with this job), you’ll have to find a shorter tree. My uncle was fortunate enough to find a tree that was short, so no one was sent up to the top (at least not today).
The fronds are HUGE. Most are taller than I am, although when you’re 5’5″, most things are taller than you.
During PST, we had a session about the uses of the coconut tree (and I blogged about it here), but I haven’t used my limited weaving skills since. Needless to say, my attempts were short lived before my host mom stepped in to help me out.
I could only get so far before something slipped out of somewhere or a leaf broke or a stray cat brushed against me so I stopped weaving to pet it. Eventually I resigned myself to watching, which proved to me that in the time I spent weaving that frond halfway to something, my host family whipped out 3 baskets.
The taro came from our plantation up the road. Taro is a root, and is a staple Sāmoan food. When cooked, it’s often served in thick slices with coconut cream. 
Basket weaving is an important task, but the time passes quickly through conversation. My host family chatted away as their hands were busy weaving in and out and over and under. I have a theory that they could weave these baskets in their sleep, as it’s almost second nature for them.
Selling produce on the road is a common way for families to generate income. It’s not uncommon to see multiple produce stands as you drive around the island. From taro to barbecued meat to fresh fish straight out of the ocean, there is no shortage of Sāmoan staple foods.
Fortunately, I had some great company to watch the weaving with. My host cousin, Moeona, is a student at the school I teach at. We were both pretty excited about the cat that decided to hang around us while we watched.
Teaching in the Tropics 