I was fascinated with this tale as a child. This is the song about how the Octopus got it spots and explains the rivalry with the water rat. So much so that when fishermen are hunting for Octopus they put a little tail on their bait to resemble a rat’s tail – and it works! There is also a dance performed to this song that my mother and her brothers used to perform.
From Foloi
Respect and Gratitude to "Punialava'a" for this great classic popular song. Reverend Lale Peteru thank you for your genius songwriting. A fun song that comes from a fable about the poor octopus (fe'e) and the mischievous mouse/rat (Isumu). The second verse though is about a game catching land crabs.
The story behind this song is actually quite funny. One day the mouse/rat want to go somewhere but the problem was, there was a like river type thing there, so then he called his friend the fe'e (octopus) and asked if he could sit on his head while he swims across, so the fe'e agrees, as they are going across the mouse pooped on the fe'e's head, but the fe'e still took him across not knowing what happened, until the mouse got off his head, that's why when Samoans go out to catch octopus, they get a small rock and decorate it with string and leaves (lure) to make it look like a mouse.
lyrics
Si fe’e, si fe’e
Ao lau lama Ao lau lama Ao ia tele
Si fe’e, si fe’e
Fau lau fausa, Fau lau fausa Fau ia tele
Si fe’ē, tago ia i lou ulu
Po’o a ea, na mea e iai
A o si fe’e, ua tilotilo mai
Ua le malie lona loto i le mea ua fai
Fai fai lemu
Ina ne’i, te’i ane ua e pa’ū
Fai fai malie
E ui ina timu
Ae i’u lava ina laofie
Tolotolo uga, se’i e matea ea
Po’o se ugāmea, po’o se ugātea
A o a’u, ma si a’u uō
E ma te tafafao i le vao
Fai fai lemu
Ina ne’i, te’i ane ua e pa’ū
Fai fai malie
E ui ina timu
Ae i’u lava ina laofie
Si fe’e, si fe’e
Ao lau lama, Ao lau lama
Ao ia tele…
Si fe’e, si fe’e
Fau lau fausa, Fau lau fausa
Fau ia tele
English translation
Hey Octopus, Hey Octopus
Build your house, build your home, build it real big
Hey Octopus, Hey Octopus
Build your house, build your home, build it real big
Hey Octopus, touch your head Check if there’s anything on it
Poor Octopus is looking at us
Its angry with what has happened
Go, go real slow
In case you trip over it
Go, go real easy Though it is raining
I’m sure it will be clear soon.
Hermit crab crawls, trying to find a fight
Like it’s a weapon, or the boss
My friend and I
strolling down into the jungle
Go, go real slow
In case you trip over it
Go, go real easy
Though it is raining
I’m sure it will be clear soon
Hey Octopus, Hey Octopus
Build your house, Build your home
Build it real big
Hey Octopus, Hey Octopus
Build your house, Build your home
Build it real big
This album speaks to the continuum of African diasporic culture that is central to the vibrant canon of Americana folk music. Bandcamp Album of the Day May 29, 2020
Durham, NC singer-songwriter Skylar Gudasz makes intimate Americana delivered with dry wit and stunningly precise vocal acumen. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 14, 2020
