Pouliuli by Albert Wendt

1317 Words3 Pages

In Pouliuli, a novel written by Albert Wendt, Faleasa Osovae awakens to find the life he’s been living all along is a mere façade. Pouliuli invites readers into the Samoan community of Malaelua, which is turned topsy-turvy when Faleasa misleads his aiga and community by acting maniacal. Albert Wendt ties a famous Malaelua saga about a mythological hero named Pili to Faleasa Osovae’s life. In the myth as well as in Faleasa’s story, they both had the same goal, which was to live the rest of their life “free”. To accomplish this goal, they both had to accomplish three tasks. Pilis’ tasks were to eat a mountain of fish which the giant’s had caught that day, to race the giants down a river, and make himself disappear. Faleasas’ tasks were to destroy Filemoni, Make Moaula the new leader, and remove Sau and Vaelupa as council leader. Of course they couldn’t have done these tasks alone so both of them enlisted help from friends. Pili enlisted the help of Tausamitele, Lelemalosi, and Pouliuli. Faleasa enlisted the help of his long time friend Laaumatua and his son Moaula. Finally to get the freedom they so wished for they had to complete one last task. In Pili’s case it was to divide his kingdom among his children while Faleasa had to remove Malaga as congress of the village. In the end, they both end up with nothing. Both ending up in the darkness of Pouliuli.
In both scenarios there is a mirror image from Pili’s saga to Faleasa’s. In what way are the characteristics of the three allies Pili enlist to help him with his tasks similar to those of Faleasas’ allies? How are the tasks in Pili’s saga similar to Faleasa’s tasks? Why did Faleasa actually go with his plan when he knew that the end result in Pili’s story was tragic?
We first recognize the similarities between the mythological saga of Pili to Faleasa’s life as we are informed of the myth. In Pili’s saga as well as in Faleasa’s story they create a plan that would attain the freedom they are seeking. Pili wants to be restored into a human while Faleasa wants to live the remaining years of his life free from the duties he had as a leader.
“…If you set me three tasks and I perform them successfully will you lift the curse off me?

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