aumaga
|a-u-ma-ga|
/a.uˈmaŋa/
village men's group
Etymology
'aumaga' originates from Samoan, specifically the word 'aumāga', where 'au' meant 'group' or 'party' and 'māga' (or 'maga') referred to 'men' or 'male people'.
'aumāga' entered English as a loanword during contact and ethnographic description of Samoan social organization, remaining largely unchanged in form and usage when used in English texts.
Initially, in Samoan it referred specifically to the village men's cohort responsible for communal tasks; in English use it retains that cultural meaning and is used to describe the same social institution.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a Samoan village group or committee of men (often young men) responsible for communal tasks and labor; the men's collective in village life.
The aumaga organized the fale preparations before the village ceremony.
Synonyms
Noun 2
collective term for the male members of a Samoan community when acting together for duties, ceremonies, or labor.
During the harvest the aumaga worked together to move the taro crops.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/19 19:00