Fale

"Fale" means a house in Samoan language. "If you go to Samoa, definitely you should stay in a beach fale" Somebody told me. The beach fale is Samoan beach house. It's a little bit different from a usual beach house style. Which I saw was consisted of raised 8ft square floor, 4 columns and a roof. Quite simple, no wall or window. So put a cloth around it for a screen. Now you get the airy room on beachside.
I thought the beach fale meant a bungalow before I actually see it. I believe staying there is the best way to understand Samoan life. But it must be tough in this rainy season. More over the bungalow I stay is cozy enough. After all, I take easier way.

The architectural style of beach fale isn't made for tourist. It comes from the traditional Samoan house. As a matter of fact, you can find a fale almost every house. Of course, it's not 8ft square one. A large roof covers stone floor. Dozens of columns support the roof. Samoan people rest, chat and eat in the roomy space. They used to live in this simple house, I guess. Although they live in a modernized house next to now a days, Samoan people spend most of time in the fale. It's a kind of living room.
A fale is not built only for a residential house but also for a community hall or a rest house on road side, sometime even for a church. From kids to the olds, people take off the sandals and chat on the floor. In Samoa, people always meet under the large roof of fale.