Relentless Pursuit — Samoan Proverb Tee

<p><strong>Ua tuliloa le atu a le sa'u.</strong><br><em>"The bonito is pursued by the swordfish."</em></p><p>This alagaupu (Samoan proverb) comes from the sa'ula (swordfish), a predator known to relentlessly chase the atu (bonito), trailing it even when it flees for shelter near a canoe. Known as an <em>upu vivi'i</em> (words of praise), it commends the energy and perseverance with which a person strives toward a goal — and it can also be spoken as an <em>upu alofa</em>, an expression of sympathy for one who finds themselves pursued the way the bonito is.</p><p>