The bodies of about 10 tsunami victims will be buried in a mass grave near Apia today after a national funeral service.
Several mourners made the heartbreaking decision to sign their loved ones over for the state burial rather than take them back to the ruins of their villages for traditional funerals and burials on their own land, as is their culture.
Government ministers put the proposal to village and family leaders gathered in a traditional fale and said the state would pick up the cost.
The Government said it would also consider financial assistance to people who would rather take their relatives home.
Today's service, to be conducted by the National Council of Churches, was supposed to be held yesterday but relatives asked for more time for other family members to arrive from overseas.
The bodies will be transported today from various parts of Apia's Moto'otua Hospital.
Bodies found on the first day have been kept in the hospital morgue but those found days later have been stored in freezing containers as they were starting to decompose.
The service starts at 3pm at Apia Park and a procession will then head to the new Tafaigata Cemetery outside the capital, next to the country's maximum-security prison.
Members of the media have been asked to follow the traditional dress code - a shirt and long pants for men and a skirt or long dress for women.
A monument will later be built at the grave site, which is close to another mass grave where thousands of victims of the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic are buried.
A big spreading tree is near the mass grave, and there is a view north towards the Pacific Ocean.
The Government has declared today a national day of mourning, and has ordered a half-day holiday starting at noon.
A religious festival which honours children, Lotu Tamaiti or White Sunday, planned for this weekend has also been scaled back.
In Auckland, a combined memorial service for all tsunami victims will be held on Sunday at Trusts Stadium in Henderson.
The Samoan Government said yesterday that there were 143 confirmed deaths from the tsunami.
A search continues for six people still missing.
Local and international aid agencies are continuing to provide assistance to Samoans who lost their homes in the disaster.
How you can help
Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government
Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office
ANZ bank
Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00
Oxfam
- Make a secure online donation at Oxfam.org.nz
- Phone 0800 400 666 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 600 20
Caritas
- Make a secure online donation at Caritas.org.nz
- Phone 0800 22 10 22 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 4 11 11
TEAR fund
- Make a secure online donation at tearfund.co.nz
- Phone 0800 800 777 to specify Samoa the Philippines or Indonesia. You can also donate at CD and DVD stores.
Mercury Energy
- Donate at mercury.co.nz
or text the word Samoa followed by the amount you wish to pledge and your Mercury account number to 515 or by calling 0800 10 18 10.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is asking for help with the clean-up habitat.org.nz
