from Talking to Children in Western Samoa (Ochs 1988)
These…facts suggest a concept of person that is fragmented and not strongly in control of actions and states. This concept is further supported by two basic notions in traditional life - the notion of amio (natural behavior) and aga (socially appropriate conduct). …Amio…is most often used to refer to natural drives that lead persons to act in socially destructive ways. One’s amio is a strong force and can dominate a person in particular situations. For example, one’s amio is likely to emerge when one drinks too much beer. In a state of drunkenness, what little control one has diminishes and natural impulses lead one to cause trouble (misa), for example, to fight or say angry words.
