What The Ula Fala Means (And Why WWE Is Unlikely To Sell You One)

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When Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa met in Tribal Combat during "WWE Raw" on Monday, they fought not for any championship or accolade but rather for their culture's token of leadership: the Ula Fala. Reigns was first presented with the necklace, thus crowning him the "Tribal Chief," after his second defense of the Universal Championship against Jey Uso at Hell in a Cell. After getting his cousin to submit to his rule, he was met on the entrance ramp by his father and uncle, Sika and Afa, as elders of the family anointing him with the Ula Fala, going on to lead The Bloodline over a thousand days before Sikoa attempted to usurp him last year. In Reigns' absence after losing the title to Cody Rhodes, Sikoa took the symbol of leadership for his own and proclaimed to be the "New Tribal Chief," culminating in the final battle this past Monday where Reigns would re-attain both the Ula Fala and thus continue as the one true "Tribal Chief." 

To truly understand why Reigns and Sikoa were in combat over a necklace instead of a championship belt as was rumored, one needs to delve into its cultural significance. Firstly, they're by no means the first in their family to appear in wrestling with the Ula Fala, with late WWE legends Umaga and "High Chief" Peter Maivia previously donning it, and even New Bloodline member Jacob Fatu during his time as MLW World Heavyweight Champion. In Samoan culture, the Ula Fala is worn by those who preside as chiefs (Matai, Ali'i, and Tulafale) in their families/tribes, made of the dried Pandanus fruit growing in the Pacific islands. Although the fruit can be naturally red, the necklace is normally painted to exemplify the color, indicative of the high rank within their society. 

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WWE's commercial powerhouse has thousands of products available for fans to buy, with everything ranging from masks popularized by "The Fiend" or Rey Mysterio to title belts both authentic replicas and commemorative in concept; limited edition titles for sports teams like the Los Angeles Lakers or Hall of Famers like Shawn Michaels. But that doesn't extend to the prize of The Bloodline, and while commerce platforms like Etsy have listings of the Ula Fala, it doesn't appear to be something to be sold as merchandise commercially. The simple reason why is what makes it so significant in the first place; it is a genuine cultural symbol amongst the people of Samoa, and selling it at a commercial level would fundamentally undermine that. 

Moreover, both the British Museum and the Museum of New Zealand possess curated Ula Falas, having been worn by Samoan dignitaries when donated to the Duke of Gloucester and Governor General respectively. It goes beyond just the Anoa'i dynasty, to sell the Ula Fala commercially would be considered mass cultural appropriation – especially considering the amount that would likely be bought by WWE fans. But also with the way that the necklace is handcrafted would come a logistical issue; as mentioned previously, it is made from the dried Pandanus fruit, and any attempt to expedite the process that goes into making one would also undermine the cultural significance of the Ula Fala. 

That's really what makes the Ula Fala such a specialty in wrestling, it is a genuinely unattainable prize and has been treated with as much reverence around the necks of the leading men of the Anoa'i dynasty. It's a tribal heirloom to indicate one's seniority within their family and carries too much importance to be commodified.