Saman may refer to:
Albizia saman (sometimes treated under the obsolete name Samanea saman) is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the Neotropics. Its range extends from Mexico south to Peru and Brazil, but it has been widely introduced to South and Southeast Asia, as well as the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii. Common names include saman, rain tree and monkeypod (see also below). It is often placed in the genus Samanea, which by yet other authors is subsumed in Albizia entirely.
Saman is a wide-canopied tree with a large symmetrical crown. It usually reaches a height of 25 m (82 ft) and a diameter of 40 m. The leaves fold in rainy weather and in the evening, hence the name "rain tree" and "five o'clock tree" (Pukul Lima) in Malay. Several lineages of this tree are available, e.g., with reddish pink and creamish golden colored flowers.
During his 1799–1804 travels in the Americas, Alexander von Humboldt encountered a giant saman tree near Maracay, Venezuela. He measured the circumference of the parasol-shaped crown at 576 ft (about 180.8 m), its diameter was around 190 ft (about 59.6 m), on a trunk at 9 ft (about 2.8 m) in diameter and reaching just 60 ft (nearly 19 m) in height. Humboldt mentioned the tree was reported to have changed little since the Spanish colonization of Venezuela; he estimated it to be as old as the famous Canary Islands dragon tree (Dracaena draco) of Icod de los Vinos on Tenerife.
Saman (or the dance of thousand hands) is one of the most popular dances in Indonesia. Its origin is from the Gayo ethnic group from Gayo Lues, Aceh province, Sumatra, and is normally performed to celebrate important occasions. The dance is characterized by its fast-paced rhythm and common harmony between dancers. These two elements are key figures of Saman, and are among the reasons Saman are widely known and practiced in Indonesia, beside being relatively easy to learn.
On November 24, 2011, UNESCO officially recognized Aceh's traditional Saman dance as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, which needs UNESCO's urgent protection.
The ASEAN Tourism Association (ASEANTA) named Saman dance as the best ASEAN cultural preservation effort at the 25th ASEANTA Awards for Excellence 2012.
The dance is done by a group of people forming a line accompanied by a music player. Originally, the group was exclusively male, but it is now more common to see female Saman dancers. The music player plays percussion instrument, such as kendang, and leads the song before it is followed by the dancers. The music contains various verses with folk and Islamic elements, both of which can be fully sung or not depending on the performer's decision. A short song (which leads to a short dance) can last for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Guess I better come clean
I was lying through my teeth
You know that I was getting
Downright mean
And you heard about enough
Excuses from me
To fill a magazine
It was getting hard to sleep
Cuz my talk was only cheap
But you're gonna be surprised
To find me talking like I'm
Someone new
Was looking oh so cool
But I done enough crying
All alone to fill a
King-size pool
Guess I had to find out
The hard way baby
I was someone's fool
It was getting hard to sleep
Cuz my heart was on the street
But you're gonna be surprised
To find me looking like I'm
Someone new cuz baby
Someone new got ahold of me
Someone new took control for me
And what I blew
It won't be held against me
Someone new is looking out for me
Someone who's got real love for me
But what's it to you
Are you gonna be the last to know
Are you gonna be the last to know
You think you're gonna be good
You think you're gonna try and
Save the world
Like some modern-day Robin Hood
Guess you're gonna find out
The hard way, babe
There's only One that could
It's getting too late to sleep
Why don't you come in off that street
And you're gonna be surprised
When you find out you can be
Someone new too cuz baby
Someone new could take care of you
Someone who's got real love for you
It's up to you what you gonna do yeh
Someone new looking out for you
Someone who's got real love for you
But what's it to you
Are you gonna be the last to know
You don't want to be the last to know
You could be someone new