The first Religious missionaries found its way to Samoa during the 1830, almost a good century ahead of Margaret Mead attempted to data the fresh new people of the islands. By the point she showed up, the fresh new chapel was actually a main part of Samoan lifestyle to own years.
In this episode, co-server Doris Tulifau examines how Christianity and you will colonization complicate Mead’s-along with her critic anthropologist Derek Freeman’s-findings and you will continue to figure Samoan label now.
Which episode is included from inside the Seasons 6 of your SAPIENS podcast, which was made possible because of the an offer regarding the Federal Endowment on the Humanities.
Sia Figiel: It was a school regarding status that only the daughters away from large chiefs attended. It was not an excellent democracy, one to you can now visit. No.
Doris Tulifau: We have been condition outside Atauloma Girls School having Sia Figiel, good Samoan novelist, poet, and playwright … and you will my friend. Atauloma ‘s the school anthropologist erican Samoa due to the fact good Ph.D. beginner. New London Missionary People founded the school from inside the 1900, and it also stayed unlock until 1970. It was shortly after a great stately, well-well-kept, two-facts strengthening. Now it’s crumbling aside. New forest try reclaiming they, vines and you can plant life twisting certainly the skeleton.
To Sia, the institution represents a change in Samoan label. Whenever she thinks back once again to the young Samoan ladies who stayed in these countries before Atauloma, through to the missionaries turned up-
Sia: I think that they had instance a versatility that was tampered having because of the Christians. They offered it something ugly.
Doris: Samoans have a complex relationship with new Religious faith. Some of us feel Sia do, that Christianity permanently changed a few of the most beautiful areas of brand new Samoan customs and you can living. Others say it put Samoans for the a road out of trust and white. Everyone do concur that Christianity is such a key part regarding Samoan people now that people outsider needs to account fully for it.
They made sex ugly, and it also ruined years of women; I know men as well
This week, we discuss Christianity’s influence on Samoan society. I start by the original missionaries. I following look at how visibility out-of Christianity molded the latest fieldwork from Margaret Mead and you can Derek Freeman. Finally, i query: Exactly how ‘s the chapel nonetheless relevant to, and resonant to possess, Samoan young people today?
That it chapel is similar denomination given that you to my personal daddy helped establish inside the Bay area. Very popping in thought familiar and you may next to house. Mass are element of how i spent my youth, too, and it’s really difficult for me to imagine Samoa in the place of the churches. They’re part of the story for nearly 200 many years. Extremely levels say Christianity showed up from inside the Samoa when you look at the 1830 with the brand new arrival off John Williams of the London area Missionary Community. He is basically understood to be the original missionary right here.
Albert Pati Siliga: Really, my grandma’s including out-of Savaai-in which the A beneficial Book arrived, where in fact the John Williams introduced the good thing to turn the newest Samoans on Christianity. Plus it are my family, the newest Salima friends, that actually was those who approved the whole thing.
Doris: This is Albert Pati Siliga. He or she is an aunt out of Sia Figiel’s. With his members of the family was not by yourself within the embracing Christianity. John Williams was able to transfer anybody simply by using almost every other Samoans. And he got the assistance of one of the most important anybody on archipelago: Malietoa Vainu’upo.
It interfered they, plus they gave sexuality a for example we didn’t have before
The Malietoa label was a beneficial Tama-o-aiga label, known to be one of the large throughout the home. Malietoa welcomed the new missionaries, instance Williams. Partially this oan history, Malietoa had simply has just been able to overcome their captain rival for power over Samoa. Dealing with the latest missionaries offered him an advantage. He could use particular influence more their exposure on the islands. And then he might get use of Western european merchandise, including arms.