The first Christian missionaries found its way to Samoa into the 1830, nearly an effective century in advance of Margaret Mead attempt to research the fresh people of the countries. Once she showed up, the brand new chapel got a main element of Samoan lives to possess generations.
Within episode, co-server Doris Tulifau explores how Christianity and you will colonization complicate Mead’s-along with her critic anthropologist Derek Freeman’s-findings and you may always contour Samoan label today.
This event is roofed when you look at the Year 6 of the SAPIENS podcast, that has been permitted from the a grant on National Endowment towards Humanities.
Sia Figiel: It actually was a college off esteem you to just the daughters out-of high chiefs went to. It wasn’t an excellent democracy, one anyone can find out about it. No.
Doris Tulifau: We’re status additional Atauloma Girls University which have Sia Figiel, an excellent Samoan novelist, poet, and you may playwright … and my good friend. Atauloma ‘s the university anthropologist erican Samoa just like the a Ph.D. beginner. The latest London area Missionary Neighborhood centered the institution into the 1900, also it stayed unlock up to 1970. It actually was immediately following an effective stately, well-manicured, two-story strengthening. Now it is crumbling apart. The fresh jungle try reclaiming they, vines and you will plants bending among the skeleton.
To Sia, the college means a shift within the Samoan label. Whenever she thinks back again to the students Samoan women that existed in these islands in advance of Atauloma, before the missionaries turned up-
Sia: I believe they’d for example a versatility that was interfered that have from the Christians. It offered it things ugly.
Doris: Samoans have a complex relationship with brand new Christian faith. Some people feel just like Sia does, one Christianity permanently changed a few of the most stunning regions of brand new Samoan society and you will living. Others state it lay Samoans with the a path out-of believe and you will light. Everyone do concur that Christianity is such a key region out-of Samoan culture now you to any outsider needs to account fully for it.
They made sex unsightly, therefore destroyed years of females; I’m sure guys also
Recently, i discuss Christianity’s affect Samoan people. We begin by the first missionaries. We following consider the presence off Christianity molded the new fieldwork of Margaret Mead and you will Derek Freeman. Last but not least, i ask: Exactly how is the chapel still highly relevant to, and you will resonant to have, Samoan young people today?
This church is the same denomination while the one to my grandfather helped set up inside San francisco bay area. Thus coming here noticed common and you can near to household. Bulk try part of how i spent my youth, as well, and it’s hard for me to imagine Samoa in place of its places of worship. They’re element of our story for almost 200 years. Very account say Christianity turned up inside Samoa into the 1830 with the newest arrival out of John Williams of London Missionary Area. He is essentially described as the initial missionary right here.
Albert Pati Siliga: Well, my grandma’s also from Savaai-where in fact the A Publication vad Г¤r den bГ¤sta nationaliteten att gifta sig med landed, where in actuality the John Williams produced what’s promising to make the fresh Samoans on Christianity. Also it are my children, the fresh new Salima relatives, that basically was in fact those that recognized all of it.
Doris: This will be Albert Pati Siliga. He’s a cousin of Sia Figiel’s. With his loved ones was not by yourself for the looking at Christianity. John Williams been able to move somebody by using most other Samoans. And then he got the help of a single of the biggest some one towards archipelago: Malietoa Vainu’upo.
They tampered they, and additionally they gave sexuality a meaning that i didn’t have in advance of
The brand new Malietoa title was an excellent Tama-o-aiga identity, often proves to be among the higher regarding residential property. Malietoa welcomed the fresh missionaries, instance Williams. Partially that it oan record, Malietoa got merely recently managed to defeat his master competitor for control over Samoa. Working with the missionaries gave him an edge. He may use some influence more than its presence regarding the isles. And then he might get usage of Eu products, and possession.
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