Family and Gender Structure

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    The traditional family structure is Samoa is mainly patriarchal. The men work and provide for the family and the women take care of the home and children. Family is very important to Samoans. They place family above all else, the family’s needs come before the individual needs. Children are raised to respect elders and to obey the rules that are set for them. Samoan families believe that each member represents the family and must be honorable and act honorable. Each member of the family is expected to participate in family roles. Elders are seen as the wise ones and are given a lot of respect. These elders determine the rules of the family and also decide who the land that they are given goes to. The most respectful and well behaved children will inherit the land.

    They often form large family units consisting of several generations and they live very close to each other. Extended family is referred to as aiga potopoto and more immediate family is called aiga. The villages in Samoa are generally made up of several aiga each of those have their own Matai or leader. The bigger the aiga they have and the more influence they have over the community. This system provides more support and helps the individuals in the family know their roles. Matai can be male or female. Traditionally they are male as the men hold a more powerful position in Samoan culture. However, it is not uncommon for women to be matai. These women have to be blood related to the aiga and are often the daughters of the previous matai.

https://nhm.org/stories/beyond-gender-indigenous-perspectives-faafafine-and-faafatama
https://nhm.org/stories/beyond-gender-indigenous-
perspectives-faafafine-and-faafatama
    Gender roles in the Samoan culture is very complex. The Samoan culture accepts four different genders. There are men, women, fa’afafine, and fa’atama. Fa’afafine are men who live in the manner of women, and fa’atama are women who live in the manner of men. These gender fluid roles are usually present from a young age and are often encouraged by members of the family. There are many reports of families having only boy children and raising one of them as a female or fa’afafine. These genders allow a balance in communities and ensure that are enough people to fill all the roles. For example fa’afafine will usually take care of the elders and participate in cleaning and cooking. They also take on a bigger role with the children often looking after their nieces and nephews. Fa’atama will usually work alongside the men and help with farming, fishing, and patriarchal rules. Fa’afafine and fa’atama can also be figures in the public that educate about taboo topics like sex.

    Education is very important in Samoan culture. Many of the children are bilingual and speak both Samoan and English. The first few years of school are taught in only Samoan and then the education shifts with an emphasis on English. Each village has its own primary school offering eight years of education. There are also secondary schools available but not in every village. Samoan has a literacy level of 98% due to the importance of education placed by the family structure.

    Violence is a huge issue in Samoa. Often times this violence takes place in the home. Domestic violence and Sexual abuse are very present in Samoan homes. Often times this violence is seen as normal and just a way of life. Schools will participate in corporal punishment and members of the aiga will also take part in extreme discipline. Often times children and younger members of the family are beaten severely by several family members for breaking the rules set forth by the elders.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/sep/03/
family-abuse-epidemic-uncovered-in-samoa
    Globalization has greatly affected this violence happening behind closed doors. New laws have been placed and have allowed women to get restraining orders placed on abusive partners. They have also better outlined abuse including emotional, physical, psychological, and sexual. Schools are no longer able to use corporal punishment and any teachers caught doing so are fired and arrested. Women have also been able to become more equal to men in the work force by making up 40% of it. However only two women sit on their legislature board along with 47 men. This globalization is making the country safer for women and also for the children.

    There has also been a rise in support groups and public out speaking about the abuse happening in
Samoa. Groups have been organizing at college campuses on a neutral territory to have a safe place to talk about how it has affected them and tell their stories. These groups have also been able to pass bylaws in certain villages that ban domestic violence.

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