Fa'avae: A Samoan Theory of Crime from the ‘South’ Pacific
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National University of Samoa
Samoa
Abstract
This article presents an interdisciplinary theory on the causes of crime in Samoa. The theory utilises a cultural practice of building the foundation - fa’avae - of a Samoan house, to explain the causes of crime and to articulate a crime prevention strategy from the nuances of the word fa’avae. The interdisciplinary nature of this theory considers two main aspects of the Samoan life of God and family (aiga) to describe both the causes of crime in Samoa, and a way forward to restore aiga and community fractured by crime. The theory calls upon the church through church ministers – faifeau – to become active in the public sphere. This entails speaking out about the causes of crime and working in collaboration with other stakeholders in devising culturally appropriate crime prevention approaches for Samoa, likely to also be familiar to other ‘South’ Pacific nations.
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Author Biography
Sam Amosa graduated from Malua Theological College in 2009 and received a PhD in 2020 from Charles Sturt University in Public Theology. Sam became a senior lecture for the Faculty of Arts at the National University of Samoa in 2022 as a sociology lecturer. In 2023 Sam took up the position of senior lecturer in development studies at the Centre for Samoan Studies with the National University of Samoa. Sam’s research interests include indigenous methodologies and theories, pacific theologies and hermeneutics, criminology, and public issues affecting the common good of societies and law.