Samoan faith in God

Religion based in predominately westernized institutions are a disadvantage for many individuals whose cultural experiences must be understood and known.  Along with “financial pressure”, adopting “the Western way of life is contrary” (Niuatoa, 2007) to our Samoan culture and inevitably our spiritual life.  Addressing the biopsychosocial health of Samoans, our cultural values Fa’a Samoa, is “the epistemology of Samoan spirituality” (Niuatoa, 2007).  The spiritual perspectives, including the mental health of Samoan people, require dialogue and context that reflect our way of life.  These contexts include “aiga” (family and kinship), traditions, environment and essentially support spiritual foundations.  “Fa’a-Samoa as a reliable form of theology, education, and psychology for the Samoan Christians” (Niuatoa, 2007).  Founded on this, religious paradigms must interweave conceptual frameworks that emerge indigenous reference and cultural practice.  Learning and knowing about my culture was significant to my resilient divine connection to heaven.  “God’s grace and presence are given to us in a distinctive way. This way, according to the Samoans, is Fa’a-Samoa” (Niuatoa, 2007).  It was the enduring presence of my grandmother that supported me in contextualizing my spiritual journey absent of the church.  Accordingly, Fa’a Samoa acknowledges spiritual faith that upholds family, endorsing beliefs as a pathway for cultural preservation.  “Samoan faith in God is a fusion of their cultural and religious values, Fa’a-Samoa serves as Christian life for the Samoans” (Niuatoa, 2007).  Having guiding principles that involve cultural components are familial resolutions for elevating behavior in allegiance with Fa’a Samoa.  In my own family, I began to recognize “Fa’a-Samoa virtues, being propagated and proliferated by the American virtues” (Niuatoa, 2007).  I was raised by a generation whose hesitation to address hypocrisy and discuss spiritual matters inevitably caused familial discontent.  The void I experienced in the church was a disconnection from the life of Christ, which should “help us perceive spirituality as the love of God” (Niuatoa, 2007).  Since, I have been inspired to reconceptualizing and developing an appropriate understanding of spirituality for future generations. 

Niuatoa, M. J. (2007). Fa’a-Samoa: The epistemology of Samoan spirituality. A theological and psychological exploration for religious education of spiritual formation. In Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences (Vol. 68, Issue 5–A, p. 2004).