Pacific Science Inter-Congress Tahiti, 1-6 March Politics and Culture Section

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1 Pacific Science Inter-Congress Tahiti, 1-6 March Politics and Culture Section Pacific paradoxes, Islanders as walking contradictions between faith and science based navigators By A. M. Tuimaleali ifano PhD Division of History Faculty of Arts and Law The University of the South Pacific The original topic of my paper was the decline of the chiefly system in Fiji and sadly this work is still in progress and will become the topic for the next PSA conference. Instead, it appeared from my nightmares that I should revisit the church as a persistent modern cultural artifact which has become for most Pacific Islands the most consistent generator of industry for the last century and a half. At the Pacific Science Inter- Congress, any discussion on culture and politics cannot afford to ignore the church as a modern cultural belief system and its vital role in shaping the modern Pacific and its socio-economic outlook, as well as influencing the thoughts and behaviour of its occupants in navigating the global political economy. The church as a cultural artifact is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing for the opportunity of literacy and education (theological training predates medicine by almost a generation) 1 and a curse for the imposition of another layer of hierarchy in the form of a theocracy, which in many cases merely replaces an existing religious layer of hierarchy. Village theocracies evolved before colonialism and because of its longevity and pervasive influence through the provision of modern instruments of education, and thus new elite of professional and political leaders, its authority and influence remains unquestioned and is likely to remain so for some time. It is difficult not to draw the general observation that modern Pacific Islanders in spite of their huge educational advances in scientific fields of endeavour at the same time continues to remain steadfast to Christian faith. Modern scientists 2 assert that our brains are partitioned in two compartments: 1 Takamoa (1839), Malua (1844) and Pi ula predates Central Medical School which began in the 1880s. 2 BBC World Service Forum A World of Ideas, January In this program, American Emeritus Professor in Physics Robert Lee Park makes the provocative assertion that 90% of the world s population

2 1. the world of emotions and beliefs based on supernatural forces, and the other is 2. based on the world of scientific method where everything is subject to testing or using Karl Popper s terms, to falsification. Within these two worlds, it is difficult not to draw the observation if not the conclusion that for many Pacific Islanders, we co-exist within the world of both faith and science. The resultant outcome is a way of life that is both convoluted yet seemingly logical in the way both systems are navigated, particularly by a large group of people confronting the same historical circumstances. There are ways, perhaps many, ways of demonstrating these contradictions, and one only has time for one or two examples, namely that of articulating the worlds of ancient custom and critical analysis. Unsurprisingly, one does not need to go too far to look for examples of such contradictions. They may be found right inside our parishes, in church archvies, particularly, as recorded by local pastors or priests. I have only the time to look at a few records, the one accessible to me from my own village. Raised in the Protestant tradition of the London Missionary Society, the early records were naturally kept by foreign missionaries and the tradition was maintained by their local successors. In analyzing them, they provide valuable basic information, often the names of successive pastors, their achievements, their length of stay, and departure. In accordance with the local conventions, many devoted their lives to their host parish and many died. Others moved on, and those who moved on were often dismissed with a curt explanation, sa tupu mai ai ni fa alavelave meaning they left because something problematic took place. In this all too brief phrase, many long serving and distinguished servants of the church were dismissed and condemned to the trash heap of church history. Many of these phrases contains loaded histories, and remain waiting for local historians to reveal their rich histories and their lessons for modern day Pacific Islanders. The mission station in Falelatai was started by a Tahitian teacher, and when he died he was followed by the LMS printer, John B. Stair. The Tahitian is locally known as Tiare but the professional historians of church history suggest Moia or Moea. 3 base their belief on superstition in which and he includes all religions. The scientific basis of this figure is unfortunately not made clear. 3 Moea (aka Moia), a native of Ra iatea, was from the Huahine Church. He had visited the Marquesas, was married with three children and served in Savai I until 1834 then Falelatai on the south coast of Upolu

3 According to local church history, Falelatai has had ten pastors since the first Tahitian pastor was introduced by Sualauvi in 1832, a nephew of Malietoa Vainu upo and patron of the LMS in Samoa. Many are recorded as having died, but many also left without completing their terms because sa tutupu mai ai ni fa alavelave or because of unexplaing problems. At least three pastors, the third, tenth and eleventh left the village parish, and each were sentenced to the trash heap of church history with this sentence, sa tutupu ai fa alavelave. 4 The banishment of the tenth pastor took place ten years ago, and after investigation, I came to the conclusion that the incident had been sparked by now the familiar yet long standing power struggle between actors representing personalized authority based on selected customary precepts and others attempting to introduce modern practices of accountability and transparency in relation to church finances. 5 On one hand, the church provides an important vehicle for bringing about modernity and science-based development, on the other hand, within the village setting, the church s role as an agent of modernity is circumscribed by local authority. And within such settings, members of both institutions, village and church constantly play dualistic games. This makes the church an important institution for observing power games within village settings but also gives credence to the assertion that Pacific Islanders living within these arenas cannot escape the conclusion that they constantly walk two tightropes and thus are living and walking contradictions, and must be seen as dangers to themselves and to their societies. Ralph Reganvanu, who for the last two years has advocated widely for recognition of village, community and clan-based traditional economy and a cultural heritage revival movement as integral factors in national self-reliance. 6 The call needs to also consider the other side of the coin, and recognize that lessons can be learnt by revisiting the recent past, and explore the loaded phrases such as sa tutupu ai fa alavelave and to minimize duplication of past errors. For lack of clarification, good intention of such call threatens to gloss over important localized realities. And the banishment of a village pastor in this brief case study provides an important example of where we could start, at the heart of village theocracy. As an institution of until Garrett 1982:122. Note conflict of dates between local church historian and professional historian. 4 Respectively Alapati, Keilani Pele Tagoa I and Papali I Uale Taimalelagi, see Appendix 1 attached. 5 See M. Tuimaleali ifano, Talofa e Aiga, ua ai e lago le tofa! Village governance and development in Falelatai in E Huffer and A So o (eds) Pulega I Samoa: Governance in Samoa, Asia Pacific Press, ANU, and Institute of Pacific Studies, USP. 6 M. Quanchi, see paper in this section The Waigani Seminars and other talk-fests; looking back and forward in the Pacific Islands.

4 faith, it also provides the opportunity, as it has done for two centuries, for embracing science, and if it is a good parent and mentor, it would also provide the instruments and inspiration for its quiet relegation to the dust heap of history.

5 Bibliography Ainu u, Faoliu, nd. Falelatai Parish History, unpublished MS in the possession of author. Garrett, J To Live Among the Stars, Christian Origins in Oceania, World Council of Churches in Association with the Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, Geneva and Suva. Quanchi, M. [2009] The Waigani Seminars and Other Talk Fests, looking back and forward in the Pacific Islands, paper presented at the Pacific Science Inter-congress, Pape ete, French Polynesia, 1-6 March BBC podcast, Forum A World of Ideas with Robert L. Park, Helen Afshar, Joachim Radkau hosted by Brigitt Kendal, 31 January.

6 Appendix 1 Village Parish History of Falelatai 1832 to 2009 Tusia e Faoliu 'Ainu'u, FS. Faife'au o Matautu, Falelatai, O le tala lenei sa tusia ma faitauina e le ali i faife au o Faoliu Ainu u I le aso o le fa'apa'iaga o le fale sa, 19 Aukuso, O le aso Sa lea a'o lumana'i le aso o le fa'aulufalega, 24 Aukuso Sa taunu'u Ioane Viliamu (LMS) i Sapapali'i i le tausaga e 1830, sa talia lelei e Malietoa Vai'inupo. Ona sau ai lea o Sualauvi ma le lotu i lona Aiga i Matamatanonofo e fa'atu ai i le tausaga e Sa na o se au lotu la'ititi lava e to'a 28 tagata, na o le 'au aiga lava o le ali'i, ae sa le fa'atasi ai uma Matanofo i le amataga. Ina ua ta'ua le lotu o le lotu a Tui A'ana Sualauvi, ona fa'amaopopo lea o le lotu e Matanofo atoa, ma ua maua ai le au lotu e to'a 81 tagata. O le faife'au na amataina le lotu, o le faife'au Tahiti lava, o le faife'au na o mai ma Sualauvi mai Sapapali'i. O le tasi lea faife'au na o mai ma Ioane Viliamu mai Tahiti, o lona igoa o Tiare, na maliu lava i Matanofo i le aso 17 Novema Ina ua maliu Tiare ona silafia lea e Tui A'ana e fa'ale manuia le lotu ma le tapu'aiga i le Atua i Matamatanonofo, ona maua ai lea o lana tofa e fa'apea: - `O le a aumai lana lotu i lona Aiga Taua'ana latou te tausia ma fa'amamaluina'. Sa talisapaia ele Aiga Taua'ana ma ua fa'atu le lotu i Matautu i le afioaga o Sa Nanai, i le tausaga 1838, i le maota talimalo o Sa Nanai, na maua ai le fa'aupuga o le Malae o le filemu J. B. Stair at Utumoa Mulimuli ane ua toe liliu le tofa i Aiga, ia matua faia se fale sa, ina ua le ofi. Ona faia ai lea o le ulua'i falesa i Utumoa. E amata atu le fale sa, ae taunu'u loa le misionare Mr John B. Stair mo le fa'atuina o le fale lomi-tusi muamua i Samoa. Sa fa'atuina le ulua'i fale lomitusi i Peretania i gauta o Matamatanonofo i le masina o Me Sa na ia faia lotu ma fesoasoani i le faiga o le fale sa. E na o le tasi le tausaga sa iai le fale lomitusi i Peretania, ae toe si'itia i Nu'uausala i le tausaga e (sic), ona ua ta'ua tele le vao aitu i lea mea. I ia lava ona po sa fai pea Mr Stair ma faife'au, ae avea Sualauvi ma a'oa'o fesoasoani Tagaloa Ina ua mae'a ona fausia le falesa i Utumoa, ona tasi ai lea o le tofa, ia saili loa se faifea'au mo le galuega. Ona filifili lea o aiga ma Tuimaleali'ifano i sa latou faife'au, ona tasi ai lea o le tofa ua maua lona lua o faife'au, o Tagaloa lona suafa. 7 Illogical. There are four years from 1839 to 1843.

7 E 36 tausaga i Matautu nei, Ina ua maliu Tagaloa ona maua lea o le isi faife'au Alapati O lona tolu o faife'au o Alapati, e na o le 2 tausaga o lana gaulega, sa le umi le galuega ona sa tutupu ai fa'alavelave Mamoe at Sagogo O lona 4 o faife'au, o Mamoe. O Mamoe fo'i na toe liliu ai le tofa i Aiga ma Tuimaleali'ifano, ia toe faia se isi falesa, ona ua tupu vave le nu'u ma le ofi. Sa fa'atu lona 2 o falesa i Sagogo, le Maota o Sa Anae. E 7 masina sa fai ai lena falesa. O le tufuga o Mr John H Groves o le ali'i afakasi. O le fua o le falesa, 59 ft i le 28ft le lautele. Sa fa'apa'iaina lenei falesa ia Aukuso 29, Sa fa'amavae Mamoe ae alu e fai ma faife'au i Afega, ae tausi le nu'u e faife'au nofoaiga Unknown and unreorded O lona 5 o faife'au o Tavita i Manono. Tausaga Sa le'i umi lenei faife'au, ona sa tino vaivai, ma ua maliu o ia i lona aiga i Manono ia Iulai 12, Setope at Matavai O lona 6 o faife'au o Setope, sa fai o ia ma faife'au i le tausaga E 15 tausaga sa fai ai o ia ma faife'au i Matautu nei. Sa ia faia lona 3 o falesa. Sa fa'atuina lona 3 o falesa i Matavai, o le fua o lea falesa, e 100 ft le umi, ae 40 ft le lautele [E le I ta ua I le tala po o ai le lona 7 o faife au na soso o ai ma Setope] Filemoni mai Apia ma Faga. O lona 8 o faife'au o Filemoni ma Faga, sa amata ona galue ia Me 16, Aperila 2, O ia lenei ma Tuimaleali'ifano Fa aoloi I Si ua ana na filifili fa'atasi e tatala le ele'ele ma gagau le vao. E 29 tausaga o le galuega a Filemoni, sa ia naunau i se falesa fou ona ua le ofi le au lotu. Sa na ia sauniuni loto o tagata i se galuega, peita'i sa ia le fa'ataunu'uina Faoliu Ainu u mad Emelini O lona 9 o faife'au, o Faoliu Ainu'u mai Leone, Tutuila. Sa taunu'u i Matautu ia Aukuso 20, O lona 5 o tausaga o lana galuega sa fa'avaeina ai le falesa, o le malumalu tele lea o `Peteli, o le fale o le Atua'. E 2 tausaga, 8 masina, 12 aso sa faia ai le galuega ma ua fa'aulufaleina ia Aukuso 24, O le tau o le falesa e 2,3024 (?) pauni, 18 seleni, lua pene.

8 Sa feagai lea 'au'auna ma galuega tetele a le nu'u. O le faiga o le ala tele e feoa'i ai ta'avale mai Apia i le Sa aoga tele le ala i le fela'uaiga o mea sa fai ai le falesa ma isi galuega. O le fale a'oga sima, Aperila 29, O Faoliu lava sa fai ma tufuga o lea galuega, ae sa fesoasoani iai tama o le nu'u e 'au-tufuga. A o Aperila 18, 1958, sa mae'a lelei ai le fale a'oga, ma o i latou sa fa'avaeina le fale a'oga, o Faoliu F.S, matai tufuga, Tuimaleali'ifano Suatipatipa II, Lilomaiava Toto'a, Agavale, Taualuga, Lealali'i, Ma'afi ma Laupa'u. O le moli uila i le tausaga 1960, sa toina iai le tupe teu i le falesa e 61 pauni, ona ole afi a le 'au lotu Ekalesia Fa'apotopotoga Kerisiano Samoa (LMS). O le fale o galuega, e nofo ai le faife'au O le fua o le fale 80 ft le umi i le 40 ft le lautele o le fale talimalo, ae 50 ft i le 40 ft le fale o lo'o laupapa uma e nofo ai le faife'au. O le tau o lea galuega Keilani Pele Tagoa I ma Mele Bentley E 15 tausaga o Faoliu ma Emeline i le galuega O le mavaega a Tui A'ana Sualauvi i lona nu'u. E sa lava se isi itu'aiga lotu i lona nu'u, e tasi lava le tapua'iga e lolotu ai lona aiga ma ona tagata, o le lotu LMS na ia aumaia mai Sapapali'i, ia Ioane Viliamu. Ua o'u fa'amoemoe lava o le a fa'aopopoina pea lenei tala tu'u fa'asolo o le lotu fa'amanatu a le nu'u e faife'au o le a sui mai i le galuega. O lona 10 o faife'au o Keilani Pele Tagoa i (Iva) ma Mary (nee Bentley). Na taunu'u i Matautu nei i le aso 30 Iulai, 1964 (Tusia e Kelani Tagoa'i Pele). Na tu uesea I la ua ina ua tupu mai ai ni fa alavelave ma le nu u Papali i Uale Taimalelagi of Sapapali i O lona 11 o faife au o [Papali i] Uale Taimalelagi ma Malae (Tutuila). Na tu uesea o ia I le 1992 ina ua tupu mai ai ni fa alavelave I lona aiga ma le nu u Senara Tautiaga ma Oli de Silva O lona 12 o faife au o Tautiaga Senara ma lona faletua o Oli (nee Silva). Na amata le la galuega I le Na avea o ia ma faife au toeaina a le matagaluega a Falelatai ma Samatau I le O tausaga fo I ia na toe fa afou ai le Maota o le Galuega ( Apa ula o le Talalelei) ma le fale ole faife au.