Tagata Sāmoa proudly claims that ‘O le tuafafine o le i’oimata o le tuagane,’ the sister is the pupil of her brother’s eyes. This understanding is reflected in the sacred relational and covenantal bonding of tuagane-tuafafine (brother-sister) in what is known as feagaiga or covenant. Through this brother-sister covenantal relationship, Sāmoa confers upon its female folk or tama’ita’i the highest honour, and respect. Important to note here is that, regardless of whether they are young or old, single or married, able or differently able, the central place of tama’ita’i in her family of origin is for life. The tama’ita’i as the feagaiga, tama sā, and ilāmutu places her equally and above her brothers in her family and village of origin.

Sāmoa, theoretically speaking, has the ideal democratic system or fa’amata’i that honours women and men in what I call, feagaiga o le ava fatafata or covenant of equal and mutual relationality. Both genders are valued equally and they both have a space and place as human beings within the organisational structure. As siblings, they are to live together harmoniously, and to respect and honour one another mutually. Ideally when this system works, Sāmoa will be free of gender-based violence and Sāmoans will not tolerate any form of violence. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, this notion has become rhetoric only and statistics reveal a different reality. A good percentage of tama’ita’i Samoa suffer from all forms of abuse – especially the married women – from the very men that are supposed to love and protect them the same way they protect their sisters. And in spite of their central place in the cultural-religious organisation, tama’ita’i are yet to be fully recognised as able and capable leaders in the government and especially in the church.

This thesis traces how a well-intentioned system like the fa’amatai, which values womenfolk highly, is not free of patriarchal trappings in its hierarchical structure. The high status of the tama’ita’i Sāmoa has, therefore, become more ceremonial. In reality, most of the womenfolk are not valued anymore for who they are as persons but more for the fertility of their wombs. They are reared and nurtured to perfect their future roles as wives and in becoming mothers. The talanoaga or dialogue/polylogue in the chapters of this thesis follows the different avenues that have influenced the imaging of tama’ita’i. And through the talatalaga hermeneutic, an attempt is made to clarify “why” motherhood and becoming a fruitful wife is idealised, and “how” this thinking shaped and continues to shape the imaging of tama’ita’i Sāmoa today.