Fa’a(-)vae Model of Restoration: Comparative Perspectives on Peace Making in Sāmoan Socio-legislative Structures and Communities

The role of justice is integral to the maintenance and moral condition of a society. In Sāmoa, the role of Fa’asāmoa and indigenous epistemologies in shaping village and national justice systems is of paramount importance to maintaining cultural identity and holistic peace- through the employment of customary practices like fa’ate’a ma le nu’u and ifoga. European contact that led to the adoption of Christianity in the whole of Sāmoa, which modified the structure of justice and customary practices. Additionally, the role of village and national authority in the broader systems of justice in Sāmoa are reflective of social norms and their respective evolutions. The translation of ifoga and fa’ate’a ma le nu’u into contemporary socio-legislative structures exemplifies the pragmatism of these peace-building mechanisms in social restoration. The relational factors and systems that contribute to peace-building mechanisms are foundational to social restoration.