Restoring Wholeness in Creation (Iemaima Vaai)
Restoring Wholeness in Creation: A Samoan Indigenous Spiritual Perspective to Climate Justice.
By Iemaima Vaai, Samoa
As indigenous people, the spirituality of the Pacific people recognizes a deep relationship woven between humankind and the environment as part of God’s creation. Our Pacific spirituality shares interlinkages with our culture and our identity. It is what underpins the well-being of our Pacific people. It is “holistic”. This worldview often shapes the Pacific perspective of doing things. It shows that our personhood is not a stand-alone, rather we are believed to be relational beings. We are raised and grounded in the concept of ‘community’, where our identity is framed around service and love to others even in times of personal troubles and uncertainties. Our community does not limit itself to our people but is inclusive of our environment and spiritual surroundings. It is believed that as we are given the responsibility to give and care for others, we too are also provided with blessings, shelter, and life from our community. It is what creates our consciousness - to not exploit, to use only what is ever needed, and to base our decision-making on whether our actions will either benefit or affect our community.
Our journey to climate justice reminds me of the traditional and sacred form of tattooing in my home country in Samoa. In the Samoan context - we continue to practice the tradition of tattooing ‘tatatau/tatau’, such a practice that is truly embedded in Samoan custom. For females, the tattooing is termed as ‘malu’ and is one of the most sacred rites of passage to service ‘tautua’ to our community. The term malu refers to the notions of protection and shelter, it is a measina - a Samoan treasure of great significance that is closely interrelated to our ‘fa’asinomaga’ our identity as a relational being - you are no longer one but you are now whole, connecting you as a person born out of relationships to the cosmos, the environment and to your ancestors.
In Samoan tradition, the first step for a female in tattooing a malu starts with acknowledging her relations to her community - your Oikos. You recognize your intimate relations to your surroundings and therefore are conscious of your responsibility to respect, protect and care for your land. In the beginning, all of life was interconnected - we saw these relationships as sacred and it created an environmental consciousness where we were cautious of our actions to not exploit and continue to be good stewards of creation. We understood that if one suffered, we all suffered. If one was in pain then in return we too would experience the same situation.
The second step in tattooing the malu - this is where the process of the tatau / tattooing starts. It consists of marks of steel ink being tattooed at the fleshiest part of the skin high on the thighs. The deepest marks where the pain is at its highest.
In today’s generation, we have noticed the ultimate failure of the neoliberal paradigm and how this has contributed to the moral crisis we as humans face today. This paradigm has introduced the concept of individualism and has birthed a culture of greed that continues to promote self-indulgence in profit and materialism through overexploitation. In the Pacific, the climate crisis continues to be a lived reality.
We are a region that emits less than 1% of carbon emissions, yet we continue to bear the brunt of it.
We are a region that emits less than 1% of carbon emissions due to the climate crisis, yet we continue to bear the injustice and brunt of it.
Over the course of time, the exacerbation of rising sea levels has induced displacement and relocation for coastal villages in the Pacific. Our resources are being overexploited and raped by greed from those of the capitalist system that continues to hide behind pretty words of ‘green and blue growth’ but in the end, this growth still very much extracts what is treasured to us for their own profit-driven agendas.
Our Pacific continues to experience the highest form of pain in terms of climate injustice.
Our Pacific continues to experience the highest form of pain in terms of climate injustice - whilst our environment groans in agony and pain, our ancestors and our communities continue to cry in numbness as they watch their life as a whole be violently threatened.
The third step in tattooing the malu involves marks of steel ink being tattooed at mid-thighs - this part of the process experiences the cost of delivery whether being successful or not. As my father Upolu Vaai quotes,
“Pacific people have survived and responded to the climate crisis for decades within their cultural and spiritual dimensions and continue to still do so today, while much of the international community continue to meet challenges informed by science, Pacific communities also recognize that cultural and spiritual beliefs and practices play an essential role, all of which is informed by their own indigenous and faith spirituality and knowledge”.
Although the region is commonly termed as a ‘developing/least developed nation’, we continue to show our resilience in climate adaptation through the use of our indigenous and sacred forms of knowledge. We use traditional forms of conservation methods that place taboo — ‘tabu’, or no-take zone protocols on areas needed to be restored. We practice indigenous rituals that promote the connection we have to ecology, burying our umbilical cord in our land. The values and ethics upheld in our spirituality guide and govern our consciousness to serve our communities wholesomely and meaningfully - sacrificing what we want for the sake of others so they (including our environment) may ‘flourish’ more.
In the age of climate change, the Pacific has also come together and created a project that provides an ecological development framework where it acknowledges the value of indigenous Pacific spirituality as an avenue for sustainable development. This project is called ‘reweaving the ecological mat’, it uses the morals of spirituality, theology, and cultural identity as grounding principles to guide the world to reconciliation. A development framework that does not just base climate solutions on science but acknowledges the crucial presence of indigenous and faith spirituality as a holistic way forward. The question is - how can this be delivered and be seen as a way of rethinking our Oikos to shift from being human-centric to seeing ourselves as equals to our environment? How can it change and inspire leaders to do their part in restoring wholeness in creation?
The fourth step in tattooing the malu signals the completion of the marks - thus begins the healing process. The completion and healing signify a renewal - a time for reflection about what its completion means and the responsibilities you now hold as a female to protect, shelter, and serve the needs of your community. The tatau is now at its most powerful, a turnover.
Our spirituality - indigenous and of faith share a common role as custodians to care for creation. As we journey together in our ‘Vaka’ canoe to climate justice it pushes us to take a moment of realization of seeing ‘where we ought to be’ of repentance for the world’s ecological sins. We must acknowledge that we humans are not at the center of creation - by de-centering ourselves, we may be able to recover from the selfish pull of consumerism our world is currently delving into. Once we acknowledge that we are part of a larger community we will then be able to live efficiently and sustainably. Giving recognition to the responsibilities we hold as indigenous and Christian communities to promote intrinsic dignity and value the many. The Pacific continues to navigate through healing and recovery by amplifying its own climate frameworks that are sure to effectively work long term.
The last and final step of the malu tattooing practice calls for revolution - the female now celebrates. Once covered in coconut oil she is then called to stand up “tu i luga” and celebrate with her community - her family, the spirits of our environment, and her ancestors. Indigenous Pacific communities have much to offer to the world in addressing the contradictions between modern society’s obsession with limitless economic growth and the ecological limits of our common home.
Embracing our spirituality, being resilient, and building our own climate solutions addresses indigenous rights and reweaves an ecological narrative that restores and promotes the wholeness of life.
In embracing our spirituality, being resilient in terms of adaptation, and building our own climate solutions, it does not only address our rights as indigenous people but it reweaves an ecological narrative that restores and promotes the wholeness of life.
We must stand up to the injustices of the crisis and call on leaders to commune in this fight to protect our common home. Whether leaders journey with us together in our Vaka (canoe) or continue to dismiss our voices, we as Pacific indigenous peoples will continue to be the prophetic voice to the voiceless. Fighting and affirming for a world that promotes the wholeness of creation and of life. Let us come together in celebration with our ancestors, our Oikos to help shift a narrative to one that touches on the unseen trauma of indigenous people, let us fight for a future that will safeguard Mother Earth.
Other Resources
Reweaving the ecological mat: https://ptc.ac.fj/oceanic-laca/quarter-one-issue/reweaving-the-ecological-mat/
Iemaima Vaai
Iemaima Vaai is from the island country of Samoa situated in the Pacific region. Recently graduated with a postgraduate degree in climate change and currently work for KVA Consult. She is Methodist and has been an active youth member of the Ecumenical Network since 2020. Iemaima is a passionate ecological stewardship and climate justice activist.
Thanks for reading. This article is part of our collection, A Climate Transition Supported by Faith: from the voices of Islamic and Indigenous women, edited by Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo. Check that collection for more. Visit our email list, podcasts and YouTube channel for more content. Sign up for our quarterly emails here.
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