ABSTRACT
Fa’alavelave form a case study and a test of the generally accepted wisdom derived from modernisation theory and of the assumptions widely held by project planners and consultants about Samoan culture and farmer behaviour identified. This chapter examines fa’alavelave specifically, to empirically analyse their impact on cattle herds, to conclude whether they are a constraint or a motivation to smallholder cattle farming and to understand their importance and meaning to Samoans. The village survey in the village of Sato’alepai in Savai’i was conducted in 1994 in order to place the general survey in context. Many cattle farmers were aware of change in recent years. They had recognised the impact of fa’alavelave on herd sizes and were motivated by the desire to increase their herd size, whether to give more in future or to make more money from cattle.
