ABSTRACT
Cattle are important in fa’alavelave because they allow for the distribution of quality protein in a diet that is protein deficient. Sixty per cent of protein foods are imported. In 1994, of 97 cattle contributed to 37 fa’alavelave, 13 were heifers or breeding cows, with an approximate average age of 18 months to two years, 20 were old cows, with an approximate average age of 7.5 years, and 64 were bulls with an approximate average age of 2.6 years. Many issues are raised by these data but the important figure is that only 2–4 per cent were contributed to fa’alavelave in 16–21 months. In conclusion, assumptions made by development practitioners about the role of Samoan cultural practices, and fa’alavelave in particular, in the development of the smallholder cattle sector, have been found to be invalid and grossly misinformed. They have been exposed as myths.
