Samoans to look at cost of giving

Cutting costs to cultural obligations, church donations and family occasions during the recession are some of the key points to be discussed at an event in South Auckland today.

Fa'afaletui o le Aganu'u sees a 28-member delegation of Samoan high chiefs who have travelled to New Zealand to advise the local community about customs, procedures and Samoan history.

A main issue to be addressed is the ongoing monetary obligations associated with the church, cultural events and family occasions including weddings, funerals and chiefly title bestowal ceremonies.

Many of these can cost families thousands of dollars - too high an expectation during a recession, organising committee member Pa'u Fereti Puni says.

"The forum comes at the best of times, with the economic recession affecting everyone and calls for fa'alavelave (cultural/family obligations) to be done in moderation.

"It highlights the issue of expectations that people have - wanting to give more. It's easy: give what you can afford - but we tend to keep lifting that amount, wanting to fit high expectations."

Many were contributing hundreds of dollars more than they could afford, leading to many taking out huge loans.

"It's outside of what they can afford and in other cases there have been people stranded in Samoa because the shops are holding their passports, because they haven't paid their loans," Mr Puni said.

Today, the second day of the two-day event, the community will be encouraged to listen and put questions to the Faleula o Samoa delegation.

Yesterday up to 1500 people packed into the Malaeola Community Centre in Mangere, where the high chiefs outlined cultural procedures, customary giving and Pacific history.

Church tithes are set to be a hot issue today.

Mr Puni said the discussion would focus on fa'alavelave, with the delegation emphasising the need to spend with moderation.

Another discussion point would encompass the word fa'alavelave, which translates as burden.

"It's funny that we use that word - burden - for funerals and happy things like weddings," Mr Puni said.

"It will be interesting to hear what people say about it, because many of these happy occasions can be burdens for families."