In Samoa, churches spend millions building cathedrals to connect communities to God.
But as debts and poverty skyrocket, many are questioning the price tag.
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In the heart of the Pacific, Samoa's picturesque landscape is dotted with majestic churches that are not only architectural marvels…
…but central pillars of spiritual and social life, that paint a vivid picture of a land deeply etched with faith.
The land area of Samoa, just slightly bigger than the ACT, is estimated to be home to over 400 churches, serving a population just shy of 230,000 people — 90 per cent of whom regularly attend church.
From towering cathedrals and bustling convention centres to the humble abodes of worship in serene village fales (Samoan homes), these churches are more than mere structures: they are the heartbeats of Samoan society.
To grasp the prominence of these landmarks, consider that on a single journey from the airport to central Apia, one will pass approximately 90 churches along a 30-kilometre stretch of road — an immediate testament to the grandeur and omnipresence of faith in Samoa.
But as beautiful and as glorious as these houses of worship may be, some say they have come with a hefty price tag that often places a burden on communities who donate money they don't have, to financial planners tasked with building expensive constructions without a plan.
To get a sense of the financial cost, the construction of a single church can cost upwards of $10 million tala ($5.5 million).
And given there's some 400 of them, piety starts to cost an arm and a legfor a nation whose GDP is roughly one fortieth of that of the ACT alone.
While some question the cost in a country struggling with climate change, poverty and mass inequality, advocates maintain that no price is too much to connect the island nation to God.
But how much should communities pay to connect to God, after all? Firstly it's important to understand the unique socio-cultural role that Christianity plays in Samoa.
Kava, legends and cannibalism: Samoans make Christianity their own
Samoan historian Saui'a Louise Mataia-Milo says the arrival of Christianity in the 1830s marked the genesis of these sacred edifices.
"From there, you begin to see the churches with the missionaries, the Catholics followed afterwards, and then the Methodist church, so that was the beginning of all these structures' humble beginnings."
"And then as Christianity grew, you'd begin to see all these different structures pop up."
Saui'a unveils a captivating narrative of cultural resurgence that has evolved since the 1970s where churches have incorporated a deliberate infusion of 'Samoaness' into almost every curve and corner of these sacred spaces.
"In the early days of Christianity here, you didn't see any Samoan patterns incorporated into it, it was more or less European," she says.
"But lately, you begin to see the kind of renaissance come through in the architecture where the Samoaness [is] in terms of its motifs and its look, that I think is one thing that would make the Samoan churches in terms of architecture stand out.
"From a historical point of view, it really has placed our fa'a Samoa [the Samoan way] back into the spirituality of people."
That renaissance is visible in the stained glass windows of St Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church in the village of Lepea.
They tell the tales of Nafanua, the revered goddess of war, and the poignant legend of King Malietoa, who once ruled the islands of Samoa in the 19th century and to whom families would sacrifice their loved ones.
Legend says one day the king opened a coconut leaf, only to find his son Polualeuligana had sacrificed himself to save the others, a moment that marked the end of cannibalism in Samoa. These stories are now immortalised, bridging the divine with the cultural.
"These legends demonstrate the accomplishment of freedom and salvation in Samoa," parish chairman Salausa Dr John Ah Ching says.
"King Malietoa is very similar to the salvation of Jesus … for the salvation of human beings."
Another example is the dome in the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in central Apia featuring an 'ava ceremony — one of the most important customs of Samoa.
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It is a ritual in which 'ava (or kava in other Pacific cultures) is shared to mark important occasions in Samoan society.
"The 'ava Samoa is very important, it's a spiritual feast, it's a spiritual interaction," Saui'a says.
"When you do this ['ava ceremony], you're rallying the spirits and bringing them all in."
"Every time we think about our spiritual lives, it is cultural as well."
The price of God: From coconut copra to life savings
Cultural significance and history notwithstanding, beneath the architectural splendour and spiritual sincerity lies a complex narrative of financial sacrifice.
The construction of these monumental projects often reaches into the millions, imposing significant financial burdens on the congregations that build them.
For example, St Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church (pictured above) cost millions to construct, and was built largely from "vision" rather than architectural plans, raising a few eyebrows.
"One of the cabinet ministers was asking me, 'what does your church look like?'" Salausa Dr John Ah Ching says.
"I said, 'no-one knows what it's like, because we haven't seen any plans. We'll only know when the moulds have been removed'. He said 'I don't know how you guys can build a church without knowing what it's gonna look like'.
"'You must have a lot of faith'."
Donations and cultural contributions also constitute a significant portion of the funding for these projects.
Historian Saui'a says it was in the years after World War II that money was introduced into the church system.
"The cash that came with American marines ended up in church because people wanted to give their best, and the best they had was cash," she says.
"That was significant because it showed wealth, new-found wealth, and it ended up with the church because all the churches were poor then."
Prior to World War II, copra (dried coconut flesh) was the main economic activity. Churchgoers would take copra to the clergy who would process it and sell it to companies for extra funds.
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But these days, as Samoa grapples with poverty, inequality and existential issues such as climate change, many have started questioning whether the money going towards new churches is worth it.
Take into consideration that the current minimum wage in Samoa is $3 tala per hour ($1.67), a rate that only came into effect in 2020, which the government has promised to review this year.
In the mean time, many Samoan families often lean on remittances from overseas, mainly New Zealand and Australia.
Donations pour in as women, youth fall between the cracks
Lagi (not her real name) lives in Australia and regularly sends money back to Samoa to support her family.
But she also donates regularly to her church, in her home village outside Apia.
Every week for the last four years, Lagi — a mother of 12 kids — has been sending $200 tala ($100) back to Samoa to cover family church donations. That's $41,600 tala ($20,000) since she moved to work overseas.
She thinks of it as a privilege to send the funds back home to support the church. But Lagi is also aware of the cost to her family — and the other ways her income could be used.
"It is too much. That much money … it's a lot, that can [cover a deposit for] a house."
Her message for church leaders in Samoa is "be merciful to our families".
"My Samoan family, I will say, this is how we say in Samoa 'Aua le avea le mea e le'o ia oe', don't give what you don't have. Right, just give what you have."
Samoa's overseas workers sometimes send extra money back home, which also go to the church: to support pastors and priests, fund church renovations and constructions, and pay for funerals among other expenses.
These contributions or acts of faith and devotion, highlight a deeply ingrained tradition of giving. Yet they also prompt reflection on the sustainability of such grand endeavours in the face of the current global cost of living crisis.
The Lepea church, built without a plan over eight years, cost some $13.3 million tala ($7.3 million), and financiers say it was funded by donations alone.
"I couldn't deny that [it was questionable] because it's human nature to start questioning things when they go on and on for a while," parish chairman Salausa says.
There were many times costs blew out, and the people involved said that "enough was enough", so the church opted to fundraise and build the project in stages.
Salausa insists it was the congregation who wanted to see the project through to the end.
"That's why I say it was amazing, because I didn't know that the people were willing to go that far with the sacrifice."
He adds that the church was needed to bring people together as a community of faith.
"In the Pacific context, no man is an island. We all grew up in a community and we live as a community and we do things as a community. And that's the fellowship of all the people," he says.
"This is their house of worship. And I think coming together is better than praying alone."
But, there is still debt to pay for that church — some $1.26 million tala ($700,000).
So what's the plan to pay off the debt? More fundraising? Some believe the acts of faith and devotion have gotten out of hand, and have become too much for people to bear.
When asked to comment on churchgoers feeling compelled to donate money they don't have, the chairman of the Samoan National Council of Churches, retired reverend Aisoli Luli, maintained that donations are voluntary and that donors are not forced or pressured to donate.
"I can't speak on behalf of all churches, but they [churches] are not forcing people to give money," he says.
"If they [congregation] don't have money, then don't give any money, simple as that… people give money to build beautiful churches because of their love for God and to create a beautiful place of worship.”
As Samoa continues to weave its story of faith, culture, and community, Saui'a believes a change in approach needs to occur in churches to serve the current needs of congregations.
"They don't know that our women are suffering violence. They don't know that our youth are falling into the cracks of society, I think that is where the church should come in."
To Saui'a, churches represent endurance throughout the lives of Samoan people.
But she says as cultures change, people have to adapt too.
"Our people are very flexible. We're human beings, we adapt with the times. And that [should go for] churches as well."
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Credits
- Writing & Photography: Johnson Raela
- Additional Newsgathering & Reporting: Adel Fruean
- Videography: Myka Stanley
- Additional Photography:Penina Momoisea, AFP
- Digital Production & Editing: Steven Viney andDoug Dingwall
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