The Fa’afafine of Samoa

Fa'afafine at a pageant (Source: Samoan Fa'afafine Association )

 

Across the globe there are various cultures that exist. Many cultural groups may share similarities, but each is unique.  Among non-Western cultural groups there is a common thread in that gender does not exist in a binary.  There are various gender categories, which is simplified in description as a third gender, which is defined as the existence of three or more gender categories.  Among cultural groups within third genders these individuals who are not male or female (within the Western conceptions of male and female) occupy distinct roles and are celebrated for their gender identity and special roles.  Today’s blog post is dedicated to addressing one such gender category that exists among Samoans: the fa’afafine.

 

The fa’afafine are what Western cultural groups would call transwomen, or men who identify as women.  Not much is known about the history of fa’afafine among Samoans due to Christian missionaries attempts to suppress and erase fa’afafine and other third gender people from Samoan culture.  This means that the history of fa’afafine (and fa’afatama, transgender men) is imprecisely known.  Therefore, what will be presented herein is the modern conceptions of what it means to be fa’afafine.

 

In Samoan culture there are four gender categories: female, male, fa’afafine, and fa’afatama. Fa’afafine and fa’afatama are individuals who occupy the gender roles outside of their born sex.  Some define this occupation as permanent, while others claim this is fluid, meaning individuals can and do move between male and female roles.  A great deal of contemporary study has been completed on fa’afafine, with less on fa’afatama.  Early scholarship promoted various misconceptions about what it means to be fa’afafine, in large part due to Western biases against third gender people.  Some assertions that are no longer accepted include the notion that parents would choose which of their sons would become fa’afafine in order to garner greater status or make up for not having enough daughters.  This is not supported by any evidence.  Boys and young men are recognized as potentially being fa’afafine, but these individuals have to self-identify and transition as they feel comfortable.

 

Today, the fa’afafine occupy special roles within Samoan societies.  They are individuals who are responsible for taking care of the elderly.  They also occupy roles as sex education and sexual health educators.  This is because these are taboo topics that cannot be addressed by men or women, allowing individuals who occupy both or neither role the responsibility of discussing them.  Fa’afafine today are celebrated for who they are and what they do.  They participate in various pageants, similar the Drag Pageants that exist in the Western world, and many times the proceeds from these pageants go toward paying for elderly care.  Additionally, these pageants act as reclamations of a Samoan tradition that had been suppressed by Christian missionaries: the taupou.  Traditionally, the taupou was a ceremonial hostess selected by the village’s high chief, and the taupou not only represented the village but entertained visitors.  This was a prestigious role for the chosen individual that fell out of favor as Christianity spread throughout the Samoans.  The fa’afafine have brought it back as a means of celebrating their gender identities and cultural roots.

 

While the Fa’afafine are celebrated today they were cast out of Samoan society throughout the 1950s into the 1970s.  This led to them being demonized as sexual deviants as they were characterized as sex workers and thieves.  As cultural norms reverted back to strong traditional Samoan values the value of the fa’afafine reverted back to one of celebration and appreciation.  Despite the challenges that the fa’afafine have and continue to face in some places their continued existence speaks to their resilience, as well as the resilience of Samoan culture as a whole. 

 

Works Cited

ABC/Cinemedia. "Fa'afafine - Samoan boys brought up as girls." 2005. Charting the Pacific. https://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacific/people/hazy.htm. 6 April 2025.

Natural History Museum. "Beyond Gender: Indigenous Perspectives, Fa’afafine and Fa’afatama ." 1 September 2020. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. https://nhm.org/stories/beyond-gender-indigenous-perspectives-faafafine-and-faafatama. 6 April 2025.

Schoeffel, Penelope. "Representing Fa ‘afafine." Gender on the edge: Transgender, gay, and other Pacific Islanders (2014): 73.

Utopia Washington. "60 Years of Fa’afafine History: A Timeline of Herstory Makers & Events surrounding Them in American Samoa." 14 June 2022. Utopia Washington. https://utopiawa.org/60-years-of-faafafine-history-a-timeline-of-herstory-makers-events-surrounding-them-in-american-samoa/. 4 April 2025.

Vasey, Paul L., and Nancy H. Bartlett. "What can the Samoan" Fa'afafine" teach us about the Western concept of gender identity disorder in childhood?." Perspectives in biology and medicine 50.4 (2007): 481-490.