Performing arts and creative actions to end violence against women and girls.

Performing arts has always been a traditional platform of communication to transpire messages and lessons that drive social change and reinforces unity.

Satitoa, a village situated around the east coast of Upolu with over 500 residents, is one of the eight villages working with the Samoa Victim Support Group in the ‘My Village, My Pride’ advocacy campaign to mobilize the creative sector and traditional institutions for ending domestic violence and Intimate partner violence.

It was like any other celebratory event of songs and dances for Satitoa, except for this event on the last weekend of July, it was about a village uniting to end domestic violence and intimate partner violence.

It was a full house, honoured with the presence of church leaders, traditional leaders, women young and old, the youth and children. This audience was truly captivated by the performances of contemporary dance and music and the performance of traditional folklores through dance and songs. But through these performances was the key message, My Village, My Pride and it is their pride as residents to ensure that Satitoa is a village where every woman is respected, is safe, is empowered and protected from all forms of violence.

This campaign brings the church and traditional leaders, youth and artists to lead and take courageous and creative actions to end domestic and intimate partner violence.

It is believed that traditional Samoan culture supports male respect for women and girls. However, Samoan society has been changing, which has created another reality that legitimizes violence as traditional values give way. Despite this, there is very little discussion about Samoan culture and what it has to offer for respect for women and girls in families and intimate relationships. Often “culture” itself is attributed as a factor of violence.

Using our cultural traditional arts as a medium to discuss sensitive issues such as gender-based violence is community-oriented and appropriate.

The campaign informs the magnitude of the issue through the key messages including; we focus on disseminating throughout the project are: domestic and intimate partner violence is a widespread, persistent and devastating reality in the country but this is not Samoan culture, women and girls are cherished members of the Samoan society and they are not to be subjected to physical or sexual violence. It is our responsibility to stop it; Samoan tradition teaches boys and men to respect women and girls, not to kill or abuse them.

The Campaigns encourages ‘new thinking’ to use traditional values to prevent domestic and intimate partner violence and must call on everyone to stand with survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence.

The Satitoa event programme included a debate on the topic that Women is the lifeline of a Family, Women and Youth Performing Arts Competition, based on the different artefacts from Satitoa that either address violence or promotes peace and pride in one’s community .