Bowing down or falling to one’s knees as it is widely understood, is a social gesture in direction to another person or symbol. It is most prominent in Asian cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many European countries. It signals respect, and humility and in some contexts it’s displaying true sorry and seeking forgiveness.  Depending on the figure and the situation, it may also be a gesture of greeting, respect, submission, or worship. The gesture is an external sign of the inner spirit and can also simply express the inner attitude. 

In the context of worship, it is an embodiment of a true relationship of submission to the almighty God. It is a reminder to us as worshippers of our relationality with our Almighty God. 

The act of IFOGA is a very important process and practice in the faasamoa, one that is only performed when severe incidences occurred such as murder (fasioti tagata) or moetolo (sleepwalk) or an incidence that will intrude on the respect between a community and someone of high rank within the same village, community or between villages. 

The traditional linkages between villages and districts are the essence of the faasamoa. Upholding peace and stability within and between villages and districts is the responsibility of chiefs as evident in the song “Na tofia e le Atua Samoa ina ia pulea e matai.” The concept “O Samoa ua uma ona tofi” suggests that Samoa already has cultural safeguards created to protect the social well-being and assist chiefs with upholding peace and stability. 

The Samoan concept of IFOGA in my opinion is the prestigious cultural and social safeguard that is performed to seek true forgiveness and allows both parties to reconcile. For instance, murder is the most brutal act or punishment one performs due to various factors. The IFOGA is usually performed not only for the perpetrator side to show humility, and truly sorry but also to beg for forgiveness but also allows the victims' side to accept what had happened and to release true forgiveness. It also suggests that such action should end and not be performed at any other time. The use of the finest mat (ie tooga) in performing the IFOGA is a reminder to the victim’s family of the cultural connection and the value of the fine mat. The fact also that performing the IFOGA is done communally is an indication that the sin conducted is not only on the individual who performed it but it’s a communal action therefore reconciliation is a communal process.  

There has been a debate on the use of the IFOGA as a mitigating factor for violence against women and girls. Each person is entitled to their own opinion however as we are advocating and bleeding for communal unity to ending violence against women and girls, I personally feel that the true essence of the IFOGA as a cultural safeguard should be considered by not only the courts but by everyone. 

For a family to ifo to another family is not a nice scene, no Samoan would want his parents to bow down in front of another family. Therefore, if they have that thought in mind one should be mindful of his actions all the time.     

• This is the personal view of Dr. Mema Motusaga on the use of the Ifoga as a deterrence against violence against women and girls cases. Mema is currently the CEO for the Ministry of Women, Community, and Social Development in the Samoa Government.