Samoa , officially the
Independent State of Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa and German Samoa), is a country governing the western part of the
Samoan IslandsThe Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands is an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of the Polynesia region. Its population is approximately 250,000 persons, sharing a common language, Samoan, and culture, known as fa'asamoa...
in the South
Pacific OceanThe Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. Its name is derived from the Latin name Tepre Pacificum, "peaceful sea", bestowed upon it by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. It extends from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, bounded by Asia and...
. It became independent from
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are
UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
and
Savai'iSavaii is the largest island in Samoa and the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose....
. The capital Apia and
Faleolo International AirportFaleolo International Airport is an airport located 40km west of Apia, the capital of Samoa.Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737...
are situated on Upolu.
Samoa was admitted to the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
on 15 December 1976. The entire island group, inclusive of
American SamoaAmerican Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa . The main island is Tutuila, with the Manua Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory...
, was called
Navigators Islands by European explorers before the 20th century because of the Samoans' seafaring skills.
History
The Samoans originated from Austronesian predecessors during the terminal eastward
LapitaLapita is the common name of an ancient Pacific Ocean archaeological culture which is believed by many archaeologists to be the common ancestor of several cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some areas of Melanesia...
expansion period from Southeast Asia and Melanesia approximately 1500 BCE. Intimate sociocultural and genetic ties were maintained between the eastern
LapitaLapita is the common name of an ancient Pacific Ocean archaeological culture which is believed by many archaeologists to be the common ancestor of several cultures in Polynesia, Micronesia, and some areas of Melanesia...
colonies and the archaeological record supports oral tradition and native genealogies that indicate inter-island voyaging and intermarriage between prehistoric Samoans, Fijians, and Tongans.
Contact with
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
ans began in the early 18th century. Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutchman, was the first known European to sight the Samoan islands in 1722. This visit was followed by a French explorer by the name of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, the man who named them the
Navigator Islands in 1768. Contact was limited before the 1830s which is when
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
missionaries and traders began arriving. Mission work in Samoa had begun in late 1830 by
John WilliamsJohn Williams was an English missionary, active in the South Pacific. Born near London, England, he was trained as a foundry worker and mechanic...
, of the
London Missionary SocietyThe London Missionary Society was a non-denominational missionary society formed in England in 1795 by evangelical Anglicans and Nonconformists, largely Congregationalist in outlook, with missions in the islands of the South Pacific and Africa...
. By that time, the Samoans had gained a reputation of being savage and warlike, as violent altercations had occurred between natives and French, British, German and American forces, who, by the late nineteenth century, valued Samoa as a refueling station for coal-fired shipping and whaling.
The Germans in particular began to show great commercial interest in the Samoan Islands, especially on the island of 'Upolu where German firms monopolized
copraCopra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.-Production:Coconut oil is traditionally extracted by grating or grinding copra, then boiling it in water. It was long used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the...
and
cacaoCacao , or the cocoa plant, is a small evergreen tree in the family Sterculiaceae , native to the deep tropical region of the Americas. Its seeds are used to make cocoa and chocolate...
processing; the United States laid its own claim and formed alliances with local native chieftains, most conspicuously on the islands of
TutuilaTutuila is the main or largest island of American Samoa, and the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain. The island is distinctive in the Central Pacific for its large, natural harbor—Pago Pago Harbor—on which the capital of American Samoa, Pago Pago, is located.The area of...
and Manu'a (which were later formally annexed to the USA as
American SamoaAmerican Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa . The main island is Tutuila, with the Manua Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory...
). Britain also sent troops to protect British business enterprise, harbor rights, and consulate office. There followed an
eight-year civil warThe Samoan Civil Wars is a Western definition of political activity in the Samoa Islands of the South Pacific in the late 19th century. By this non-Samoan definition, the Samoan Civil Wars were a series of wars between Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, ending in the partitioning...
, where each of the three powers supplied arms, training, and in some cases, combat troops to the warring Samoan parties. All three sent warships into Apia harbour, and a larger-scale war seemed imminent, until a massive storm damaged or destroyed the warships, ending the military conflict. At the turn of the twentieth century, the Tripartite Convention partitioned the
Samoan IslandsThe Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands is an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of the Polynesia region. Its population is approximately 250,000 persons, sharing a common language, Samoan, and culture, known as fa'asamoa...
into two parts: the eastern island group became a territory of the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(the Tutuila Islands in 1900 and officially Manu'a in 1904) and is today known as
American SamoaAmerican Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa . The main island is Tutuila, with the Manua Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory...
; the western islands, by far the greater landmass, became known as
German SamoaGerman Samoa was a former German protectorate from 1900 to 1914, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state Samoa of today, formerly Western Samoa...
after Britain vacated all claims to Samoa and accepted termination of German rights in
TongaTonga , officially the Kingdom of Tonga , an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprises 169 islands, 36 of which are inhabited, and stretches over a distance of about 800 kilometres in a north-south line...
and certain areas in the Solomon Islands and West Africa. The first German Governor was
Wilhelm SolfWilhelm Heinrich Solf was a German scholar, diplomat, jurist and statesman.-Early life:Wilhelm Solf was born into a wealthy and liberal family in Berlin. He attended grammar and secondary schools in Anklam in western Pomerania and in Mannheim...
who later went on to become Secretary for the Colonies of Imperial Germany.
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
troops landed on 'Upolu unopposed on 29 August 1914 and
seized control from the German authoritiesThe Occupation of Samoa was the takeover and subsequent administration of the Pacific colony of German Samoa in August 1914 by an expeditionary force from New Zealand called the Samoa Expeditionary Force and New Zealand's first action in World War I...
, following a request by Britain for New Zealand to perform their "great and urgent imperial service."
In 1912, one of the changes, the German administration had apparently achieved its long-term objectives of understanding the traditional forces in Samoa politics, while maintaining a semblance of local participation in government. There was no more
Tupu, nor even
alii sili, but the two
Fautua were appointed. Tumua and Pule were for a time silence; all decisions on matters affecting lands and titles were under the control of the Governor. To complete the process, the
Fa’alupega for all Samoa was revised. The
Fa’alupega which had been nationally accepted from at least the late 19th century (and probably for much longer than that) was as follows:
"
Tulouna a Tumua ma Pule,
Tulouna a Itu’au ma Alataua,
Tulouna a Aiga-i-le-Tai,
Ma le Va’a-o-Fonoti,
Tulouna a Tama ma a latou aiga
Po’o aiga ma a latou tama".
This
Fa’alupega firstly recognized the authority and identity of principal districts of Samoa through their spokesmen – Tumua ma Pule, Itu’au ma Alataua, Aiga I le Tai, ma le Va’a o Fonoti – and the highest titles which were bestowed by these groups. It concludes with the recognition of the great maximal descent groups of Samoa and their “sons” who had been chosen to hold the highest titles.
The new
Fa’alupega of German Samoa apparently required for Malietoa Tanunafili and
Tupua TamaseseTupua Tamasese is the title of one of Samoa's four important paramount chiefs. Samoa's other three important paramount chiefs are the Malietoa, Mata'afa and Tu'imaleali'ifano....
to be sworn on oath and to change this Samoa’s historical
Fa’alupega to the new
fa’alupega as follows:
"
Tulouna a lana Maiesitete le Kaisa o le tupu mamalu o lo tatou malo kasialika aoao.
Tulouna a lana afioga le kovana kasialika o le sui o le kaisa I Samoa nei.
Susu mai Malietoa, Afio mai Tupua
Ua fa’amanatuiana ai aiga e lua I o oulua tofiga Kasialika o le Fautua.
Tulouna a le vasega a Faipule Kasialika o e lagolago malosi I le Malo.
Afifio mai le nofo a vasega o tofiga Kasialika o e usu fita I le tautua I le malo".
From the end of
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
until 1962, New Zealand controlled Samoa as a Class C Mandate under
trusteeshipTrusteeship may refer to*Trust law *Trusteeship *United Nations Trusteeship...
through the
League of NationsThe League of Nations was an inter-governmental organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920. At its greatest extent from 28 September 1934 to 23 February 1935, it had 58 members...
. There followed a series of New Zealand administrators who were responsible for two major incidents. In the first incident, approximately one fifth of the Samoan population died in the Influenza epidemic of 1918-1919. In 1919 The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Epidemic concluded that there had been no epidemic of pneumonic influenza in Western Samoa before the arrival of the '
SS TaluneThree vessels have been named Talune. This article refers to the first SS Talune, built in 1890 and scuttled in 1925.A second SS Talune was built in 1930 for the Union Steamship company of New Zealand, and sold in 1959 to Transporte de Minerales, Panama, who renamed it the ‘Amos’...
' from Auckland on the 7 November 1918, [which was allowed to berth by the NZ administration in breach of quarantine]; that within seven days of this ship's arrival influenza had become epidemic in Upolu and had then spread rapidly throughout the rest of the territory.
The second major incident arose out of an initially peaceful protest by the
MauThe Mau was the name of the non-violent movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule. 'Mau' means 'opinion' or 'testimony' denoting 'firm strength' in Samoan. The motto for the Mau were the words 'Samoa mo Samoa'...
(literally translates as "strongly held opinion"), a non-violent popular movement which had its beginnings in the early 1900s on Savai'i and led by
Lauaki Namulauulu MamoeLauaki Namulauulu Mamoe was a renowned orator chief and the first leader of the Mau, a resistance movement in Samoa during colonialism. Lauaki was exiled to Saipan in 1909. He died in 915 as he was taken back to Samoa. Lauaki was from Safotulafai, the capital of Fa'asaleleaga political district on...
, an orator chief deposed by Solf. In 1909, Lauaki was exiled to
SaipanSaipan is the largest island and capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of...
and died on enroute back to Samoa in 1915.
By the late 1920s the resistance movement against colonial rule had gathered widespread support during the mistreatment of the Samoan people by the New Zealand administration. One of the Mau leaders was
Olaf Frederick NelsonTaisi Olaf Frederick Nelson, also known as Taisi Olaf, was one of the founding leaders of the Mau movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule....
, a half Samoan and half Swedish merchant. Nelson was eventually
exileExile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened by prison or death upon return...
d during the late 1920s and early 1930s, but he continued to assist the organization financially and politically. In following the Mau's non-violent philosophy, the newly elected leader, High Chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi, led his fellow uniformed Mau in a peaceful demonstration in downtown Apia on 28 December 1929. The New Zealand police attempted to arrest one of the leaders in the demonstration. When he resisted, a struggle developed between the police and the Mau. The officers began to fire randomly into the crowd and a Lewis machine gun, mounted in preparation for this demonstration, was used to disperse the Mau. Chief Tamasese was shot from behind and killed while trying to bring calm and order to the Mau demonstrators, screaming "Peace, Samoa". Ten others died that day and approximately 50 were injured by gunshot wounds and police batons. That day would come to be known in Samoa as Black Saturday. The Mau grew, remaining steadfastly non-violent, and expanded to include a highly influential women's branch. After repeated efforts by the Samoan people, Western Samoa gained independence in 1962 and signed a Friendship Treaty with New Zealand. Samoa was the first country in the Pacific to become independent.
In 2002, New Zealand's
prime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician. In many systems, the prime minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet, and...
Helen ClarkHelen Elizabeth Clark , a New Zealand politician and administrator, is the head of the United Nations Development Programme, the third-highest UN position. Clark was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008 and led the Labour Party from 1993 until it lost...
, on a trip to Samoa, formally apologised for New Zealand's role in these two incidents.
In July 1997, the constitution was amended to change the country's name from
Western Samoa to
Samoa. The U.S. territory of
American SamoaAmerican Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa . The main island is Tutuila, with the Manua Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory...
protested the move, asserting that the change diminished its own identity. American Samoans still use the terms
Western Samoa and
Western Samoans to describe the independent State of Samoa and its inhabitants. While the two Samoas share language and ethnicity, their cultures have recently followed different paths, with American Samoans often emigrating to
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
and the U.S. mainland, and adopting many U.S. customs, such as the playing of
American footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
and
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
. Western Samoans have tended to emigrate instead to New Zealand, whose influence has made the sports of
rugbyRugby football may refer to a number of sports through history descended from a common form of football developed in different areas of the United Kingdom. Today it refers to either rugby league or rugby union.- History :...
and
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
more popular in the western islands. Travel writer
Paul TherouxPaul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work is, perhaps, The Great Railway Bazaar , a travelogue about a trip he made by train from the United Kingdom through Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, through South Asia, then South-East Asia, up through...
noted that there were marked differences between the societies in Samoa and American Samoa.
Effective 7 September 2009, the government has changed the driving orientation for motorists and Samoans now drive on the left side of the road. This brings Samoa into line with many other countries in the region. Samoa is the first country in recent years, and the first country in the 21st century, to switch to driving on the left.
Politics
The 1960
ConstitutionA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
, which formally came into force with independence from New Zealand in 1962, is based on the British pattern of parliamentary democracy, modified to take account of Samoan customs. Samoa's first
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government in Samoa.-List of Prime Ministers of Samoa:-See also:*Samoa**Politics of Samoa**List of colonial heads of Samoa**O le Ao o le Malo*Lists of Incumbents...
was
Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u IIFiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II, C.B.E. was a paramount chief and the first Prime Minister of Samoa. He was Prime Minister from October 1, 1959 until February 1970 and again from March 1973 until his death in 1975...
, one of the four highest ranking
paramount chiefA paramount chief is the highest-level traditional chief or political leader in a regional or local polity or country typically administered politically with a chief-based system...
s in the country.
Two other paramount chiefs at the time of independence were appointed joint heads of state for life.
Tupua Tamasese Mea'oleTupua Tamasese Mea'ole, CBE was the Tupua Tamasese from 1929 to 1963, a Samoan paramount chief. He held the post O le Ao o le Malo jointly with Malietoa Tanumafili II from 1962 until his death in the next year....
, who died in 1963, leaving Malietoa Tanumafili II sole head of state until his death on 11 May 2007, upon which Samoa became, de jure, a republic. The next Head of State Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi was elected by the legislature on 17 June 2007 for a fixed 5 year term.
The unicameral legislature (
FonoThe Fono or Legislative Assembly is the parliament of Samoa. "Fono" is a Samoan and Polynesian term for councils great and small. It applies to national assemblies and legislatures, as well as local village councils. The Samoan Fono has 49 members. 47 members are matais , elected in six two-seat...
) consists of 49 members serving 5-year terms. Forty-seven are elected from territorial districts by ethnic Samoans; the other two are chosen by non-Samoans with no chiefly affiliation on separate electoral rolls. Universal suffrage was extended in 1990, but only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Samoan seats. There are more than 25,000 matais in the country, about 5% of whom are women. The prime minister is chosen by a majority in the Fono and is appointed by the head of state to form a government. The prime minister's choices for the 12 cabinet positions are appointed by the head of state, subject to the continuing confidence of the Fono.
The judicial system is based on English common law and local customs. The Supreme Court of Samoa is the court of highest jurisdiction. Its chief justice is appointed by the head of state upon the recommendation of the prime minister.
Political districts
Samoa is made up of eleven
itūmālō (political districts). These are the traditional eleven districts that were established well before European arrival. Each district has its own constitutional foundation (faavae) based on the traditional order of title precedence found in each district's faalupega (traditional salutations).
The capital village of each district administers and coordinates the affairs of the district and confers each districts' paramount title, amongst other responsibilities. For example, the District of A'ana has its capital at Leulumoega. The paramount title of A'ana is the TuiA'ana. The orator group which confers this title - the Faleiva (House of Nine) - is based at Leulumoega. This is also the same for the other districts. In the district of Tuamasaga, the paramount title of the district - The Malietoa title - is conferred by the FaleTuamasaga based in Afega.
UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
(including minor islands)
- Tuamasaga
Tuamasaga is a district of Samoa, with a population of 83,191. It is in the center of Upolu.The paramount title of Tuamasaga is the Malietoa title. The nine senior orators of Malie play a leading role in the election of the Malietoa title-holder...
(AfegaAfega is a small village on the Samoan island of Upolu. It is located on the central north coast of the island to the west of the capital Apia in the countryside....
)
- A'ana
A'ana is a district of Samoa. It is on the western side of Upolu, with a small exclave surrounded by Aiga-i-le-Tai. It has an area of 193 km² and a population of 20,167. The capital is Leulumoega.- Overview :...
(LeulumoegaLeulumoega is a small village on the Samoan island of Upolu. It is located on the northwestern coast of the island....
)
- Aiga-i-le-Tai
Aiga-i-le-Tai is a district of Samoa. It is on the western side of Upolu and includes the three small islands in the Apolima Strait . It surrounds an exclave of A'ana district, namely Satuimalufilufi village. The capital is Mulifanua.With an area of only 27 km², it is the smallest district of Samoa...
(MulifanuaMulifanua is a village on the north-western tip of the island of Upolu, in Samoa. It is the capital of Aiga-i-le-Tai district. It was founded by the Maumasi Aiga...
)1
- Atua
Atua is the most ancient district of Samoa, now consisting of most of the eastern half of Upolu but also traditionally incorporates Tutuila and once all of Upolu and Savaii. The head is Aleipata in the eastern most part of Atua...
(Lufilufi)2
- Va'a-o-Fonoti
Va'a-o-Fonoti is a district of Samoa, with a population of 1,666, making it the smallest Samoan sub district by population. The area is 38 km². The district consists of a main area around Fagaloa Bay with seven villages, and a small coastal exclave about 10 km further northwest, with the village...
(Samamea)
|
- Savai'i
Savaii is the largest island in Samoa and the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose....
- Fa'asaleleaga
Fa'asaleleaga is a district of Samoa. It is on the eastern side of Savai'i, and has a population of 12,949. The capital is Safotulafai....
(Safotulafai)
- Gaga'emauga
Gaga'emauga is a political district on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. The district population is 7,108 . Gaga'emauga is situated central north east of Savai'i. Two small enclaves which are still part of Gaga'emauga are located on the island of Upolu, following the resettlement of villages...
(Saleaula)3
- Gaga'ifomauga
Gagai'fomauga is a district of Samoa. It is on the northern side of Savai'i, and has a population of 4,770. The capital is A'opo....
(Safotu)
- Vaisigano
Itu Asau is a district and village of Samoa, with a population of 6,643. It consists of the western tip of Savai'i. The capital is Neiafu.This district has strong links to the Tonumaipe'a title and at a national level, the TuiA'ana....
- Satupa'itea
Satupa'itea is a district and village of Samoa, with a population of 5,556. It consists of two sections on the island of Savai'i. The capital is Gautavai....
(Satupa'iteaSatupa'itea is a district and village of Samoa, with a population of 5,556. It consists of two sections on the island of Savai'i. The capital is Gautavai....
)
- Palauli
Palauli is a district and village of Samoa, with a population of 8,984. It consists of two sections on the southern side of Savai'i. The capital is Vailoa i Palauli Samoa....
(Vailoa i Palauli)
|
1 including islands ManonoManono is an island of Samoa, in the Apolima Strait between the main islands of Savaii and Upolu, 3.4 km WNW off Lefatu Cape, the westernmost point of Upolu. Like the other islands of Apolima Strait, it is part of Aiga-i-le-Tai district, which is mainly based on Upolu, occupying its western end....
, ApolimaApolima is the smallest of the four inhabited islands of Samoa. It is a little less than one square kilometer in size. It is located in Apolima Strait between Upolu and Savai'i and is 2.4 km northwest of the westernmost edge of Upolu's fringing barrier reef and the tiny island of Nu'ulopa. It is...
and Nu'ulopa
2 including the Aleipata IslandsThe Aleipata Islands is a group of four uninhabited islands off the eastern end of Upolu Island, Samoa, with an aggregate area of 1.68 km²):*Nu'utele *Nu'ulua *Namua *Fanuatapu...
and Nu'usafe'e Island
3 smaller parts also on UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
(Salamumu (incl. Salamumu-Utu) and Leauvaa villages)
Geography
The country is located east of the
international date lineThe International Date Line is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth opposite the Prime Meridian where the date changes as one travels east or west across it...
and south of the equator, about halfway between Hawai‘i and
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
in the
PolynesiaPolynesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean.-Definition:...
n region of the Pacific Ocean. The total land area is 2934 km² (1133 sq mi) (slightly smaller than the U.S. state of
Rhode IslandRhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
), consisting of the two large islands of
UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
and
Savai'iSavaii is the largest island in Samoa and the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose....
which account for 99% of the total land area, and eight small islets: the three islets in the
Apolima StraitThe Apolima Strait separates the two main islands of Samoa, Savai'i, to the northwest, and Upolu to the southeast. Three small islands lie in the strait, Manono, Apolima and tiny uninhabited Nu'ulopa-See also:*Samoan Islands*Geography of Samoa...
(
Manono IslandManono is an island of Samoa, in the Apolima Strait between the main islands of Savaii and Upolu, 3.4 km WNW off Lefatu Cape, the westernmost point of Upolu. Like the other islands of Apolima Strait, it is part of Aiga-i-le-Tai district, which is mainly based on Upolu, occupying its western end....
,
ApolimaApolima is the smallest of the four inhabited islands of Samoa. It is a little less than one square kilometer in size. It is located in Apolima Strait between Upolu and Savai'i and is 2.4 km northwest of the westernmost edge of Upolu's fringing barrier reef and the tiny island of Nu'ulopa. It is...
and Nu'ulopa), the four
Aleipata IslandsThe Aleipata Islands is a group of four uninhabited islands off the eastern end of Upolu Island, Samoa, with an aggregate area of 1.68 km²):*Nu'utele *Nu'ulua *Namua *Fanuatapu...
off the eastern end of
UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
(
Nu'uteleNu'utele is an island which consists of a volcanic tuff ring, situated off the eastern end of Upolu Island, Samoa. It is the largest of the four Aleipata Islands, at 1.08 km². Nu'utele serves as a famous background scene for the popular Lalomanu beach area....
, Nu'ulua, Namua, and
FanuatapuFanuatapu is an uninhabited island which consists of a volcanic tuff ring, situated off the eastern tip of Upolu, Samoa. It is the smallest and easternmost of the four Aleipata Islands, and has a lighthouse.-References:...
), and Nu'usafe'e (less than 0.01 km² - 2½ acres - in area and about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) off the south coast of
UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
at the village of
Vaovai). The main island of Upolu is home to nearly three-quarters of Samoa's population, and its capital city is
ApiaApia, population 58,800 , is the capital of the Independent State of Samoa. The city is located on the northern coast of Upolu, Samoas second-largest island. There are two terms concerning Apia. The first one is that Apia is the name of the Village that the city took its name from. The village has...
. The climate is tropical, with an average annual temperature of 26.5°C (79.7°F), and a rainy season from November to April. Savai'i is the largest of the Samoan islands and the sixth largest Polynesian island after New Zealand's
NorthThe North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
,
SouthThe South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
and
Stewart IslandsStewart Island/Rakiura is the third-largest island of New Zealand. It lies south of the South Island, across Foveaux Strait. Its permanent population is slightly over 400 people, most of whom live in the settlement of Oban.-History and naming:...
and the Hawaiian islands of
HawaiʻiThe Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the U.S. State of Hawaii in the North Pacific Ocean...
and
MauiThe island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727.2 square miles and is the United States' 17th largest island. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai...
. The population of Savai'i is 42,000 people.
Geology
The Samoan islands have been produced by vulcanism, the source of which is the
Samoa hotspotThe Samoa hotspot is a volcanic hotspot located in the south Pacific Ocean. It includes the Samoan Islands , and extends to the islands of Uvea or Wallis Island and Niulakita ....
which is the probable result of a
mantle plumeA mantle plume is an upwelling of abnormally hot rock within the Earth's mantle. As the heads of mantle plumes can partly melt when they reach shallow depths, they are thought to be the cause of volcanic centers known as hotspots and probably also to have caused flood basalts...
. While all of the islands have volcanic origins, only Savai'i, the western most island in Samoa, is volcanically active with the most recent eruptions in
Mt MatavanuMt Matavanu is an active volcano on the island of Savai'i in Samoa.The most recent eruptions from Matavanu occurred between 1905 - 1911.The eruptions began 4 August 1905 and stopped in November 1911....
(1905-1911),
Mata o le AfiMata o le Afi is a volcano on the island of Savai'i in Samoa.Mata o le Afi translates from the Samoan language to mean Eye of the Fire or Source of the Fire....
(1902) and
Mauga AfiMaunga Afi is a volcanic mountain on the island of Savai'i in Samoa.The most recent eruption of Mauga Afi was around 1725 .Maunga Afi means Burning Mountain or Mountain of Fire...
(1725). The highest point in Samoa is
Mt SilisiliMount Silisili is the highest peak in Samoa. It is located in the centre of the island of Savai'i and rises to a height of 1,858 m....
, at 1858 m (6,096 ft). The
SaleaulaSaleaula is a village on the central nothern coast of the island of Savaii in Samoa.During 1905 - 1911, lava flow from volcanic eruptions of Mt Matavanu in central Savaii swept over the village. Today, the Saleaula Lava Fields attract tourists to see ruins which include a church and the grave of a...
lava fields situated on the central north coast of Savai'i are the result of the Mt Matavanu eruptions which left 50 km² (20 sq mi) of solidified lava.
Economy
The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
development aidDevelopment aid or development cooperation is aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, social and political development of developing countries.It is distinguished from humanitarian aid as being aimed at alleviating poverty in the...
, private family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports.
AgricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
employs two-thirds of the labour force, and furnishes 90% of
exportIn economics, an export is any good or commodity, transported from one country to another country in a legitimate fashion, typically for use in trade. Export goods or services are provided to foreign consumers by domestic producers. Export is an important part of international trade...
s, featuring
coconutThe Coconut Palm is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m long, pinnae 60–90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth. The term coconut refers to the seed of the...
cream,
coconut oilCoconut oil is extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconut harvested from the coconut palm . Throughout the tropical world it has provided the primary source of fat in the diets of millions of people for generations. It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry...
,
noniMorinda citrifolia, commonly known as great morinda, Indian mulberry, Mengkudu , beach mulberry, Tahitian noni, cheese fruit or noni is a tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae...
(juice of the
nonu fruit, as it is known in Samoan), and
copraCopra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.-Production:Coconut oil is traditionally extracted by grating or grinding copra, then boiling it in water. It was long used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the...
. Outside of a large automotive wire harness factory (Yazaki Corporation), the manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products.
TourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other...
is an expanding sector which now accounts for 25% of GDP. Tourist arrivals have been increasing over the years with more than 100,000 tourists visiting the islands in 2005, up from 70,000 in 1996. The Samoan government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labour market as a basic strength for future economic advances. The sector has been helped enormously by major capital investment in hotel infrastructure, political instability in neighboring Pacific countries, and the 2005 launch of
Polynesian BluePolynesian Blue is a Virgin Group airline that flies between Samoa, Australia and New Zealand. It is 49% owned by the Samoan government, and replaces the down-sized Polynesian Airlines, which ceased operating jet services in 2005 and became an inter-island airline flying between Fiji, Samoa,...
a joint-venture between the government and Virgin Airlines.
Samoa is a fertile, fruitful, productive archipelago. In the period before
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
colonization, it produced mostly
copraCopra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.-Production:Coconut oil is traditionally extracted by grating or grinding copra, then boiling it in water. It was long used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the...
. German merchants and settlers were active in introducing large scale
plantationA plantation is a large farm or estate, usually in a tropical or subtropical country, where crops are grown for sale in distant markets, rather than for local consumption. The term plantation is informal and not precisely defined....
operations and developing new industries, notably
cocoaCocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree, from which chocolate is made. "Cocoa" can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa...
and rubber, relying on imported labourers from
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
and
MelanesiaMelanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
. When the value of natural rubber fell drastically, about the end of the Great War (World War I), the New Zealand government encouraged the production of
bananaBanana is the common name for a herbaceous plants of the genus Musa, and the commonly eaten fruit it produces. They are native to the tropical region of Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the tropics.Banana...
s, for which there is a large market in New Zealand.
Because of variations in altitude, a large range of tropical and subtropical crops can be cultivated, but land is not generally available to outside interests. Of the total land area of 2,934 km² (725,000 acres), about 24.4% is in permanent crops and another 21.2% is arable. About 4.4% is Western Samoan Trust Estates Corporation (WSTEC).
The staple products of Samoa are
copraCopra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut.-Production:Coconut oil is traditionally extracted by grating or grinding copra, then boiling it in water. It was long used by Pacific island cultures and became a valuable commercial product for merchants in the South Seas and South Asia in the...
(dried coconut meat),
cocoaCocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree, from which chocolate is made. "Cocoa" can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa...
(for chocolate), and bananas. The annual production of both bananas and copra has been in the range of 13,000 to 15,000 metric tons (about 14,500 to 16,500 short tons). If the
rhinoceros beetleThe rhinoceros beetles or rhino cheetle are a subfamily of beetles in the family of scarab beetles . They are among the largest of beetles, and their common name refers to the characteristic hats borne by the males of most species in the group...
in Samoa were eradicated, Samoa could produce in excess of 40,000 metric tons (44,000 short tons) of copra. Samoan cocoa is of very high quality and used in fine New Zealand chocolates. Most cocoa trees are Criollo-Forastero hybrids. Coffee grows well, but production has been uneven. WSTEC is the biggest coffee producer. Rubber has been produced in Samoa for many years, but its export value has little impact on the economy.
Other agricultural industries have been less successful.
SugarcaneSugarcane, or sugar cane, is any of six to thirty-seven species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six meters tall...
production, originally established by Germans in the early 20th century, could be successful. Old train tracks for transporting cane can be seen at some plantations east of Apia.
PineapplePineapple is the common name for an edible tropical plant and also its fruit. It is native to the southern part of Brazil, and Paraguay. Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned and is available as a juice or in juice combinations. It is used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and in...
s grow well in Samoa, but beyond local consumption have not been a major export.
Components of the economy
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in
purchasing power parityThe purchasing power parity theory uses the long-term equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their purchasing power...
(PPP) in 2006 was estimated at $1.218 billion USD. The industrial sector is the largest component of GDP at 58.4%, followed by the services sector at 30.2% (2004 est.). Agriculture represents only 11.4% of GDP (2004 est.). Samoan labor force is estimated at 90,000.
Demographics
According to the
CIA World FactbookThe World Factbook is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. It was originally an annual book, but the 2008 edition was the last to be printed on paper by the CIA...
, Samoa has a population of 182,265 of which 92.6% are
SamoansSamoans are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa an unincorporated territory of the United States.The Samoan...
, 7%
EuronesianEuronesian refers to any person of mixed European and Polynesian, Melanesian or Micronesian descent. It is most commonly used in Samoa. Most Euronesians are descended from British or French people and Polynesians, with some from Spaniards and Polynesians in Isla de Pascua and from Spaniards and...
s (persons of European and
PolynesianThe Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that traditionally spoke Polynesian languages and inhabited Polynesia.-Polynesian peoples:The Polynesian peoples include:*Aniwa*Anuta*Austral*Fijian*Futunan*Hawaiian*Kapingamarangi...
blood) and 0.4% are
EuropeansThe European peoples are the various nations and ethnic groups of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
. About three-quarters of the population live on the main island of
UpoluIn Hawaii, Upolu Point is the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawai‘i.Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest and most populated of the Samoan...
. Only the
MāoriThe Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand . The group probably arrived in southwestern Polynesia in several waves at some time before 1300...
of
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
outnumber Samoans among Polynesian groups, but a larger portion of Māori identify with more than one ethnic group.
Samoans' religious adherence includes the following:
Christian Congregational Church of SamoaThe Congregational Christian Church of Samoa traces its beginnings to the arrival in 1830 of missionaries sent by the London Missionary Society, accompanied by missionary teachers from Tahiti and the Cook Islands and a Samoan couple from Tonga...
35.5%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-day Saints 12.7%,
Samoan Assemblies of GodThe Sāmoan Assemblies of God Fellowship or SAOG is a Pentecostal fellowship of churches. Established in 1928 on the Islands of American Sāmoa, it reached the Western Islands and outer countries with large Sāmoan communities, such as New Zealand, America and Australia. It has over 430 churches...
10.6%,
Seventh-day AdventistThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ. It is the eighth largest international body of...
3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, unspecified 0.8% (2001 census). The Head of State until 2007, His Highness
Malietoa Tanumafili IIMalietoa Tanumafili II, GCMG, CBE, was the Malietoa, the title of one of Samoa's four paramount chiefs, and the head of state, or O le Ao o le Malo, a position that he held for life, of Samoa from 1962 to 2007. He was co-chief of state in 1962 and became the sole head of state on April 15, 1963...
, was a
Bahá'íThe Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories.The Bahá'í Faith teaches a doctrine of...
convert. Samoa hosts one of seven
Bahá'í Houses of WorshipA Bahá'í House of Worship, sometimes referred to by its Arabic name of Mashriqu'l-Adhkár ,is the designation of a place of worship, or temple, of the Bahá'í Faith...
in the world; completed in 1984 and dedicated by the Head of State, it is located in Tiapapata, 8 km (5 mi) from Apia.
Culture
The
fa'a SamoaFa'a Samoa means literally "The Samoan Way," and in Samoa refers to an all-encompassing traditional system of behavior and responsibilities that spell out each person's relationship to one another and to persons holding positions of power...
, or traditional Samoan way, remains a strong force in Samoan life and politics. Despite centuries of European influence, Samoa maintains its historical customs, social and political systems, and
languageThe Sāmoan or Samoan language is the traditional language of Samoa and American Samoa and is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. It is a member of the Austronesian family, and more specifically the Samoic branch of the Polynesian subphylum.There are...
.
Samoan mythology-Other prominent entries on Samoan mythology:*Afa*Atonga*Atu*Fa'atiu*Fetu*Fue*Ila*Losi*Mafui'e*Moso's Footprint*Nafanua*Sava*Savali*Sina and the Eel*Tagaloa*Ti'iti'i*Tinilau*Tui Fiti*Upolu...
include many gods with creation stories and figures of legend such as
TagaloaIn Samoan mythology, Tagaloa is generally accepted as the supreme ruler,the creator of the universe, the chief of all gods and the progenitor of other gods and humans. Tagaloa dwelt in space and made the Heavens , the sky, the land, the seas, the fresh water, the trees and the people...
and the goddess of war
NafanuaNafanua is the name of the revered Goddess of War in Samoa and a deity in Polynesian Mythology.According to Samoan beliefs, Nafanua was the daughter of Saveasi'uleo, the God of Pulotu, Samoa's spirit world. Her mother was Tilafaiga.-Background:...
, the daughter of
Saveasi'uleoSaveasi'uleo is the God of Pulotu, the underworld of spirits or Hades in Samoan mythology.He is the father of Nafanua the Goddess of War in Samoa...
, ruler of the spirit realm
PulotuIn the mythology of parts of western Polynesia , Pulotu is the underworld, the world of darkness ....
. Other legends include the well known story of
Sina and the EelSina and the Eel is a legend in Samoan mythology which explains the origins of the first coconut tree.In the Samoan language the story is called 'Sina ma le Tuna.' 'Tuna' is the Samoan word for 'eel'....
which explains the origins of the first coconut tree.
Samoans are deeply spiritual and religious people, and have subtly adapted the dominant religion of Christianity to 'fit in' with fa'a Samoa and vice versa. As such, ancient beliefs continue to co-exist side-by-side with Christianity, particularly in regard to the traditional customs and rituals of fa'a Samoa. The Samoan culture is centered around the principle of vāfealoa'i, the relationships between people. These relationships are based on respect, or fa'aaloalo. When Christianity was introduced in Samoa, most Samoan people converted. Currently 98% of the population identify themselves as Christian. The other 2 percent either identify themselves as irreligious, or do not belong to any congregation.
The Samoans have a communal way of life with little privacy. They do almost all their activities collectively. An example of this are the traditional Samoan
falesA fale is a traditional Samoan thatched-roof house. Traditional fales do not have walls, or they have thatched blinds surrounding the living quarters....
(houses) which are open with no walls, using blinds made of coconut palm fronds during the night or bad weather.
As with many Polynesian islands with significant and unique tattoos, Samoans have two gender specific and culturally significant tattoos. For males, it is called the
Pe'aThe Pe'a is the name of the traditional male tattoo of Samoa.The pe'a covers the body from waist to knees. The word tattoo in the English language is believed to have originated from the Samoan word tatau....
and consists of intricate and geometrical patterns
tattooA tattoo is a marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding.Tattooing has been practiced...
ed that cover areas from the knees up towards the ribs. A male who possesses such a tatau is called a soga'imiti. A Samoan girl or
teine is given a
maluMalu can refer to:* malu, a Samoan tattoo of females.*Malu, Nepal* mallu slang for Malayalee* Malu, Giurgiu, a commune in Romania.* Malú, Spanish singer* malu, a fictius island depicted in the Australian TV series the lost islands...
, which covers the area from just below her knees to her upper thighs.
The Samoan word for
danceDance is a sport and art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
is
siva and the style is similar to
TonganTonga , officially the Kingdom of Tonga , an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprises 169 islands, 36 of which are inhabited, and stretches over a distance of about 800 kilometres in a north-south line...
dance with gentle movements of the hands and feet in time to music and which tells a story, although the Samoan male dances can be more physical and snappy. The "Sasa" is also a traditional Samoan dance, in which rows of dancers perform rapid
synchronisedSynchronization or synchronisation is timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison. The familiar conductor of an orchestra serves to keep the orchestra in time....
movements in time to the rhythmn of wooden
drumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of music instruments, technically classified as a membranophone.. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player's body, or with some sort of...
s or rolled mats. Another dance, performed by males is called the
fa'ataupati or the slap dance, creating rhythmic sounds by slapping different parts of the body. This is believed to have been derived from slapping
insectInsects are arthropods, having a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and include more than a million species that are already described. Insects represent more than half of all...
s on the body.
Contemporary Culture
Albert WendtAlbert Wendt, CNZM is a Samoan poet and writer who also lives in New Zealand. Among his works is Leaves of the Banyan Tree .-Biography:...
is a significant Samoan writer whose novels and stories tell the Samoan experience. In 1989, his novel
Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree was made into a feature film in New Zealand and directed by Martyn Sanderson. Another novel
Sons for the Return Home was also made into a feature film in 1979, directed by Paul Maunder and starring Uelese Petaia, the former head of Samoa TV. The late
John KneubuhlJohn Kneubuhl was a screenwriter, playwright and Polynesian historian. He wrote for American television series such as The Fugitive, Gunsmoke, The Wild Wild West, Star Trek and Hawaii Five-0...
, born in American Samoa, was an accomplished playwright and screenwriter and writer
Sia FigielSia Figiel is a contemporary Samoan novelist, poet, and painter.Born in Matautu Tai, Samoa, Sia Figiel grew up amidst the traditional Samoan singing and poetry which heavily influenced her writing. Her formal schooling was conducted in Samoa and New Zealand where she also began a BA which was...
won the 1997
Commonwealth Writers' PrizeThe Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, organised and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation, is a leading award for fiction that was first awarded in 1987. The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation working in the 53 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
.
Momoe Von Reiche is an internationally recognised poet and artist living in Samoa.
Lemi PonifasioTheatre-artist Lemi Ponifasio is founder and leader of the MAU dance troupe and artistic community. He is a High Chief of Samoa and holds the title Sala....
is a director and choreographer whose Auckland based dance company
Mau has toured internationlly and performed at festivals in Europe including performances at the
Venice BiennaleThe Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it, as is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
.
Mau is based in Auckland, New Zealand.
There are also many contemporary Samoan artists living in New Zealand and around the world. These Samoan artists include writers, filmmakers, visual artists, actors, directors, singers and dancers. For many of these contemporary artists living outside of Samoa, the inspiration for their art often involves an exploration of their Pacific heritage.
In New Zealand, the arts organisation
Tautai promotes and support contemporary Pacific visual artists including Samoan artists such as
Fatu Feu'uFatu Feu'u is a noted Samoan painter. Born in 1946 he grew up in the village of Poutasi in the district of Falealili in Samoa.Feu'u emigrated to New Zealand in 1966. He has established a reputation as the elder statesman of Pacific art in New Zealand...
,
Johnny PenisulaJohnny Penisula is a contemporary Samoan stone sculptor and painter living in New Zealand. He was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Years Honours 2009 for his contribution to the arts and in particular, sculpture....
,
Shigeyuki KiharaShigeyuki Kihara is a contemporary artist and the first New Zealander to hold a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Titled Shigeyuki Kihara: Living Photographs, the exhibition opened from 7 October, 2008 to 1 February 2009...
, Iosefa Leo,
Michel TufferyMichel Tuffery is a New Zealand artist of Samoan, Tahitian and Cook Island descent. He lives and works in Wellington, New Zealand. Renowned as a printmaker, painter and sculptor, Tuffery has gained national and international recognition, and has made a major contribution to the New Zealand art...
, John Ioane and
Lily LaitaLily Aitua Laita is an artist and art educator in New Zealand. Laita is of mixed ancestry Pakeha and Maori as well as of Samoan descent. Laita is known for using Maori, English and Samoan texts in her paintings....
. In contemporary dance,
Neil IeremiaNeil Ieremia is a choreographer and dancer in New Zealand. He is the founder and artistic director of Black Grace, a modern dance company formed in 1995. Black Grace has toured extensively in New Zealand and internationally including Australia, USA and The Netherlands...
is a dancer and choreographer whose company
Black GraceBlack Grace is an internationally-touring modern dance company, formed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1995. Neil Ieremia, the group's founder and choreographer, draws on Māori and Pacific Islander indigenous dance, as well as modern dance and hip hop...
has received national and international acclaim with tours to Europe and New York. In film, director Sima Urale is an award winning filmmaker. Urale's short film
O Tamaiti won the prestigious Best Short Film at the
Venice Film FestivalThe Venice Film Festival is the oldest film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the Lido, Venice,...
in 1996. Her first feature film
Apron Strings opened the 2008
NZ International Film FestivalThe New Zealand International Film Festivals are a series of film festivals held annually across New Zealand throughout the latter half of the year, consisting of the Wellington Film Festival, the Auckland International Film Festival, the International Film Festival, Dunedin, and the International...
. The feature film Siones Wedding co-written by
Oscar KightleyOscar Vai To'elau Kightley, MNZM, is a Samoan-born actor, television presenter and writer who has been a resident and citizen of New Zealand for most of his life.He acted in and co-wrote the successful 2006 film Sione's Wedding....
was financially successful following premieres in Auckland and Apia.
King KapisiKing Kapisi is New Zealand based Samoan hip hop artist Bill Urale. He was the first hip hop artist in New Zealand to receive the prestigious Silver Scroll Award at the APRA Awards for Songwriter of the Year for his single Reverse Resistance in 1999, which followed on the popular release of his...
(Bill Urale) was the first hip hop artist to receive the prestigious New Zealand
APRAAPRA or Apra may refer to:* Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana , a Peruvian political party* Australian Professional Rodeo Association* Australian Prudential Regulation Authority...
Silver Scroll Award in 1999 for his song
Reverse Resistance. King Kapisi's music video
Reverse Resistance was filmed in Savaii, at locations including his villages
FagamaloFagamalo is a village situated on the central north coast of the island of Savai'i in Samoa. Matautu is a small village district. In Samoan mythology, Fagamalo is the home of Tui Fiti, a spirit deity who resides in the sacred forest, vao sa, in the village....
and
FalealupoFalealupo is a village situated on the northwestern peninsula of Savai'i, from the dateline. In the sea at the farthest point of the peninsula, the Fafā, an outcropping of volcanic rocks, is said in legend to be the gateway to the underworld Pulotu, where aitu, the spirits of deceased persons,...
. Other successful Samoan hip hop artists in New Zealand include rapper
ScribeScribe is the stage name of New Zealand rapper Malo Luafutu. His debut album, The Crusader, was released in in New Zealand and has gone five times platinum, achieving two number one singles.- History :...
,
Dei HamoDei Hamo is the stage name of Samoan hip hop artist and rapper Sanerivi Sagala of New Zealand.Dei Hamo, which can be translated as 'The Samoan' has won awards for his chart topping music and debut album First Edition, released in 2005...
and
Tha FeelstyleTha Feelstyle is the stage name of award winning hip hop artist Kas Futialo, a New Zealander of Samoan descent. His first album was Break It To Pieces in 2004. Tha Feelstyle was born in Samoa and moved to New Zealand in the 1980s...
whose music video
Suamalie was filmed in Samoa. In comedy,
Laughing SamoansThe Laughing Samoans are a New Zealand-based duo formed by comedians Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepulea'i, both of Samoan descent. The duo have toured in New Zealand in sold out shows and internationally to Australia, United States, the Cook Islands, Hawai'i, Fiji and London in 2009.Their first show as...
, the
Naked SamoansThe Naked Samoans is a famous New Zealand comedy group made up of Polynesian entertainers, most of whom are Samoan. The group is noted for performing social humour and satire that attracts a broad audience, especially among white New Zealanders, without sacrificing the group's Pacific Island identity...
and Kila Kokonut Krew have enjoyed sold out tours around New Zealand. Actor and director
Nathaniel LeesNathaniel Lees is a New Zealand born actor and theatre director of Samoan descent. He is known for his role as Captain Mifune in The Matrix trilogy and his role as "Uglúk" in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He has also had roles on the TV series Young Hercules, Hercules: The Legendary...
has featured in many theatre productions and films including his role as Captain Mifune in
The MatrixThe Matrix is a science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski and starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
movie trilogy. In theatre, published playwrights include Oscar Kightley, Victor Rodger, Makerita Urale and Niuean Samoan playwright Dianna Fuemana.
Tusiata AviaTusiata Avia is a New Zealand page and performance poet of Samoan and Palagi descent. Her poetry explores Pacifica and cross-cultural themes, as well as the borders between traditional and contemporary life, and between place and the self....
is a performance poet. Her first book of poetry
Wild Dogs Under My Skirt was published by Victoria University Press in 2004.
International influences like hip hop impact on Samoan culture. According to Katerina Martina Teaiwa, PhD from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, "Hip hop culture in particular is popular amongst Samoan youth."
This is not surprising considering the large amounts of migration between Samoa, Hawaii, and the United States mainland, specifically California. In addition, the integration of hip hop elements into Samoan tradition also "testifies to the transferability of the dance forms themselves," and to the "circuits through which people and all their embodied knowledge travel." Dance both in its traditional form and its more modern forms has remained a central cultural currency to Samoans, especially youths. Teaiwa ends her article saying that the popularity of hip hop "is not necessarily oppositional to Samoan culture," and has rather been integrated into the "solid family structure that looks far from disappearing in the face of increasing modernity."
Sport
The main sports played in Samoa are
Rugby UnionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
, Samoan cricket and
netballNetball is a sport in which two teams of seven players try to score points against each other by placing a ball through a raised goal. The sport is popular in Commonwealth countries and is predominantly played by women. Netball shares many similarities with basketball, having been derived from...
.
Rugby UnionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
is the national football code of Samoa. In Samoan villages,
volleyball Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules...
is also popular.
Rugby union is very popular in Samoa and the
national teamThe national rugby union team of Samoa is called Manu Samoa . From 1924 to 1997 they were known as Western Samoa. They perform a traditional Samoan challenge called the siva tau before each game. They were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Tonga. They are...
, nicknamed the Manu Samoa, is consistently competitive against teams from vastly more populous nations. Samoa has competed at every
Rugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is the premier international rugby union competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by both Australia and New Zealand, and is...
since
1991The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and jointly hosted by England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship. As the final was played at the Twickenham Stadium in London, it...
, and made the quarter finals in 1991,
1995The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted by South Africa, and had the distinction of being the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country...
and the second round of the
1999The 1999 Rugby Union World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
world cup. At the 2003 world cup, Manu Samoa came close to beating eventual world champions, England. Samoa also played in the Pacific Nations Cup and the
Pacific Tri-NationsThe Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Western Samoa was established in 1982 with Western Samoa winning the tournament...
The sport is governed by the
Samoa Rugby Football UnionThe Samoa Rugby Football Union are the governing body of the sport of rugby union in Samoa. They were formerly members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Tonga....
, who are members of the
Pacific Islands Rugby AllianceThe Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
, and thus, also contribute to the international
Pacific Islanders rugby union teamThe Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
. At club level there is the
National Provincial ChampionshipThe National Provincial Championship is the second highest level of rugby union competition within Samoan rugby and is a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union....
and
Pacific Rugby CupThe IRB Pacific Rugby Cup is an annual rugby union club competition. First held in 2006, it features representative teams from the three Pacific rugby union unions - Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.The participating teams are:*Upolu Samoa and Savaii Samoa from Samoa...
Prominent Samoan players include
Pat LamPatrick Richard Lam is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer, of Samoan descent. He was the head coach of Auckland before being appointed head coach of Super 14 franchise the Blues. He went to St. Peter's College, Epsom, and captained the New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby team...
and
Brian LimaBrian Lima is a Samoan rugby union footballer. Originally a , Lima has moved into for Manu Samoa as his pace has lessened, but he remains a formidable player....
. In addition there are many Samoans that have played for or are playing for the New Zealand
All BlacksThe New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, is the representative side of New Zealand in rugby union. Rugby union is regarded as the country's national sport...
.
Rugby leagueRugby league football is a full-contact form of football, played with a prolate spheroid ball by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. Rugby league is one of the two codes of rugby football, the other being rugby union...
is also popular amongst Samoans, with
SamoaThe Samoa rugby league team has been participating in international rugby league competition since 1988. From 1988 to 1997 this team was known as the Western Samoa rugby league team...
reaching the quarter finals of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. They also took home the cup at Wellington and the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens in 2007 - for which the Prime Minister of Samoa, also Chairman of the national rugby union, Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, declared a national holiday. Many Samoans and New Zealanders or Australians of Samoan descent play in the Super League and National Leagues in Britain. Examples are Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala who represented the New Zealand All Blacks, then became the first million dollar player to be contract out to Rugby League to play for Wigan, then played Rugby Union for Newcastle Falcons before representing Samoa. Ta'ane Lavulavu of Workington Town, Maurie Fa'asavalu of St Helens and David Fatialofa of Whitehaven.
Samoans have been very visible in
boxingBoxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. There are three ways to win...
,
kickboxingrefers to the sport of combining the grace and style of boxing with kicking. Kickboxing is a standing sport and does not allow continuation of the fight once a combatant has reached the ground....
,
wrestlingProfessional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is an athletic performing art where matches are prearranged by the promotion's booking staff. It is a non-competitive sport which contains strong elements of theatre, mock combat, and catch wrestling. Wrestling's origins date to 19th-century carnival...
, and
sumois a competitive contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
; some Samoan sumos, most famously Musashimaru and Konishiki have reached the highest rank of
Ozeki and
yokozuna. Despite the relatively small population of the islands many Samoans and people of Samoan descent have reached high ranks in many professional sports leagues.
American Football is played limitedly in Samoa, and about 30 ethnic Samoans, many from American Samoa (where the sport is played under high school sanction), currently play in the
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
. A 2002 article from ESPN estimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in mainland United States) is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American.
2009 Tsunami
A
2009 Samoa earthquakeThe 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.0 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on . It is the largest earthquake so far in 2009....
of an 8.0
MwThe moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released...
earthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph...
took place in the
Samoan IslandsThe Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands is an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of the Polynesia region. Its population is approximately 250,000 persons, sharing a common language, Samoan, and culture, known as fa'asamoa...
region at 06:48:11 local time on (17:48:11
UTCCoordinated Universal Time , ) is a time standard based on International Atomic Time with leap seconds added at irregular intervals to compensate for the Earth's slowing rotation...
).
See also
- 2009 Samoa Tsunami
The 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.0 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on . It is the largest earthquake so far in 2009....
- 1889 Apia cyclone
The 1889 Apia cyclone was a Pacific tropical cyclone, which swept across Apia, Samoa on March 15, 1889. The effect on shipping in the harbour was devastating, largely because of what has been described as 'an error of judgement that will forever remain a paradox in human psychology'.-The growing...
- German Samoa
German Samoa was a former German protectorate from 1900 to 1914, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state Samoa of today, formerly Western Samoa...
- Transport in Samoa
Railways: 0 kmHighways:total:866 kmpaved:350 kmunpaved:516 km Ports and harbors:Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, SalelologaAirports:3 Airports - with paved runways:total:2...
- SS Talune
Three vessels have been named Talune. This article refers to the first SS Talune, built in 1890 and scuttled in 1925.A second SS Talune was built in 1930 for the Union Steamship company of New Zealand, and sold in 1959 to Transporte de Minerales, Panama, who renamed it the ‘Amos’...
- Samoa, California
Samoa is an unincorporated community in Humboldt County, California. It is located northwest of Eureka, at an elevation of 23 feet...
Further reading
- Watson, RM, History of Samoa (Wellington, 1918)
- Schnee, Dr. Heinrich (former Deputy Governor of German Samoa
German Samoa was a former German protectorate from 1900 to 1914, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state Samoa of today, formerly Western Samoa...
and last Governor of German East AfricaGerman East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, including what are now Burundi, Rwanda and Tanganyika...
). 1926. German Colonization, Past and Future—The Truth about the German Colonies. London: George Allen & Unwin.
- Eustis, Nelson. [1979] 1980. Aggie Grey of Samoa. Adelaide, South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
: Hobby Investments. ISBN 0-9595609-0-4.
External links
Government
General information
- Samoa from UCB Libraries GovPubs
Other