HISTORY SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF EUROPEANS

The history of Samoa since the arrival of the palagi explorers, traders, and missionaries was written more often in light of the more popular villages. In Apia, Western Samoa, a lot of traders have set up trading posts and created a western style economy, albeit primitive. These traders even brought with them Melanesian and Chinese workers to augment their work force because the Samoans did not easily yield to strict working schedules and obedience. Next came foreign military power to make sure that these traders were protected from the natives, to protect the natives from the unscrupulous businessmen and from other natives, and to enhence their own military careers. With the military came the ever-present bureaucrats vying for their niche during the most active part of European and American expansion and paternalism.

This picture shows a sail boat similar to the kinds that brought Europeans to the Pacific in the 19th century. Their tall and big masts must have impressed the Samoans that they called their operators Palagi, which could be translated as 'sky bursters'.

The missionaries followed not far behind, and thanks to their tireless work, Samoans now are mostly Christians. The missionary contacts were initially made in the the western islands of Samoa and gradually and reluctanly made its way to the Manu'a islands. But once it made its way in and became accepted, it merged into the fa'a Samoa in a way that is uniquely Samoan.

Today, it's possible to see a church building in each of the villages in Samoa that serve important functions in the lives of the Samoans. Some of these villages have no more than 300 people.

The European and American powers in the later part of the 19th century divided the Samoan islands - the western islands, including Savai'i, Upolu and a few other smaller islands were annexed to Germany, with the rest of the islands eastern to the United States of America. Upolu and Savai'i were the largest islands in the Samoa archipelago ideal for very large plantations to supply the needed raw materials for the industrialized nations. American Samoa is strategically located halfway between California and Australia and it has a very safe and protected harbor that is ideal for Naval use.

After World War I, Germany lost Western Samoa to Brittan and its colonial possessions, primarily New Zealand. New Zealand administered Western Samoa for most of the first half of the 20th century until Western Samoa became an independent nation is 1962. American Samoa became a U.S. territory in 1900 when the islands of Tutu'ila and Aunu'u were ceded over to the United States. Manu'a was ceded to the United States of America soon after in 1904. About 20 years later, the US congress recognized these signed 'deeds' and so remains this relationship between the United States and American Samoa to this day.

But what about Manu'a during this period? Manu'a is about 80 miles away from Tutu'ila and it doesn't have any of the attractive features that attract foreigners to Upolu and Tutu'ila, such as plenty of land and safe harbor. What it did have however, I believe, was tradition and politics. The Samoans were entranched in the fa'a Samoa - a collective set of cultural, traditional and political norms that govern the Samoans everyday lives. The Manu'a influence in those days was probably due to the strength of the fa'a Samoa that tied all the Samoan islands.