Pre-history

Archaeological and linguistic evidence suggest Polynesians descended from Southeast Asia, in particular Taiwan. Other theories suggest Polynesians may have been descendants of the Lapita people, who originated from northern Papua New Guinea and spread though New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa around 1500BC.

The oldest known site of human occupation in Samoa is a village partly submerged in the lagoon at Mulifanua on Upolu dating back to about 1000BC. This site is associated with the Lapita people who left pieces of Lapita pottery. There are also thought to be hundreds of ancient fortifications around the country that were built to defend the villages against attack by rival districts. One of the largest of these can be found in Luatuanu’u on the road to Solosolo. Other ancient archaeological sites, called star mounds, are found around the islands. These are large stone mounds that may have been used by chiefs for snaring pigeons.

Pre-colonial

Prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 18th century, Samoans, along with Tongans and Fijians were the superpowers of the Pacific. The Samoans were renowned for their seafaring skills, so much so that a French Explorer by the name of Louis-Antoine de Bougainville named the islands the Navigator Islands in 1768.

It was the missionaries arrival in the 1830’s that were to prove the greatest upheaval in Samoan history. So successful were they that the islands of Samoa remain staunchly Christian to this very day.

Colonial

In the late 1800’s Germany, Great Britain and the USA each had vested interests in the islands. During this time a civil war had broken out in Samoa, and the three powers supplied arms, training and even soldiers to the w

arring parties. The war ended in 1899, after the three powers had each sent warships to Apia harbour. When a full scale war between the three seemed imminent, a huge storm sunk or destroyed most of the warships. This proved to be the catalyst to end the fighting.

The Tripartite Convention then saw the Samoan Archipelago partitioned into two parts: the Germans taking the islands to the west and the Americans taking the islands to the east, known today as American Samoa.

After the outbreak of World War I, New Zealand troops landed on ‘Upolu unopposed on 29 August 1914 and seized control from the German authorities, following a request by Great Britain. The New Zealand administration grew to be unpopular and the Mau independence movement grew, culminating in a demonstration in 1929 when police opened fire on demonstrators and killing the Mau resistance leader Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV. New Zealand’s administrative role continued until independence on the 1st January 1962.

Independence

The road to full independence was not without struggle and sacrifice, however several important steps were taken to ensure independence was achieved.

In 1947 Samoa became a United Nations Trust Territory under the administration of New Zealand, with a Council of State comprising the New Zealand High Commissioner and two Samoan chiefs also called the Fautuas. On the 1st of June 1948 the New Zealand and Samoan flags were hoisted together for the first time. In 1957 the entire government was reorganised in preparation for independence and a Legislative assembly or Fono was set up. In 1959 Faumuina Mataafa II was appointed prime minister, and a year later the formal Constitution adopted. In 1961 a United Nations referendum was organised, resulting in overwhelming support for independence.

This independence occurred in 1962, Western Samoa becoming the first nation in the Pacific to gain its independence.

Information Source, Samoa Observer, www.samoaobserver.ws