Samoans 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 (formerly Western Samoa until country name change in
1997); and American
Samoa
an unincorporated territory of the
United
States
.
The Samoan
population is estimated at 450,000, Samoans living in Samoa in 2006
were estimated at 188,000 The majority of ethnic Samoans now reside
in other countries, primarily in New Zealand
2001 stats (115,000), the United States approx (70,000) and Australia 2006 stats(39,992)
Migration
Young Samoan women c.
Migrants from
Southeast Asia arrived
in the Samoan islands approximately 3,000 years ago settling in
Polynesia further to the east. Early
contact with
Europeans was established in the
1700s. Christianity was formally introduced with the arrival of
L.M.S Christian missionaries in August 1830.
During the early
twentieth century the Samoan Islands were partitioned by Germany, Great Britain and the
USA. Tutuila and Aunu'u islands United States were claimed by the USA, and later joined by the
Kingdom of Manu'a (1904) to become the current Territory of
American
Samoa. The western islands became German Samoa. In
1914, New Zealand forces captured the islands from Germany, thus
becoming Western Samoa. Western Samoa regained its independence on
January 1, 1962. In 1997 it formally changed its name as
Samoa.
Culture
Some famous Samoans include
Sabre
Strickson-Pua of
Nesian Mystik,
Troy Polamalu, a famous safety for the
professional football team the
Pittsburgh Steelers and
Mosi Tatupu of the
New England Patriots. Samoans are also
famous for
rugby union most notably
Brian Lima and Manu Samoa, the
Samoa national rugby union
team
Tattooing
Traditional Samoan tattoo (tatau),
pe'a (male
tatau),
malu (female tatau), demonstrate the
strong ties many Samoans feel for their culture. Samoans have
practiced the art of tattooing both men and women for over 2,000
years. To this day, a man's tattoo extensively covers from
mid-back, down the sides and flanks, to the knees. A woman's tattoo
is not quite as extensive or heavy. The geometric patterns are
based on ancient designs, and often denote rank and status. The
va'a or canoe, for example, stretches across a man's
mid-back.
Samoan oral tradition generally recognizes that two Fijian women,
Taema and
Tilafaiga,
introduced the practice of tattooing. Before the arrival of
Christian missionaries, starting in 1830, all Samoan males got a
traditional tattoo. Though the early missionaries did not succeed
in outlawing the practice, which they considered as defacement of
the human body and heathenish, they eventually succeeded in
refocusing the custom on the sons of chiefs.
In Samoa's cultural past most males were tattooed between the ages
of 14-18, when it was determined they had stopped growing, so the
designs would not stretch and suffer in beauty. Today, there has
been a strong revival of traditional tattooing in the past
generation, not only in Samoa but throughout Polynesia, often as a
symbol of cultural identity.
Tatau, the Samoan word for tattoo has a number of meanings
including
correct or
rightness. It also signifies
the correct quadrangular figures in reference to the fact that
Samoan tattoo designs do not include circular lines, although other
Polynesian tattoo motifs do. Early Englishmen mispronounced the
word tatau and borrowed it into popular usage as tattoo.
Traditional tattooing is a painful process. The Samoan tattoo
master dips his cutting tools into black ink made from the soot of
burnt candlenut shells, and then punctures designs into the skin.
The cutting tool, or "needle," consists of a short piece of
bamboo or light wood with a piece of
tortoiseshell bound at right angles
at one end. A little bone comb is bound to the lower broad end of
the tortoiseshell. The larger the comb, the greater the area on the
skin is covered with fewer strokes. The master uses a small mallet
to repeatedly tap a short handled instrument. The process takes
days, and is sometimes partially accomplished over longer periods,
with recuperation in between.
Tattoo designs have changed to include freehand symbols such as the
kava bowl representing hospitality; the characterization of the
Samoan house or fale signifying kinship; emblems of nature —
shells, fish, birds, waves, centipedes; and the traditional
geometric lines and angles of different lengths and sizes.
Music
Modern pop and rock have a large audience in Samoa, as do several
native bands; these bands have abandoned most elements of Samoan
traditional music, though there are folky performers.
Recently, the Samoan
population has seen a resurgence of old Samoan songs, remixed in
the style of Hawaiian
reggae, but with some traditional elements, such as
the use of the pate and the chord structure still in
use.
Initially in Samoan music, “there were just two instruments in use;
the pate, a hollowed out log drum that comes in various sizes, and
the
fala, a rolled up mat beaten with
sticks. In addition to this was the human voice. This limited range
of instrumentation had no effect on the importance of music in
Samoan life. Because there was no written language many stories and
legends were propagated through song and the complex rhythmns from
the pate are essential in the performance of many Samoan dances. In
fact in many dances, the dancers themselves add to the rhythmn by
clapping their hands, and dependent upon the way in which the hand
is held produce a range of different sounds. Following the arrival
of the Europeans the diversity of instrumentation available
increased dramatically , but two instruments were developed that
are now synonymous with Samoan music, the
selo
and the
ukulele. The selo is a stringed
instrument made from a broomstick, or similar object, attached to a
largish box, bucket or other object that acts as a sounding board.
A single length of string joins the top of the stick to the box,
which plucked to produce a sound similar to that of a bass. The
ukelele is a small guitar-like instrument but with only four
strings. It can be found in two forms, one which is like a
miniturised guitar, the other where the body is made from half a
coconut shell.” Western
string instruments such as
guitars are also now widely available across the
Pacific Islands, with many bands performing and recording both
acoustic and amplified music in Samoa since the 1970s. Younger
generations continue to perform in
string
bands as well as gravitate towards genres such as
rap,
R&B,
gospel and
soul.
As with many South Pacific peoples Samoans are heavily religious.
Over 90% of all Samoans in Samoa and Amerika Samoa are Christian
with over 90% of that population attending church weekly. Similarly
high numbers are seen across the Samoan diaspora. Samoan choral
music is vital in every religion practiced by Samoans and a number
of prominent composers,are well known amongst all Samoans whether
composing simple hymns or a classical "Salamo" (Psalms), a
multi-movement choral piece. The most notable of these are from the
Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Iesu i Samoa (EFIS or CCJS, the
Congregational Church of Jesus in Samoa), the Ekalesia
Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Samoa (EFKS or CCCS, the Congregational
Christian Church of Samoa), the Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i
Amerika Samoa (EFKAS or CCCAS, the Congregational Christian Church
of Am. Samoa), and the Ekalesia Metotisi i Samoa (Methodist Church
in Samoa). The two pioneers and prolific composers of church music
were HC Mata'utia Pene Solomona (EFIS, Apia)and his nephew Elder
Dr. Ioselani Pouesi (EFIS, Apia; EFKS, Fasitoouta). They began
writing music for EFIS in 1941 and for the first EFIS hymnal "Pese
ma Viiga i le Atua" (220 hymns, pub.1953) and also composed music
for the EFKS, EFKAS, Catholic, and Methodist churches. Prof. Ueta
Solomona (Mata'utia Pene Solomona's son)who had recently retired
from the University of Fiji in 2008 was one of the music committee
member and composed music for the EFKS hymnal. Namulauulu Dr. Paul
Pouesi (Elder Ioselani Pouesi's son) is currently serving EFKAS in
Vatia and EFIS in Pago Pago as Minister of Music. He published his
second hymn book "Ole Pese Fou i le Alii" (445 hymns and psalms,
pub.2005) dedicated to the EFKAS 25th Anniversary. Flo Wendt
continues to write and record music for EFIS choir in Fagatogo. Dr.
Polo Manuma and his father Viavia Manuma wrote music for their EFIS
choir in Pago Pago. The music of all the above composers are also
published in the EFIS Hymnal 'Pese ma Viiga i le Atua' 2nd Edition
(361 hymns and psalms, pub.1994 - music compiled by Namulauulu Paul
Pouesi).Samoan Gospel music is a newer sub-genre in the Genre of
"Pese Lotu" (Samoan Church music). Heavily influenced by
African-American gospel it is most utilized in the
Samoan Assemblies of God churches
(Lotu PatiPati) although the style is very popular amongst youth
groups (Autalavou) in several different religions amongst Samoan
people known for its often upbeat and Black gospel
influence.Although originally most pieces were written for choir
and Piano or organ, electronic keyboards and synthesizers are very
popular. Brass and orchestral accompaniment though less common in
early church music are often specified by composers today.Typically
though, Samoan Christian music is most commonly heard in the daily
Samoan worship held by most Samoan families around the world. In
the Samoa's themselves this time is sacred as most villages and
towns ban any traffic through the streets during evening family
worship or simply "Lotu". Families raise their voices in song
without accompaniment which can heard all throughout the village.
Whether out of love for God or out of unbreakable tradition;
families, young and old, sing the hymns of old or newer songs of
praise to preface their prayers to God.
The nearly three decades of Samoan involvement in street dance and
rap music in the United States has significantly impacted cultural
production in other places where Samoans settled, particularly New
Zealand.
Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. hails
from Carson, California and have been working with music since
1988. Boo-Yaa came into the hip hop game at the same time as the
world renown Ice Cube, and they often resemble the West Coast hip
hop style.
Dance
Traditionally, Samoans have incorporated dance in their customs.
The original Samoan dance form is known to be one of the few areas
of their culture which has not been heavily influenced by American
tradition. The fire dance or
Siva Afi also a big part of
the Samoan culture. The slap dance, a dance performed by males,
consist of fierce slaping of the body in rhythmic motion to drum
beats is called faataupati.. Other Samoan dances include the
maulu'ulu which is an all female dance and is more elegant. The
taualuga is a dance for the chief's son or daughter. When a girl
does taualuga she is called a taupo. When a boy does a tauluga he
is called a manaia.
Government
American Samoa is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of
the United States.
Officials from the U.S.
Department of the Interior administer the territory. Through
Congressional legislative action, the Samoans drafted their own
constitution and from that constitution their government
exists.
A non-voting Congressional delegate is sent to represent the
Territory of American Samoa. The 2008 Congressional delegate is
Eni Faleomavaega.
The American Samoan constitution was written to incorporate a
governor, lieutenant governor and the legislature. Both the
governor and lieutenant governor are elected every four years. The
legislature, known as the Fono, is
bicameral. The Samoan Senate consists of 18
members chosen from the 14 Samoan counties. The House of
Representatives consists of 20 members who are elected through
popular vote. Swains Island residents select one representative to
serve as a non-voting member in the House of Representatives.
From 1900 until 1929, American Samoa was known as a U.S. Naval
coaling station. In 1929, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that
officially recognized the eastern islands as, American Samoa. Until
1951, the United States Navy selected the governor for American
Samoa. In 1956, the U.S. Department of Interior took over that
responsibility. In 1977, the governor was elected by popular
vote.
See also
References
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