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With Pride > Historical
Background
Historical
Historical Background: Located in the
South Pacific Ocean midway between Hawai'i and New Zealand, the
Samoan archipelago consists of sixteen islands, ten of which are
inhabited. Pacific Islanders can trace their ancestral origins back
at least 50,000 years to Southeast Asian voyagers and their descendants
who bravely tested their skills, gradually exploring further eastward
across the Pacific Ocean, eventually to discover and settle new
frontiers. These new island inhabitants continued to colonize the
Pacific Islands through thousands of smaller movements in various
directions, eventually establishing the many unique cultures found
in the Pacific today.
The Samoa
Islands were likely settled between 1500-1000 BCE,
and while the people developed a singular cultural
identity, they continued to actively participate in
complex social, political and economic
relationships with their closest neighbors--Tonga
and Fiji. Initial contact with Europeans occurred
in 1722, and gained momentum as the century closed.
While missionary activity began on the islands in
1828 (Wesleyan Methodists from Tonga), it was the
arrival of John Williams from the London Missionary
Society (now known as the Congregational Christian
Church of Samoa) in 1830 that marked the strong
beginning of a new spiritual era. Roman Catholics
(1845) and Mormons (1888) soon established their
own missions, and other denominations have since
followed. In time Christianity became an integral
part of fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way, and it
continues to be a crucial element in the worldview
of most Samoans.
- -
Samoa, unfortunately, did not escape the nineteenth
century colonial ambitions of Britain, Germany and
the United States. After years of struggle among
these three Western powers for political domination
in Samoa, the issue was decided in 1900 when
Britain bowed out of the "race", allowing Germany
to control the western islands, while the United
States took possession of the eastern islands. The
western islands became known as Western Samoa, and
endured German rule from 1900 to 1914, at which
time New Zealand took over their administration.
Western Samoa gained independence in 1962, becoming
the first South Pacific Island country to achieve
full independence from previous colonial
domination. In 1997 Western Samoa was renamed the
Independent State of Samoa, and is now officially
referred to as, simply, Samoa. The eastern islands,
known as American Samoa, remain a part of the
United States as an unincorporated territory.
Residents of American Samoa are U.S. nationals,
meaning they enjoy all the rights and privileges of
U.S. citizens, except the right to vote in national
elections.
While the
Samoa Islands are politically divided into American
Samoa and Samoa, the people remain culturally
unified. I therefore use the term Samoa to refer to
the entire archipelago, making it a cultural
designation, not a political one. The Samoan
community, however, includes not only the
inhabitants of these two regions, but also includes
a large number of Samoans living abroad, primarily
in New Zealand (Aotearoa), Australia, and the
United States. Of these diasporic communities,
Southern California has emerged as a particularly
active center, and while many Samoans living in the
area keep strong ties with "home" and return
frequently, others, born in America, have yet to
experience life in Samoa.
"Worn with Pride: Celebrating Samoan Artistic
Heritage" was curated by Teri Sowell, Ph.D.
Learn More:
-Worn
With Pride: The Art of Dressing The
Body
-Tatau
(Tatoo)
-Contemporary
Innovations in
Tatoo
-Saipo
(Bark Cloth)
-'Ie
Toga (Fine
Mats)
-Tuiga
(Ceremonial
Headdress)
-Aesthetics
-Conclusion
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