The history of the Samoa begins when immigrants of the Fiji arrived in the archipelago approximately 3.500 years ago and initiated starting from there the settlement of the remainder of the Polynésie, first of all towards the East, then towards North and the South.
Populated for approximately 3.000 years (perhaps 3.500 years) by people Polynesia N, in source undoubtedly of the Tonga, or at least of a Western archipelago of the Polynesia (according to in particular R.C. Green, “ The immediate origins off the Polynesians ”, in Polynesian Culture History , Honolulu, 1967) and before of the Fiji) and the islands Lau, going down from the Austronésien S carriers of civilization Lapita, the Samoa have been occupied in the neighborhoods of year 1000 before J. - C. by populations initially sharing the same culture (ceramics, obsidian, etc). However at least temporary interruptions between this chain of Lapita civilizations, initially between the Fiji and the Tonga, then between the Tonga and the Samoa isolated these communities at least partly and caused the birth of an original and distinct Polynesian civilization. That of the Samoa is in particular characterized by the use of the hard basalt stones only found on Samoa and Ouvéa while most of the material culture remained a long time unchanged (shell, techniques of fishing). It results from it that the ground of origin of the Polynesian people must be found inside the archipelagoes of Tonga and the Samoa (by including there the close neighbors like Futuna). This ancestral ground is that which the myths retained under the name of Havaiki . From the Samoa (or Tonga), towards 200 before J. - C. a later migration will give rise to the Eastern Polynesian populations which extend from Hawaii to the Easter Island and to the New Zealand (the famous Polynesian triangle ).
The archipelago of the Samoa: first contacts with the tripartite Treaty (1721-1899)
The Samoa came into contact tardily with the western world. The Dutch Jacob Roggeveen was the first Européen to identify the Archipel in August 1721. A half century later, in 1768, the explorer French Louis-Antoine de Bougainville passed in its turn to broad of the archipelago which it named the islands of the Navigator . The first European navigator to put foot on one of the islands of the archipelago was Perugia in 1787. He unloaded on the island of Tutuila (currently with the American Samoa) before being attacked by the population. His Second in command the Viscount of Langle as 11 team members were killed. These first difficult contacts between Samoans and Europeans gave to the archipelago the reputation to be not very hospital consequently of what this one was visited little. They are only from 1830 that the first missionaries, those of the " London Missionary Society" (congregationnalist) and of the " Wesleyan Missionary Society" or " lotu tonga" (methodist) started to settle in the archipelago.
There did not exist at the time of being able centralized. With the bottom of the scale, the 'aiga (clan) gathered the whole of the individuals recognizing a common ancestor. With the head of each 'aiga , the subdued or chief of clan whose capacity was transmitted in the hereditary absolute of way. Regularly within each village ( nu' U ), the whole of the subdued met within a council called fono , responsible for management with the grounds and distribution of the tasks. All the subdued were not nevertheless of the same statute. There was inter alia those which had the title of ali' I and which took share with the most important decisions, the tulafale or " carry parole" , which played as for them the part of speaker, charged mainly to speak in the name of the ali' I. Finally in top of the scale, the tama 'aiga , term generally translated by " large chef" or " roi" , represented a confederation of tribe. They were at the time of the arrival of Europeans four for the unit of the archipelago. The statutes could of course cumulate, a tama 'aiga being also ali' I within the framework of the nu' U and subdued of its clean aiga
These chefferies were at the time in permanent conflict, alliances and misalliances being made with the liking circumstances and strategies of the moment.
From the years 1850, a growing number of Europeans, generally commercial or growers of Copra, started to settle in the archipelago and more particularly with Apia. These Europeans implied little by little in the internal wars Samoans while supporting such or such faction and in their providing weapons and ammunition in exchange of grounds. These disorders and this surge growing of Europeans made of the Samoa an easy prey. Three countries were more particularly interested: the Germany, the the United Kingdom and the the United States.
In 1889, these three countries signed the Traité of Berlin, the Samoa became a neutral and independent territory on which each of the three powers were authorized to install a naval base and to name a consul responsible for their respective nationals. Malietoa Laupepa, tama 'aiga of Sava' I, was named " roi" ( ali' I sili ) of the archipelago, titrates nevertheless completely symbolic system, its two large rivals (Mata' afa Iosefa and Tupua Tamasese Lealofi I) keeping the control of their bastion (Mata' afa Iosefa in the south of Upolu and Tamasese Lealofi I in the north of Upolu). Robert Louis Stevenson then installed in the Samoa worked in its writings to guarantee this quite relative independence with respect to the great powers. In the years which followed, the three consuls, disputed the influence of the " roi" acting under hand to take advantage of the rights of their respective nation. In 1898, king Malietoa Laupepa died. Supported by the Germans, Mata' afa Iosefa was designated as its successor while at the same time the consuls British and American and part of the population supported Malietoa Tanumafili I, the son of Laupepa. The disorders began again of more beautiful. British and American warships bombarded the capital, Apia, on March 15th 1899.
To put an end to the disorders and under the impulse of Europeans present on the spot, the three nations ended up finding a compromise. A tripartite convention joining together Bartlett Trip for the United States, C. NR. E. Eliot for the United Kingdom and Freiherr Speck von Sternberg for Germany, are reflected agreement to divide the archipelago. The Germans obtained the right to annex the Western part of the archipelago, the Americans the oriental party. N the other hand, the Germans gave up with the British the islands Tonga, Niue and Nauru, islands on which the two countries also had rival ambitions.
For more details to see the article Civil wars Samoans
The German supervision and birth of Mau Movement (1899-1914)
Wilhem Solf was named governor by Berlin. At the time of its speech of nomination, he stated to want to control in the respect of the " habit Samoan ( fa' has Samoa ) ". Its first measurement was to regulate the problem of succession under Ali' I Sili while confirming at its station Mata' afa Iosefa. To put a term at the disorders, it required the complete disarmament of the archipelago. In all, more than 150 rifles were thus recovered. It then set up a system of double administration.
- an administration known as " coloniale" asked to manage the go concern and to regulate the conflicts between Europeans or Europeans and Samoan
- an administration known as " indigène" , to manage the businesses Samoans according to the habit.
Samoa Western under New Zealand mandate (1914-1962)
Years of revolt (1914-1936)
With the release of the First World War in August 1914, the New Zealand took the control of the Samoa Western. A military administration under the cut of the Lieutenant Colonel Robert Logan was set up. The period of war was for the Samoa one period of economic boom for the tropical products, and more particularly the copra, whose the growers and European and mongrel traders could benefit from Apia.
New Zealand continued this occupation until the end of the First World War. In 1919, to the Treated of Versailles, Germany put an end to its claims on the archipelago which was entrusted to the New Zealand administration under mandate of the Société of the Nations. It was about a mandate of " classify C" , which meant " people primitive, unable to control him-même". The Samoans felt humiliated by such a judgment, the more so as meanwhile, 22% of the population Samoan are approximately 8500 people was to die following the epidemic of Spanish influenza of 1918. The propagation of the epidemic was felt hard by the population which allotted the responsibility for it to the New Zealand administration. Logan indeed did not require any forty with the ships unloading with Apia. Later, whereas the epidemic made rage, he also refused the medical assistance suggested by the American authorities installed with Tutuila. Logan was British and hated the Americans.
In 1920, the Colonel Robert Tate was named governor to replace Colonel Logan. The war being finished, it was charged to restore a civil administration. It took again for that the sytème of double management set up by Solf by adding some innovations to it. To manage the businesses concerning Europeans or assimilated, it created a legislative council made up of five members named by its care. This council had only one advisory role. The fono has faipule , inherited the German period as well as the government council always chaired by the assisted governor of two fautua was also renewed (advisers) which was not other than two of principal Tama 'aiga, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III and Malietoa Tanumafili II. Enough quickly, Tate was confronted with disputes, bound primarily to the economic difficulties of the archipelago. After the euphoria of the years of war, the copra péréclyta trade making fall as much prices. The principal European growers and part of subdued which had also known benefitted from the blaze of the prices allotted the responsibility for it to the New Zealand authorities. Vis-a-vis this increasing dissatisfaction, Weliington decided to replace it by George Spafford Richardson.
Military career like his predecessor, it did not have any experience of the insular Pacific or the Samoa which constituted its first station in addition to sea. One of its first measurements was to open the fono has faipule with new subdued that he considered pluis favorable to his cause. That involved increasing disputes among the subdued which were already members and those which were not named there. Preaching poltic firmness, he answered this contestationpar the " Samoan offenders Act". By this ordinance, it granted the right to déchoir of its title without another form of lawsuit, all subdued appearing to him to constitute a disorder with the law and order. Between 1923 and 1927, it used it in all 56 times. It was still felt there by the Samoans like an intolerable abuse of power and a new intrusion of the New Zealand administration in the usual businesses. Indeed if these measurements of forfeitures existed from time immemorial, those were exclusive prerogative of the fono of each district.
It is at that time that the mau movement which since 1910 had not made spoken again any more of him, reappeared. Partisans of Lauaki Mamoe, deportees with Saipan and repatriates in 1915 found themselves there, some subdued like one of both principal tama 'aiga , Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III. New thing, of Europeans and mongrels also joined the movement. Among those, let us quote Taisi Olaf frederick Nelson, a mongrel commercial rich person born from a Swedish father and a mother Samoan; Edwin William Curr, an American adventurer; A.G. Smyth and S.H. Meredith, of the growers of British origin.
Since 1923 was created a committee citizen and a police force mau, vêtue of traditional the " lavalava" (skirt Samoan), of a white blouse and army of a wood bludgeon. Their war cry " Samoa Mo Samoa " , " Samoa in Samoans". In the years which followed the mau did not cease being reinforced sending without results to the New Zealand government, several petitions denouncing the policy of Richardson. In 1927, a new petition taking this time fastening American Samoa and consequently the passage under American sovereignty was this time sent to King George V and to the SDN. It was a true snub for New Zealand, young nation which wished to show in the world and the motherland England which it was with the height of the mandate that the SDN had entrusted to him. Believer to see behind this petition the hand of Europeans of Apia, the New Zealand government sent a warship in December 1927. Nelson, Curr and Smyth were stopped and exiled in New Zealand. Followed during several weeks of the clashes violent one between the Samoans and the army. Several stores of Apia were also plundered. In all more than 400 militants mau were stopped. Among those, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III which was condemned to six months of deportation in New Zealand.
In April 1928, Richardson was replaced by Colonel Stephen Allen. After beginnings more reconciling with the dispute, it ends up taking again the policy of confrontation of Richardson. Violences did not begin again, but the mau continued by its committee of citizen to remain active in incentive the population with civil disobedience (refusal to pay the taxes…)
In December 1929, wishing to show good will, the New Zealand government authorized Nelson to be returned to the Samoa. The day of its arrival, on December 28th, 2000 members of the mau gathered in the center of Apia in order to walk in procession to the port and to accommodate Nelson. In way of the scuffles burst with the New Zealand police force which taken of panic made shoot with the machine-gun at crowd. One counted eleven dead Samoan side of which the tama 'aiga Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III. This event known under the name of " Black Saturday" (Black Saturday) strongly marked the history Samoan and the resentment of the population towards New Zealand.
The shortly after the " Black Saturday" , Wellington made send 250 soldiers with for mission of " pacifier" the archipelago. The mau was declared movement seditious and prohibited. Its members fled in bush whereas the New Zealand army continued during several weeks its " countryside of Pacification" characterized by raids in the tribes and the research of the main leaders of Mau. Number of them were stopped and exiled in New Zealand. Those which had a usual statute were deposed of their title. In 1936, the come to power with Wellington from a worker government changed gives it. More favorable to the claims of the Samoans, this one took a certain number of measurements of appeasing. The mau was réhabilit, its exiled members authorized to return and the Legisltatif Council open to the Samoans.
For more details to see the article Mau Movement
Samoa during the war of the Pacific
So during the war of the Pacific the archipelago remained far away from the zones of engagements, this one had many effects on the daily life of the Samoans. Indeed as from March 1942, the American troops started to settle in mass in the archipelago and particularly on Upolu. In all, between 1942 and 1945, more than 90.000 GI remained in the island. The Americans made build a great number of infrastructures: roads, airport… They employed for that of the local labor which discovered paid work thus. Others still were engaged to supervise the coasts of the archipelago in the event of Japanese attack (the guards fitafita). The Samoans also benefitted from this American presence to resell their food surplus (fish, fruits…) at sometimes exorbitant prices.The only ones to complain about this foreign presence were the pastors who seeing their influence on their flocks strongly declining, denounced the " permissivité" American alcohol sex. Because another consequence of this American presence was the recrudescence of births " illégitimes". Their number was estimated at 1200 for the three years of American presence. Some subdued also reacted. In the village of Falefa (close to Apia), a curfew was founded for all the women and no American soldier apart from the officers was authorized to penetrate there. In 1946, the Americans set out again as quickly as they had come.
Walk towards independence (1945-1962)
From 1945, was set up a long process leading to independence of 1962. This process proceeded in three stages.
- 1947 : the first " Samoan Amendment Act"
While passing this reform, the government of Wellington hoped well to delay any idea of independence as much as possible, supported in that by Europeans and mongrels of Apia which, if they were not completely opposed to independence, wished to wait as a preliminary until the country develops economically and that a " is constituted; elite samoane". Nevertheless vis-a-vis insistence in the years which followed of a growing number of Samoans in favor of institutional evolutions, the New Zealand authorities agreed into 1954 to set up an institutional convention joining together all the parts concerned in order to find a consensus on the future of the Samoa. This convention leads in 1957 to a new statutory reform.
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1957 : The second " Samoan Amendment Act"
In the months following this reform, the discussions within institutional convention continued in order to set up a true constitution in the optics of the independence which from now on including in New Zealand was not any more a doubt. The principal stone of obstacle related to the way of voting. Two visions were opposed. The New Zealand government and Europeans and mongrel of Apia were favorable to a poll by the vote for all and the single electorate. The usual authorities Samoans and in particular subdued them which wished to preserve their prerogative preached as for them the installation of a double electoral college: on a side 6000 Europeans or comparable voter for their representatives by the vote for all; other 100.000 Samoans not being able to be represented that by subdued elected by consensus within the fono of each district. A Samoan not having the statute of subdued could neither vote, nor to even present itself. Of course that also excluded the women apart from the rare ones to have the title of subdued .
It was however this last approach which finally prevailed, New Zealand ending up yielding under the pressure of UNO which pushed with the acceleration of the process.
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the referendum of May 9th, 1961
- are you of agreement with the adopted Constitution on October 28th, 1960 by institutional convention ?
- Be you of agreement so that the first January 1962, the Samoa Western become a State independent on the basis of this constitution?
The results did not bring any surprise. The " oui" carried with 83% to the first question and 79% at the second. It should be noted that Apia where the majority of Europeans lived, the results gave 75% and 65% of yes.
January 1st, 1962, the Samoa Western became the first archipelago of the insular Pacific to obtain its independence. The country became member of the the Commonwealth in 1970 and of the the United Nations in 1976.
Samoa Western since independence
See Political article of the Samoa
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