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Samoans
are the largest group of full blooded Polynesians in the world and have
retained much of their ancient tradition and culture.
Traditional
tattooing is an intricate ancient art of Samoa and young Samoan males are
tattooed with complex symbolic designs, from the lower chest to the knees.
Samoan
(Polynesian) is the native language, however English is widely spoken and
is the official language.
History
These
islands were first settled about 3,000 years ago and are accepted as the
cradle of the Polynesian culture.
In
1768, French navigator Louis de Bougainville sighted Samoa and called them
'The Navigator Islands', because of the many Samoans sailing small canoes
far from the sight of land.
During
the 18th century vast plantations producing copra and cotton were
developed for export and Apia became a major commercial centre in the
South Pacific. Annexed by Germany from 1899-1914, and then New Zealand
from 1914 (after WWI) until independence in 1962, Western Samoa finally
gained self government in 1962.
Nature
Beautiful
fauna and flora are found on both islands. Savai'i particularly, has lush
tropical rainforests housing many fascinating and exotic bird species.
Several
Conservation Organisations in Sweden and the US have provided funding to
ensure the rainforests at Tafua and Falealupo on Savai'i are conserved.
Sights
You
can visit Robert Louis Stevenson's home in Apia, now a magnificent museum,
the Tiavi Falls, the O Le Pupu Pu'e national park where bird watching is a
pleasurable pastime and Papaseea, where mother nature has carved sliding
rocks with pools beneath which are fun to slide down and swim in.
Also
worth seeing is Piula Cave pool in the grounds of the Methodist
Theological College. It's an oval shaped natural pool filled with cool
spring water flowing from a cave beneath the church.
Savai'i
Island is reached in a few minutes by plane or in one and a half hours by
boat. For
more general information
on Samoa, go to: |
