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Western Samoa
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Directory Information
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People have lived in Samoa for at least 2,000 years,probably coming there from what are now Fiji and Vanuatu. The Samoans drove out invaders from the Tonga islands and began forming their own nation about 1,000 years ago. Many chiefs ruled the people until a woman, Salamasina, united them in the 15OUs.
Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutch explorer, was the first European to reach Samoa. He arrived in 1722. But few Europeans visited Samoa until the first mission was established in Savai'i in 1830. Once the Samoans accepted the missionaries, whaling and trading ships began making
regular stops in the islands.
Two royal families ruled different parts of Samoa during the mid-18OUs, and they fought among themselves over who would be king. Britain, Germany, and the United States supported rival groups. In 1899, the three countries agreed that Germany and the L;nittd States
would divide the islands, and Germany took control of Western Samoa in 1900. Germany improved farm production and also expanded the economy.
In 1914, during World War 1, a military force from New Zealand occupied German Samoa. After the war, the League of Nations gave New Zealand a mandate (orders to govern Western Samoa.
New Zealand's rule began disastrously. An influenza epidemic struck Western Samoa in 1918 and about one-fifth of the people died. The New Zealand government became more and More unpopular in the 1920's. Some Samoans joined an organization called the Mau (testimony) movement, which favored Samoan traditions and opposed rule by New Zealand. The Mau movement urged nonviolent resistance. Samoans began to refuse to obey laws or to cooperate with the government. They continued their civil disobedience activities until 1936, when New Zealand officials met some of their demands.
After World War 11 (1939-1945), the Uniteti Nations made Western Samoa a trust territory and asked New Zealand to begin preparing the islands for independence. In 1957, members of the Fono were elected for the first time and Samoan members controlled it. A cabinet headed by a Samoan prime minister gained executive powers in 1959. In 1961, the people voted to accept a new constitution. Western Samoa became independent on Jan. 1, 1962. it joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970 and the United Nations in 1976.
Libraries
Apia's Nelson Library has public lending facilities and a large collection of books and other publications devoted to the Pacific Islands which may be read on site. As with most things in the country, the Nelson Library was badly damaged by the cyclones. The National University of Western Samoa and the Alafua campus of the University of the South Pacific also maintain libraries, largely for student use.
The government archives are at Vaimea, and are expected to be reorganised with donor assistance. Valuable historical data in the PM's department was destroyed by cyclones. The former residence of author R. L Stevenson has been renovated to display the memorabilia of the Stevenson family.
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