Photos of the People of Samoa

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The People of Samoa

The Samoans are Polynesians and although they share links with other Polynesian people having similar culture and language, they are unique to the Samoan islands although the majority now lives abroad, especially in the United States (mainly from American Samoa), New Zealand and Australia. They were the first to claim complete independence from colonialism and follow their own way, combining a modern government with traditional forms of governance.

Singing a hymn
 
Women from Apia
 
Family portrait
 
Flower girls
 
Fishing in the lagoon
 
Elderly man
 
Fisherman of Saipipi
 
Distributing fish
 
Eating raw fish
 
Teaching the keyboard
 
Samoan dance
 
Playing the guitar
 
Playing cards
 
Providing the rhythm
 
Weaving a mat
 
Friendly faces, Maleala
 
Weaving an 'ie toga
 
Elderly citizen
 
Group 5 class
 
The pastor and his wife
 
Preparing food
 
Father and son
 
Full Samoan tatau
 
Drinking Koko Samoa
 
Girl dancing, Fiafia
 
Girls and “fa'afafine”
 
Grandfather
 
Looking at photos
 
Women of Sasina
 
Weaving a “fine mat”
 
Having fun in Sasina
 
Father and daughter
 
Mother and daughter
 
Playing Samoan cricket
 
Mother and sons
 
Grandmother
 
Making fire
 
Scraping taro
 
Family after church
 
Mother and sons
 
Father and children
 
Father and sons
 
Making dugout canoe
 
Playing pool
 
Playing an iPad
 
Mother and child
 
Happy Samoan ladies
 
Children's performance
 

Samoans are a strong, resilient and handsome people, very hospitable and kind to visitors. When walking along their open "fale" in the villages or countryside, the visitor is very often invited to sit down, have a rest and eat and drink; "Koko Samoa" is a popular drink to be shared, although cacao was introduced in the 1800s by German planters, it is now a national drink, made of ground cacao with hot water and sugar.

The "fa'a Samoa", the traditional Samoan way, remains strong and the extended family or "aiga" gives the certainty to belong. Respect for elders is ingrained and the old people stay active in family life. Traditional tattooing has made a comeback since independence in spite of the devotion of the Samoan people with which they go to church; missionaries disapproved of this custom of course. And a get-together quite spontaneously becomes a "fia fia" where people sing and dance and genuinely be happy.