Samoa - the Heart of Polynesia

Traveler Information: Flights

Flight connections to / from Samoa:
- Auckland (NZ)
- Sydney (AUS)
- Honolulu (USA) via Pago-Pago (American Samoa)
- Los Angeles (USA)
- Nadi (Fiji)
- Tonga
- Pago-Pago (Am.Samoa)
Falelolo International Airport is 35 km (22 miles) from central Apia.
Departure Tax is SAT 40 (USD 16) on international flights (age 12 years and over).

The climate is tropical with a dry season from April to September and a rainy season from October to March. Nevertheless - temperatures are between 22º C (72º F) at night and 30º C (86º F) at day throughout the whole year and even in the dry season rainfall is common almost every day.

Samoa requires holding back the exposure of skin shown in public, due to the intense sunshine as well as to custom and culture. Decent casual clothing is suitable in most places and situations. Outside Apia rules are stronger, especially for women.
On beaches, there is strictly no nude or topless (for women) swimming or tanning.

The warm and humid climate brings a dense vegetation elsewhere on the islands. Even mountain tops and steep slopes are covered with trees, ferns, bush, grass and flowers. Planting and harvesting is possible throughout the whole year.

Wildlife mainly consists of birds and insects, which found their way over the vast ocean. The biggest wild animal is the Flying Fox, a vegetarian bat with a wingspan of more than three feet (one meter). Beside some species of rats, all mammals where introduced by human settlers and visitors. Dogs, cats, pigs, cattle and goats accompanied men to Samoa. The only reptils are small geckos, abundant in every Samoan home and welcomed for their neverending hunger on flies, mosquitos and other nuisances. There are no snakes in the Samoan paradise ...

Visit the Fish Market at the waterfront, situated at the beginning of Mulinuu Peninsula in Sogi/Apia. 8.00 to 11.00 a.m. is the best time to do so. You will see various species, including small sharks and octopusses.

Sealife is a lot more various. Located near to deep sea levels, Samoa is famous among game fishers around the world. The fishing industry is the fastest growing part of Samoa's economy.

The first Samoans came from the west, finding their way from the Phillippines as part of the Austronesian Migration. The Samoan language is related to Phillippine, Indonesian and Malayan languages - the origin of the Austronesian languages is most probably the island of Formosa. The Samoan Islands were first populated about 1,500 to 1,000 B.C. - archeological sites are more and more explored throughout Samoa.

Samoan language is still fully alive and the common tongue for most people. English is usually understood, although less frequently spoken, especially in villages. In Government offices, banks, post office, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, gift shops and larger stores the use of English language is well established.
Other foreign languages (i.e. French, Spanish) are not common at all.

Roggeveen, a Dutch explorer, was the first European to see Samoa and by good reasons he named the Island "Warrior Islands". Other explorers followed and around 1830 the christianization of Samoa began with the arrival of the first missionaries. Their work had a deep impact on Samoan life and culture. Within ten years, Samoa was fully christianized and Samoan missionaries began to spread to other Pacific countries.

Since today Christianity is a basic part of Samoan everyday life, as well as the traditional Samoan culture, the Faa Samoa. Less perceivable in Apia, the world-orientated capital, these two cultural elements are essentiel for every single Samoan. Every village has various churches, which are well attended to. Every village too has its fono, the assembly of the family's chiefs, called Matai. The matais are deciding in all family affairs, responsible for the well-being of its numerous members, which owe respect and obedience to their matai.

Being an overseas visitor you are not expected to know all the various rules of village protocol. But knowing a few basic standards may be helpful to show your respect for the Samoan culture, which will be highly appreciated.

- Be decent in clothing and language, no swear words at all, please.
- Keep a low tone when speaking at any time.
- Ask for permission before taking photos and entering properties and houses.
- Respect the evening curfew around 6.30 p.m., as the families hold prayer.
- No visits and sightseeing on Sundays, except when invited.
- Put off your shoes before and sit down after entering a house, only talk while sitting.
- When sitting on the floor, sit cross-legged, don't point your feet at anyone (or cover your feet with a cloth or mat).
- Don't walk around fono meeting houses during sessions.
- Do not give money to kids, even when asked.

Most village affairs are still solely deceided by the fono, the council of the village matais. Even though there is a central legislative in Apia, a democratically elected Paliament (49 members, all matais), an elected executive headed by the Prime Minister and a very effective jurisdiction, based on British and New Zealand laws - their influence hardly touches the life of an ordinary Samoan, living in a village. For him or her, the matai and the fono are still the main and decisive forces.

Samoan Fono House

This has not changed since the time of colonialism, which followed christanization, like in most parts of the Third World. After some struggle and local warfare, the big powers of the outgoing 19th century divided the South Pacific among themselves. Britain kept power and influence in Fiji and Tonga, the USA got their safe important coaling harbour at Pago-Pago (Tutuila) and Germany took the rest - German Samoa. But only for 15 years, then WorldWarI brought in New Zealand as the new colonial force. Under mandate from the League of Nations and the United Nations, New Zealand kept rule over Samoa until 1962, when Samoa got back her  independence as the first country in the South Pacific.

Traveler Information:Colonial past

Modernization extincts the remaining buildings from the colonial period. On Beach Road, Apia, there is a well preserved building left - the Courthouse -, formerly the official German and New Zealand governor's residence. On the Mulinuu peninsula there are various memorials of fights and casualities. A German graveyard is located near to the courthouse , on the Cross Island Road.

Normal business hours are 8.00 am to 4.30 pm (Monday to Friday), 8.00 am to 12.00 pm on Saturday. Post Office and banks open 9.00 am to 4.00 pm (Bank 3.00 pm), Monday to Friday only. Smaller stores may be open from 05.00 am until 10.00 pm.
Money exchange at the airports, when flights arrive/depart, in hotels and banks. Credit cards and Traveler Cheques are accepted in hotels, main restaurants, car rentals and other tourism-related businesses. NZD, AUD and USD cash might be accepted for purchases and services, other currencies only at the banks.

Colonialism appears to be a far- away episode in Samoan history now, although it brought a well established land register and plantations that were kept in state ownership, being an important basic factor now for industralization and economic development policy. And colonialism brought wealth to some of the Samoan-European families and the descendants of Chinese kuli-labourers, brought in by the Germans, as the Samoans refused to work steadily on the big plantations. Still today, names of German, British and Chinese origin are common in the business and social life of Samoa.

All this did not mean much for the ordinary Samoan in the village. Colonial power never really reached far outside the capital and a small region around it. And by some means - even the central government power of today does not as well. Already in 1903, after only three years of German colonial rule, a resistance movement was founded by the traditional rulers of the country. The 'Mau', as it was called, kept a very succesful and straining impact on the colonial government, absolutely free of open use of power. Disobedience, civil resistance and a remarkable amount of misunderstandings and misinterpretation of official rules and orders kept the real colonial power low and the real power of the traditional leaders on a high profile.

Visit Lepea, right outside Apia on the Airport (North-West-Coast)-Road. Lepea, still keeping a well preserved village compound, is site for many traditional events and sports competitions. Tradition is kept alive to ensure that Samoa will always and only be to the Samoans.

Lepea village

Samoan main roads throughout both main islands are well paved and maintained, although there might be deep potholes after heavy rainfall. Most of the other roads are only graveled. 4-wheel-drive is only neccessary though when visiting plantations and mountain sites.
Always drive careful, especially at night, being aware of roaming pigs, cattle, and dogs on the road, as well as people walking around or sit on the road for a talk. Although traffic is mainly flowing ordinarely, you should not trust on other drivers to be able to drive properly or to regard traffic regulations. Missing or disfunctional backlights, signals or stoplights might surprise you too.
There is a 25 mph (40 km/h) speed limit in town, 35 mph (55 km/h) outside town area, which should be well regarded.

Comparably more impact had the deployment of thousands of US-Marines in 1942/43, preparing for a Japanese invasion that never came. This was the first real boost to Samoan economy, as the still existing road network was built by the Americans - the reason too, why Samoans still drive on the right side of the road and not on the left side, despite being a New Zealand/British colony. Japanese power reached Samoa later, economically. Yazaki Samoa Ltd., suppliying electrical car parts, is the main industrial employer in Samoa with more than 3,000 labourers.

There are about 200,000 inhabitants in Samoa, 95% of them polynesian Samoans. About 60,000 people are living in and around Apia, all the others in the villages, 50,000 in Savaii. Nearly every Samoan is Christian, most of them in the 'Christian Congregational Church of Samoa', formerly known asthe 'London Missionary Society', whose missionary, John Williams, came to Samoa in 1830. One third of the population are Catholic. Numerous Mormon, Methodist and Adventist Churches were successfully established too. The intensive competition between all these churches and the deep religious sentiment of the Samoans allowed as well around 150 other churches, sects and other christian communities to establish themselves in Samoa.

John Williams Memorial Church, Savaii

Samoa has the "youngest" population of the world - more than half of it is under 20 years of age. Population growth is about 2.3 percent a year. Less than 5% of all Samoans are older than 60 years - well respected and integrated in the family.

About another 200,000 Samoans are living overseas, mostly in New Zealand, Hawaii, California and Australia. Their ongoing financial support for their families in Samoa is a basic factor for the economic life of the country. Although the trade balance is severely in deficit - the balance of payments is not. Due to these remittences, ongoing financial aid by overseas donors and an effective economic policy, Samoa enjoys a stable economy with an annual growth of around five percent.

1 Samoan Tala (SAT)
= approx. 0.40 US$, 0.50 NZ$ and 0.60 AU$.
Prices for common goods (Year 2007) are about:
- Bread SAT 1.30 SAT
- Milk (1 Liter) SAT 3.60
- Papaya, whole fruit SAT 1.00
- Apples (NZ), SAT 1.50
- Beer, local, 0.33 l SAT 3.50 (store) to SAT 5 (bar), SAT 10 (resort)

All this did not neccessarely affect the basic income of the Samoan workforce - the minimum wage is still less than 50 US-Cents per hour - and the numerous young people working in village's and family's plantations, who are usually not paid at all. But it allowed a remarkably well developed infrastructure - roads, electricity, water supply to every remote village in the country. Education and health care are on the agenda too, still needing further improvement in the future.

Overseas remittences and returning Samoans, establishing businesses, are the main driving forces to a rapidly growing private sector. A Samoan middle-class is establishing, more relying on work and business income than on family's land and inherited wealth. Within the last few years, stores and other business enterprises developed to international standard - the abundant use of cell phones and the rapidly increasing number of cars crunching in the streets of Apia are only the top of the iceberg - when it might be dared this image to be used in the tropical heat of Samoa. Today E-Mail and Internet-use is a common part in Samoan business life and computer literacy is more and more a key ability to get a job in Samoa too.

Three local Internet providers are well established in small Samoa. Visit CSL-Internet-Cafe, right in Central Apia, opposite McDonald's Restaurant. 8.00 am to 4.30 pm (Monday to Friday), 08.00 am to 12.00 noon on Saturday.

CSL-Internet-Cafe, Central Apia

Be as cautious with valuables as you should be in your own country. There is no pickpocketing - because the regular Samoan clothing has no pockets ... Personal safety is very high, as long as you behave yourself too. Avoid heavy arguments, especially in bars and nightclubs, as the influence of alcohol might affect control and good manners on any side.
Avoid kissing and similar kind of love-related behavior, when in public. Watch young Samoan couples - they even do not hold hands ...
Beware of dogs! Do not touch them, do not feed them.

Samoa is on the move to world standards in business and society. But still it is a country full of tradition and well kept culture. It must be the Samoan pride that prevents the country from being overwhelmed and culturally deprieved by foreign influences. In spite of the big gap between young people in town, aware of any fashion trend, and the farm boy, busy all day on orders of his matai, hardly owning an old radio for his own, there is remarkably little social tension, crime rates are lower than elsewhere and the only danger for visitors might be straying dogs.

Samoa still keeps a remarkable balance between tradition and modern times. It acculturates foreign influences, adapting them to Samoan values and standards. Time changes much - in Samoa too. But until now, Samoa was able to become a modern open country - and still being Samoa, no doubt.