THE SAMOAN MAU MOVEMENT: INTRODUCTION

1. 01
THE SAMOAN
MAU MOVEMENT
INTRODUCTION

2. “My blood has been spilt for Samoa. I am proud to give it.
Do not dream of avenging it, as it was spilt in peace.
If I die, peace must be maintained at any price.”
Samoa filemu pea ma si ou toto nei ta’uvalea,
a ia aoga lo’u ola mo lenei mea.
TUPUA TAMASESE LEALOFI III, 1929

3. THE GEOGRAPHY OF SAMOA
•The Samoan islands consist of six
main populated islands, two atolls, and
numerous smaller uninhabited islets,
measuring 1000 square miles in size.
•The closest neighbour is Tonga, at 210
km towards the southwest.
•New Zealand lies 2,500 km away.
Aerial view of Olosega and part of Ofu Islands,
American Samoa

4. ISLANDS OF SAMOA
•The biggest island in the Samoan archipelago is Savai’i. It is ringed
with inaccessible coral reefs and is not suitable for shipping.
•Upolu is the second largest island, with three suitable harbours: Apia
(the capital), Saluafata and Falealili. This island is the most fertile of
the Samoan islands.
•Further to the East lie the islands of Tutuila and the Manu’a group.
•Tutuila is famous for the harbour of Pago Pago, which offers safe
anchorage during the Pacific cyclone season.

5. Savaii Island, the largest in Samoa

6. Pago Pago Harbour

7. TRADITIONAL SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY
•The traditional economic system of Samoa was one of subsistence.
•Before the arrival of the Europeans, the society operated on a
subsistence economy, with many natural resources: coconuts,
breadfruit, yam, taro and bananas, as well as pigs, pigeons and fish.
•The extended family is called aiga.
•The roles were split: women specialising in weaving, tapa making and
preparing medicinal herbs, while men were focused on hunting,
fishing and agriculture.

8. SAMOAN INTERACTIONS
•Life was centred on the village, but Samoan people did interact with
other island groups.
•Internal migration occurred for different reasons, such as: marriage
alliances, wars or natural disasters.
•Samoan oral traditions and genealogies refer to the frequent exchange
of news, trade and marriage partners with neighbouring Pacific
countries.

9. SAMOAN CHIEFS AND TRIBES
•There was no single paramount
chief ruling over all Samoa.
•Warfare was a common part of
life in early Samoan history.
•The main cause of tribal rivalry
was the frequent disputes over
power and control of land.

10. POLITICS AND POWER
•Traditional politics in Samoa were different from in other parts of
Polynesia.
•The system of chiefs means that well-born men could compete for the
title based on their skills, warfare actions and the speaking talent of
their tulafale (talking chiefs).
• No recognised government ruled Samoa.

11. THE ORATOR CHIEFS OF TUMUA AND PULE
•Tumua (to stand and speak first) is the name of a group of orator
chiefs in Upolu. Was first applied to Malietoa Savea.
•Pule is the similar for chiefs in Savaii.
•These two groups of orators formed the fabric of Samoan society.

12. WARFARE
•The main causes of rivalry in Samoa were disputes over power and
control of land.
•There are 4 great political and ceremonial titles in Samoa:
•Tuiatua
•Tuia’ana
•Gatoaitele
•Tamasoali’i
•Tribal warfare was the means to resolve power struggles.

13. THE ARRIVAL OF PAPALAGI
•The term papalagi is used to define Europeans and it means “heaven
breakers”, due to the mast of the tall ships piercing the horizon.
•In New Zealand the Europeans were called Pakeha, in Hawaii they
are Haole and in the Cook Islands they are called Papa’a.
• Europeans brought with them material goods and different belief
systems and views of the world.
•First known European in Samoa was the Dutch called Jacob
Roggeveen, arriving in Ta’u in 1722.

14. CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGES
•Cultural and economic changes took place in Samoa as a result of the
contact with Europeans.
•Papalagi introduced the market economic system to Samoa and this
changed traditional Samoan subsistence patterns of production.

15. THE MISSIONARIES
•Prior to Christianity, the Samoan belief structure consisted of a
complex system of many gods (polytheistic religion).
•Missionaries became active in the Pacific in the early 19th century.
•The conversions of Samoans to Christianity often followed the
conversion of a chief (matai).
•The conversions of Samoans to Christianity resulted in many
profound changes in the lives of Samoans. The aim of missionaries
was to benefit the locals but it also had the effect of changing
the Samoan culture.

16. COLONIAL BRITAIN INTERESTED IN SAMOA
•Imperialism was a key historical force that arose out of the
economic rivalry and security interests in the Pacific of the great
imperial powers.
•British business interests, harbour rights in Apia, and law and
order were the basis on which Great Britain had cause to intervene
in Samoa.

17. AMERICAN INTERESTS IN SAMOA
•America’s initial interest in Samoa was one of global balance of
influence among competing continental colonial powers.
•The American government was reluctantly drawn further and
further into Samoan affairs, going against their non-interventionist
policy.

18. GERMAN INTERESTS IN SAMOA
•Godeffroy’s transformed the economic history of the Pacific Islands. He
started the commercial activity in Samoa began with a trading base set in Apia.
•His German trading company transformed the economy by establishing
colonial capitalism in Samoa, but in doing so caused conflict.
•A Treaty of Friendship between Germany and Samoa (Favourite Nation
Treaty) was signed in Apia in 1879, to guarantee full freedom for Germans to
trade in Samoa.