Samoa
Samoa: Political System
The official name of the German Foreign Office for Samoa is: "Parliamentary
democracy with traditional Polynesian elements".

The US secret service CIA describes the state system as "constitutional monarchy
under native chief".
The reader should form his own opinion and look at www.govt.ws, the official
government website.
The head of state of Samoa is the king (chief) Malietoa Tanumafili II, who has
been in office since January 1, 1962.
The cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the head of state under the
advice of the prime minister. After the death of the ruling head of state, the
successor is to be elected for five years. One of the four chiefs, whose status
is traditionally inherited, is elected.
The parliament consists of 49 members, most of whom are the so-called Matai. The
Matai are the heads of families of the large family clans and are usually
men. Parliament is also elected for five years.
Every Samoan over 21 can vote, but only the Matai, with the exception of two
minority representatives, can be elected. The position of a Matai is inherited.
According to Digopaul.com,
the official name of the country is:
Independent State of Samoa |
The state is divided into eleven administrative districts: A'ana,
Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli,
Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, and Vaisigano.
National anthem
Based on flag descriptions by
Countryaah.com, the original text of the national anthem of Samoa.

Samoa tulaíi,
Ma sisi ia lau fuía lou pale lea;
UNISON
Vaai i na fetu o loo et al agiagia ai;
Le faailoga lea o Samoa et al. Mafai ona tautai.
FOUR PART
Oi! Samoa e, uu mau lau pule ia faavavau.
Aua e te fefe, e le toe avea lou pale;
O lo ta Saíolotoga. Samoa tulaíi,
Ia agiagia lau Fuía lou pale lea |
And in English translation
Samoa
rise and raise your flag that is your crown.
Oh! See and keep the stars on the waving flag.
They are the sign that Samoa is able to lead.
Samoa hold fast to your freedom forever.
have no fear; your crown shall never again be stolen.
Our treasure, the precious freedom. Samoa rise
and wave your flag that is your crown. |
As well as in English translation
Samoa arise
And wave your banner that is your crown.
Samoa arise
And raise your banner that is your crown
UNISON
Oh! See and behold the stars on the waving banner;
They are a sign that Samoa is able to lead
FOUR PART
Samoa hold fast your freedom forever
Do not be afraid; never again your crown shall be taken;
Our treasured precious liberty.
Samoa arise
And wave your banner that is your crown. |
Samoa: People you know
Visual artist
- Michel Tuffery
contemporary sculptor originally from Samoa and Tahiti
- Fatu Feu'u
contemporary painter, he lives in New Zealand
- Lili Laita
contemporary painter, Samoa/Maori, lives in New Zealand
- Stefan von Reiche
contemporary painter
Ruler
- Malietoa Tanumafili II (-2007
Since January 1st, 1962, when the island state gained independence, he ruled
the island state as king or chief. Together with the king of Thailand (since
1946) and Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952) belonged At the time of his death
he was one of the third longest ruling kings in the world
.
Writer
- Roberts Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)
he wrote, among other things, Treasure Island. Stevenson is buried in Samoa.
- Oscar Kightley
writes contemporary plays such as Niu Sila, Fresh off the Boat. He was born
in Samoa but lived most of his life in New Zealand.
Samoa: animals
Mammals
The only native mammals are the fruit bats, which, with a lot of luck, can be
seen in O Le Pupu-Pu'e National Park.
Flying foxes are 6 to 40 cm tall, crepuscular mammals with a dog-like head and
large eyes. They have a short tail, which is often completely absent. The fruit
bats feed mainly on fruits, although some species are nectar suckers. Since they
were hunted a lot for their meat, they have become very rare today.
Other animals, such as dogs, cows, horses, and chickens - which of course are
not mammals - have been introduced by humans. Feral pigs are also mammals living
in Samoa.
Reptiles
The predominant reptiles on Samoa are geckos and skinks, whereby the Samoan
skink only lives on Samoa, so it is endemic. There are a total of 14 different
species of lizards in Samoa. There are no snakes in Samoa.
Birds
There are approximately 32 species of land birds in Samoa. These include
parrots, cockatoos and smaller songbirds. Moluccan blackbirds imported
from India are particularly common. The peregrine falcon and the Pacific pigeon
also live on Samoa. The peregrine falcon is the most common bird, it is found
almost all over the world. In a dive it reaches speeds of 270 - 350 km/h and
is therefore the fastest living being on this planet.
The Pacific fruit pigeon is a bird that is up to 40 cm tall and is sometimes
referred to in German as the tonga pigeon. But this is not entirely correct,
since besides Tonga and Samoa they are also on Tuvalu, Fiji, the Loyalty
Islands, American Samoa, Kiribati, Tokelau, the Bismarck Archipelago and
the Cook Islands.
In Samoa they can be found in the mountain forests of the island of
Savai'i. Their diet mainly includes fruits and berries, but also nuts.
insects
Mosquitoes are common, but they do not transmit diseases like malaria
here. Mostly at night you can come across scorpions and millipedes, whose bite
can be quite painful.
Roaches are so common that they can be encountered in even the best
hotels. Ants, flies, bees and wasps also live here.
Underwater world
The shallower coasts are surrounded by coral reefs, which is where most of
the marine life occurs. Parrot fish, trumpet fish, trigger fish, moray eels and
groupers live here. While diving, you can also observe sea turtles, wahoos,
masi-masis and sea cucumbers. Wahoos are very large and fast mackerel, they
reach speeds of over 70 km/h. They are also known by the names Pacific
Kingfish and Ocean Barracuda. They are common in all warm seas.
Masi-Masi is the Samoan name for the dolphin fish, also known as golden
mackerel. They are up to 1.85 m long and 30 kg in weight.
Beware of the sharks that live in the area, including the dreaded great white
sharks.
Samoa: plants
Trees
Frequently occurring trees are mangroves, breadfruit trees and the banyan
tree. The latter is a botanical specialty and is one of the largest living
organisms in the world. It is also known as the strangler fig or Bengal fig. He
is a hemiepiphyte, which means that the rhizome (root stock) of this plant rises
up on tree trunks, but roots in the ground. By being anchored in the ground, the
plant is supplied with nutrients and the aerial roots become thicker and
lignified.
Over time they develop into strains with e.g. T. enormous diameter. When the
roots touch, they fuse, creating a dense network around the host tree. In this
way, its main vessels are pinched off and it dies. Banyan trees are fast-growing
and can reach a size of over 30 m. What is more impressive, however, is its
scope. The largest banyan tree has a diameter of 300 m and is in Calcutta. The
tree is sacred to many peoples because it is regarded as the seat of spirits.
The panda nut tree is known in German as "screw palm", which describes the
arrangement of its leaves. On the lower part of the trunk, the trees develop
strong aerial roots.
Crops
The most important crops are coconut palms and breadfruits. But bananas,
sweet potatoes, yams, kassavas and taro are also of great importance. The latter
is also known under the name taro. It is an integral part of the local
diet. This bulbous plant belongs to the arum family and forms perennial, up to 2
m high bushes with upright growth. Its heart-shaped leaves are dark green with a
fine white coating and have a diameter of up to 60 cm. The tuberous, thickened
roots are mainly used, and are prepared like potatoes. Young taro leaves are
also used as vegetables.
Kassavas are known by several names. The most common one is probably
cassava. The plant belongs to the milkweed family, grows up to 3 m high, has a
bushy habit and greenish-yellow flowers. The starchy, up to 8 cm thick and up to
90 cm long tubers are used. All parts of the plant contain a toxin, which is
destroyed by washing out and exposure to heat. This makes the cassava palatable.
Besides the banana, the mango tree is the most important fruit plant.
Vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers and corn are also
cultivated, as well as cocoa, coffee, vanilla and papayas.
The kawa plant is related to the spice pepper, robust, slightly succulent
(water-storing), perennial shrub that can reach a height of over 2 m. The trunk
is branched and has up to 16 heart-shaped leaves. Kawa has a strongly developed
rootstock from which the ceremonial drink ava is prepared. The roots are used
fresh or dried and finely ground beforehand.
Medicinal plants
Both the roots and the shoots of the kawa plant contain kawa lactones, which
have a relaxing, antispasmodic and pain-relieving effect. Therefore, the plant
is also used as a remedy.
More plants, poisonous plants
In addition to the bamboo and the fire acacia, Samoa also has the hibiscus,
bougainvillea, frangipani and various types of orchids. The hibiscus is one of
the most famous ornamental shrubs in the tropics. It comes with a multitude of
differently colored and shaped flowers and leaves.
Frangipani is a plant that is also widespread in Central America. They come
in the form of large bushes or small trees. It belongs to the dog poison family
and stands out for its pink-white and intensely fragrant flowers. Their dark
green leaves, which are up to 30 cm long, taper to a point, are also
striking. In Asia, the frangipani is considered a temple or sacrificial plant
and is a symbol of immortality.
Furthermore, eight species of Ficus have been counted on Samoa.
The breadfruit tree imported from India is widespread. This is bulky and has
large leaves up to half a meter long and fruit clusters weighing up to 5 kg. The
elongated, round breadfruit of the tree has a green, prickly skin and grows 2 m
high. In Europe it is cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The hibiscus is also not
native, but probably comes from China.
The banyan tree is originally from India.
Caution is advised with the frangipani, as it contains a toxic milky juice.
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