The Samoan Islands

Pago Pago coastline

The Samoan island chain lies in the center of the South Pacific, about 2,300 miles southwest of Honolulu. Since 1899 it has been divided into Western and Eastern--or American--Samoa. The islands comprise the only American territory in the southern hemisphere.

Friday we had a change in our original plans for a tour of the island. The son of some dear friends of ours from Minnesota happens to live in Pago Pago. Through e-mails in just the last couple days, we made connections with Pat and he offered to take us on a tour of the island himself. And what a wonderful tour he and his girlfriend, Anna, gave us. They drove us from one end of the end to the road's end at the other end of the island.

Overlooking Pago Pago

 

The islands' capital, Pago Pago is located on Tutuila, its bay nearly bisecting the island at its center. Mother Nature created the bay when the seaward wall of a great volcano collasped, allowing the water to enter the steep-sided volcano and creating one of the best, most-spectacular natural harbors in the South Pacific.

On September 30, 2009, there was an earthquake centered on the ocean floor to the west of Pago Pago. A tsunami tidal wave was created that devastated many coastal villages on the islands of American Samoa and elsewhere. We saw where many homes were destroyed, all that was left was the foundation floor. FEMA came in to help rebuild. Those who lost homes were offered a tent to live in and then the choice of either having their home rebuilt or receive $30,000 cash. Many chose the cash and are still living in the FEMA tents.

Tsunami damage on Pago Pago

Despite the Western influences, the Samoan way of life still retains its basic unit, the extended family. Family members live in small houses next to each other. The family has a fale (fah-lay) which is like a gazebo. This is where the extended family gathers for meetings and entertaining guests. Many have it set up with chairs, sofas, etc.--like a family room or den without the walls. Family members stay together even after death. There are no public cemeteries for Samoans; the graves of loved ones line up alongside
the family's fale and they are well maintained and decorated.

Graves in front of the homes

American Samoa is also the home of the only US National Park in the Southern Hemisphere.
We traveled the road up to this most scenic view.


American Samoa National Park



This one's for you, Margaret R.!!!

The next day we arrived in Apia, Western Samoa. Apia is the main port city but our activity today was an island tour to the countryside. The tour included a visit to the Robert Louis Stevenson home which is now a museum dedicated to the life of the author, who resided on this island and wrote many of his books here. We stopped at a waterfall and drove through many Samoan villages on our way to Lalomanu Beach where we had a traditional Samoan lunch alongside the beach. This is the area hit hard by the tsunami last year. It used to be a place to holiday for Samoans; now it is pretty much deserted, except for the tourists. Eighty people were killed when the tsunami hit this village. The road travels along the beach, then there is a small strip of land at sea level where the houses and fales stood, then there is a huge cliff wall. The wave hit 10 minutes after the earthquake. We could see how the people had no time and no where to run to escape.

tsunami area

Robert Louis Stevenson home

Beach area where tsunami hit

Dancers/singers welcoming the ship at port

 

Religion is a very important aspect of Samoan life. There are numerous churches in each village. Tomorrow White Sunday is celebrated in the Samoan Islands. This is a day to celebrate children in the church services. All the children wear white clothes and white shoes. Businesses closed early today to so the employees could prepare for the day...and Monday will be a holiday on the island.

It's been a busy 2 days. When the ship sails tonight, we will cross over the International Date Line at approximately 7:40 pm and what was Saturday evening October 9 then becomes Sunday evening, October 10 and the next day, Monday, will be a sea day as we sail toward Fiji.