Samoa (Western and American): Difference between revisions

'''Oral legends:''' ''Pili’s ''four sons become rulers: ''Atua, A`ana, Tuamasaga ''and ''Tolufale.<br>'''''950''' Tongans conquer Samoa and rule until ''Tuna,''Fata' and ''Savea ''drove them from the country. ''Malietoa ''(brave warrior) becomes a ''Matai ''title.<br>'''1000'''''Faiga becomes Malietoa. ''He abandons cannibalism by not eating his son ''Polu. ''He gives his grand daughters titles. One becomes ''Gato`aitele, ''and the other ''Tamasoali`i.<br>'''''1550'''''A great woman named Nafanua''from ''Falealupo, Savai`i'' is the ruler and gains the ''Tafa`ifa ''title. The Samoan high chief married the daughter of the Tongan king. Their daughter, ''Salamasina'', is adopted by ''So`oa`e'', the widow of the high chief of ''Atua ''district. ''Salamasina'' also possesses royal Fijian and Tongan blood from her mother.<br>'''1700''' Tupua becomes the progenitor of the Sa Tupua family, who has the right to kingship for 100 years.<br>'''1722''' Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen trades in Samoa.<br>'''1768''' Frenchman Antoine De Bougainville trades with Samoans.<br>'''1800''' White traders begin to settle in Samoa.<br>'''1802''' Malietoa Vai`inupo is appointed king after the death of King I`amafana. <br>'''1830''' John Williams of the London Missionary Society brings Christianity to Samoa<br>'''1835''' Methodists and London Missionary Society agree that Methodists will proselyte in Tonga and leave Samoa to the London Missionary Society.<br>'''1840 '''Malietoa Vai`inpo dies. Moli Malietoa, Tamasese, Tui-Aj`ana, and Mata`afa Tui-Atua contend for power.<br>'''1849''' Willliam T. Pritchard sets up the first permanent store.<br>'''1855''' Goddeffroy and sons of Germany establish a store.<br>'''1861 '''Maliatoa dies and his sons, Laupepa and Talavou battle over the Malietoa title.<br>'''1873''' Peace is declared between Laupepa and Talavou. Colonel A. Steinberger of the USA helps the Samoans establish a government. Tupua Pule declares himself king. Alternating 4-year terms for each king begin.<br>'''1875''' Steinberger becomes premier of ''Samoa.<br>'''''1880''' Talavou dies. Laupepa becomes king, Tamasese Sa Tupua becomes vice-king, and Mata`afa Sa Tupua becomes prime minister. They wage a bloody war for power.<br>'''1860-89''' Samoa exports cotton. Europeans purchase large amounts of land from Samoans. <br>'''1888''' The LDS ''Samoan Mission ''was established.<br>'''1889''' A devastating hurricane hits. German, British, and American warships sink. Malieatoa is crowned king of Samoa and Mata afa is given a high position. The land commission declares foreign land claims invalid and purchase of land outside Apia forbidden to non-Samoans. Robert Louis Stevenson moves to Samoa. Dies 5 years later and is buried on Mt. Vea.<br>'''1890''' Wars occur between Malietoa Laupepa and Mata`afa.<br>'''1899 '''Laupepa’s son, Tanumafili is installed as king by force of foreign powers.<br>'''1899''' USA, Great Britain and Germany agree to Western Samoa’s independence and neutrality. They set up a multi-government. Kingship is abolished in Samoa. 1900 Great Britain and Germany cede rights to the islands east of 171 degrees west of Greenwich. Later, a few other islands are added. At present this is unincorporated territory of the United States. Western Samoa becomes a German protectorate and Heinrich Solf is governor for ten years. Workers migrate from Micronesia and Melanesia to help on plantations. Eastern Samoa (Tutuila and surrounding islands) become a U.S.A. protectorate.<br>'''1902 '''An LDS church and school are built in ''Pesega''. Mission headquarters moves there.<br>'''1903''' Over 2 thousand Chinese laborers are imported to Samoa. The Samoan translation of the Book of Mormon becomes available.<br>'''1905''' The volcano Matavanu on Savai`i erupts and the refugees move to two villages on Upolo.<br>'''1910''' Dr. Eric Schultz is governor of Samoa and the Malietoa and Tupua families are given titles as counselors to the governor.<br>'''1914''' Western Samoa is occupied by a New Zealand force during World War I. Colonel Robert Logan becomes Military Administrator.<br>'''1918''' A deadly flu epidemic kills one-fifth of the Samoan population (approximately 8,000 people).<br>'''1920''' New Zealand administers the islands because Germany loses the war. <br>'''1920s''' Schools are built in Sauniatu and Mapusaga. The chiefs of Taup`ele`ele decide to dismiss their minister and join the LDS Church. Land is purchased, a school built, and the Mormon village becomes known as Vaiola(''Living Waters''). <br>'''1923''' Major George Richardson becomes administrator and dissension between him and Samoans begins.<br>'''1929''' The Independence movement (Mau) becomes a political power.<br>'''1939''' U.S. Marines establish airfields and a radio station in Eastern Samoa during World War II.<br>'''1951''' American Samoa administered by the U.S.A. Department of the Interior instead of the Navy.<br>'''1954''' A Constitutional convention is held to prepare Western Samoa for independence.<br>'''1958''' Native Samoans carry out most of the LDS missionary work because of government restriction on non-native missionaries in the country. <br>'''1962''' Western Samoa becomes an independent country, which renames itself the Independent State of Samoa. The First LDS stake is organized in Samoa in Apia.<br>'''1972''' Samoa becomes the first country to be covered by Latter-day Saint stakes.<br>'''1976''' First LDS area conference in Samoa.<br>'''1983''' The Apia, Samoa LDS temple is dedicated.<br>'''2000''' The LDS Church has one mission in Samoa. There are 16 stakes in Western Samoa with 58,000 members''', '''and 6 stakes in American Samoa with 13,000 members.