35
edits
Samoa (Western and American): Difference between revisions
→Historical background
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
| link3= | | link3= | ||
| link4= | | link4= | ||
| link5=[[Samoa_(Western_and_American)|Samoa (Western and American)]]}} | | link5=[[Samoa_(Western_and_American)|Samoa (Western and American)]]}} | ||
'''''Hamoa''''', the native name of '''''[[Samoa Genealogy|Samoa]]''''', means ''The Islands''. These volcanic islands are located north of [[New Zealand Genealogy|New Zealand]] and near [[Fiji Genealogy|Fiji]] and [[Tonga Genealogy|Tonga]]. | '''''Hamoa''''', the native name of '''''[[Samoa Genealogy|Samoa]]''''', means ''The Islands''. These volcanic islands are located north of [[New Zealand Genealogy|New Zealand]] and near [[Fiji Genealogy|Fiji]] and [[Tonga Genealogy|Tonga]]. | ||
*'''''[[Samoa|Western Samoa]]''' ''consists of nine islands. '''''Savai`i''' and '''Upolu''' ''are the larger islands, and there are a few smaller islands. | *'''''[[Samoa|Western Samoa]]''' ''consists of nine islands. '''''Savai`i''' and '''Upolu''' ''are the larger islands, and there are a few smaller islands. | ||
*'''''[[American Samoa Genealogy|American Samoa]]''' ''is smaller. '''''Tutuila''' ''and the '''''Manu`a Islands''' ''are part of the seven islands. | *'''''[[American Samoa Genealogy|American Samoa]]''' ''is smaller. '''''Tutuila''' ''and the '''''Manu`a Islands''' ''are part of the seven islands. | ||
In 2000, the population of ''Western Samoa ''was about 174,000 and in ''American Samoa ''it was about 65,000. | In 2000, the population of ''Western Samoa ''was about 174,000 and in ''American Samoa ''it was about 65,000. | ||
===Culture and Customs=== | |||
== | There are migrations of other ethnic groups found among Samoan people. English and Germans were traders and plantation owners. The Germans were frustrated with the Samoan work habits because Samoans didn’t like to work in the rain. They preferred to stay indoors and celebrate or sleep during the rainy season, so the Germans hired Chinese laborers to come, so you find Chinese blood mixed in with the Samoan''. ''Also, a lot of Tongan people intermarried with Samoans over the years. | ||
The land in Samoa is owned by genealogical rights. Only the “half-caste” land (bought by foreigners generations ago when they would say it was for the Church (not The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and then have the chief record it as their own land) can be bought and sold. This is a reason why people do not want their genealogies made public. People could try to get land from another family by disputing it. | |||
== Samoa Timeline == | |||
<br>'''1300 BC''' The Lapita people took once again to the open seas about this time, pushing east past the Solomon Islands to the Bismarck archipelago and beyond to Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa. Theses Southeast Asian peoples had headed south from Taiwan to Papua New Guinea and as far as the main Solomon islands, where they stopped some 40,000 years ago. | |||
'''950''' '''AD''' Tongans conquer Samoa and rule until ''Tuna, Fata','' and ''Savea ''drove them from the country. ''Malietoa ''(brave warrior) becomes a ''Matai ''title. | |||
'''1000 AD '''''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.'' | |||
'''1550 AD '''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. | |||
'''1700 AD''' ''Tupua'' becomes the progenitor of the ''Sa Tupua ''family, who has the right to kingship for 100 years. | |||
'''1722 AD''' Dutchman ''Jacob Roggeveen ''trades in Samoa. | |||
'''1768 AD''' Frenchman ''Antoine De Bougainville ''trades with Samoans. | |||
'''1800 AD''' White traders begin to settle in Samoa. | |||
'''1802 AD''' ''Malietoa Vai`inupo ''is appointed king after the death of King ''I`amafana''. | |||
'''1830 AD''' ''John Williams ''of the London Missionary Society brings Christianity to Samoa. | |||
'''1835 AD''' Methodists and London Missionary Society agree that Methodists will proselyte in Tonga and leave Samoa to the London Missionary Society. | |||
'''1840 AD '''''Malietoa Vai`inpo ''dies.''Moli Malietoa, Tamasese, Tui-Aj`ana,'' and ''Mata`afa Tui-Atua ''contend for power. | |||
'''1849 AD''' ''Willliam T. Pritchard ''sets up the first permanent store. | |||
'''1855 AD''' ''Goddeffroy and Sons ''of Germany establish a store. | |||
'''1861 AD '''''Maliatoa ''dies and his sons,''Laupepa ''and ''Talavou'' battle over the ''Malietoa ''title. | |||
'''1873 AD''' 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. | |||
'''1875 AD''' ''Steinberger'' becomes premier of ''Samoa.'' | |||
'''1880 AD''' ''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. | |||
'''1860-89 AD''' Samoa exports cotton. Europeans purchase large amounts of land from Samoans. | |||
'''1888 AD''' The ''Samoan Mission'' of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established. | |||
'''1889 AD''' 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. | |||
'''1890 AD''' Wars occur between ''Malietoa Laupepa ''and ''Mata`afa.'' | |||
'''1899 AD '''Laupepa’s son, ''Tanumafili'' is installed as king by force of foreign powers. | |||
'''1899 AD''' USA, Great Britain and Germany agree to Western Samoa’s independence and neutrality. They set up a multi-government. Kingship is abolished in Samoa. | |||
{| style="float:right; " | |||
|- | |||
|{{MormonLDSRemoval}} | |||
|}'''1900 AD''' [[Great Britain]] and [[Germany Genealogy|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. | |||
'''1903 AD''' Over two thousand Chinese laborers are imported to Samoa. | |||
'''1905 AD''' The volcano ''Matavanu'' on Savai`i erupts and the refugees move to two villages on Upolu. | |||
'''1910 AD''' ''Dr. Eric Schultz ''is governor of Samoa and the ''Malietoa'' and ''Tupua'' families are given titles as counselors to the governor. | |||
'''1914 AD''' Western Samoa is occupied by a New Zealand force during World War I. ''Colonel Robert Logan ''becomes Military Administrator. | |||
'''1918 AD''' A deadly flu epidemic kills one-fifth of the Samoan population (approximately 8,000 people). | |||
'''1920 AD''' New Zealand administers the islands because Germany loses the war. | |||
'''1920s AD''' Schools are built in Sauniatu and Mapusaga. | |||
'''1923 AD''' ''Major George Richardson ''becomes administrator and dissension between him and Samoans begins. | |||
'''1929 AD''' The Independence movement ''(Mau'') becomes a political power. | |||
'''1939 AD''' U.S. Marines establish airfields and a radio station in Eastern Samoa during World War II. | |||
'''1951 AD''' American Samoa administered by the U.S.A. Department of the Interior instead of the Navy. | |||
'''1954 AD''' A Constitutional convention is held to prepare Western Samoa for independence. | |||
'''1962 AD''' Western Samoa becomes an independent country, which renames itself the Independent State of Samoa. | |||
''' | == '''Samoan Genealogy Methodology''' == | ||
These research suggestions for Samoa were given by ''Raymond Purcell'', who was born in Savaii, Western Samoa in 1952. [[Samoan, Tongan and other Polynesian Genealogies]] | |||
''' | <br>'''1. Fill in forms with the information you already know.''' <br>The first thing a ''Samoan ''should do is to fill in family group records and a pedigree chart of the four generations back from him. Also, if a person has his children and grandchildren, to record their information. | ||
<br>'''2. Ask members of your family for information.''' <br>Most Samoan people come to a problem because the genealogical information was passed by word of mouth from the father of the family to the eldest son. If the father of the family is still living, we should ask him to tell us about his family and his ancestors. If the eldest son is living, we should ask him to tell us the family information that he knows. Over the years, some of the names may have been lost and some of the facts have may have been changed. | |||
'''3. Ask how you got your name.''' | '''3. Ask how you got your name.''' | ||
How did the Purcell family get their name? Some English people were sent to Australia in my Great Grandfather’s time. Some of them stopped off in Samoa and settled there instead. My mother’s maiden name is Burgess, which is also from an Englishman who married into the Samoan lines. German names are also found in Samoa because of the rubber business. | How did the Purcell family get their name? Some English people were sent to Australia in my Great Grandfather’s time. Some of them stopped off in Samoa and settled there instead. My mother’s maiden name is Burgess, which is also from an Englishman who married into the Samoan lines. German names are also found in Samoa because of the rubber business. Some Samoans took English names because it would help them get better jobs. There may or may not be an English person in our ancestry. | ||
'''4. Talk to the older people about your ancestors.''' | '''4. Talk to the older people about your ancestors.''' | ||
My father, Mulivai Purcell, talked to the older folk who still have their genealogy memorized. He went back to his island and talked to the chiefs and asked them if they would be willing to recite it or voice record it. Sometimes he asked me to help type the transcripts of the tapes. | My father, Mulivai Purcell, talked to the older folk who still have their genealogy memorized. He went back to his island and talked to the chiefs and asked them if they would be willing to recite it or voice record it. Sometimes he asked me to help type the transcripts of the tapes. | ||
| Line 49: | Line 115: | ||
I donated these to the [[Family History Library]] and they have been microfilmed. Check the [[FamilySearch Catalog]] under the author’s name, ''Mulivai Purcell''. Microfilm numbers for these are '''795863, 795864''', and '''795865.''' | I donated these to the [[Family History Library]] and they have been microfilmed. Check the [[FamilySearch Catalog]] under the author’s name, ''Mulivai Purcell''. Microfilm numbers for these are '''795863, 795864''', and '''795865.''' | ||
'''5. Pray for guidance and help to get the items we can’t get any other way.''' | '''5. Pray for guidance and help to get the items we can’t get any other way.''' | ||
My father had many spiritual experiences with genealogy. That was one of his favorite things to do. During this time, he would go to islands of Western Samoa. He would go by himself to the other islands, but when he went to the back villages of our island, I would drive him because he didn’t like to drive. He would place a tape recorder and cassette tapes with the chiefs. Then I would pick them up for him and he would transcribe them in his handwriting. | My father had many spiritual experiences with genealogy. That was one of his favorite things to do. During this time, he would go to islands of Western Samoa. He would go by himself to the other islands, but when he went to the back villages of our island, I would drive him because he didn’t like to drive. He would place a tape recorder and cassette tapes with the chiefs. Then I would pick them up for him and he would transcribe them in his handwriting. | ||
Sometimes the bride’s name would be left off the record, or some of the female children would be left off. That is where some of his spiritual experiences came in. At times he would be asleep. He would wake up in the middle of the night and go to the transcripts he was working on and write the names of the missing wives and children. Sometimes the names were not written correctly because they had been changed. Sometimes he had to get up again and write the names correctly. | Sometimes the bride’s name would be left off the record, or some of the female children would be left off. That is where some of his spiritual experiences came in. At times he would be asleep. He would wake up in the middle of the night and go to the transcripts he was working on and write the names of the missing wives and children. Sometimes the names were not written correctly because they had been changed. Sometimes he had to get up again and write the names correctly. | ||
'''Our ancestors want to be remembered'''. Sometimes children had been left out because the children were so young when they died. They were considered insignificant because they did not carry on the genealogy. He would find out their names and where they fit in with the list of children (first, second, third, etc.). | '''Our ancestors want to be remembered'''. Sometimes children had been left out because the children were so young when they died. They were considered insignificant because they did not carry on the genealogy. He would find out their names and where they fit in with the list of children (first, second, third, etc.). | ||
I think a lot of Polynesians lose some of their spirituality when they are suddenly thrust into the fast-paced world that we live in. We need our spirituality, and it is good to have the spirit of the work. It is not just to say “Look. This is my Great Grandfather.” | I think a lot of Polynesians lose some of their spirituality when they are suddenly thrust into the fast-paced world that we live in. We need our spirituality, and it is good to have the spirit of the work. It is not just to say “Look. This is my Great Grandfather.” | ||
'''6. Try to find out who the missionaries were who converted your ancestors and contact them, if possible.''' | '''6. Try to find out who the missionaries were who converted your ancestors and contact them, if possible.''' | ||
My great-great grand father was a true Englishman. We didn’t know anything about him until a lady in Springville, [[Utah Genealogy|Utah]], told us her great grandfather was a missionary with my great grandfather and he wrote in his journal about him. It was not my great grandfather who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was my grandfather. My great grandfather’s relationship with the missionaries made it so it was easy for my grandfather to join the Church. He would have the missionaries over for dinner, and would have them sleep in his house. He was “dumb” enough to go against the decree of the Chief, who said there could be only one church in the village, and it wasn’t The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My grandfather told him he would do as he pleased. So he defended the Church with the village chief. | My great-great grand father was a true Englishman. We didn’t know anything about him until a lady in Springville, [[Utah Genealogy|Utah]], told us her great grandfather was a missionary with my great grandfather and he wrote in his journal about him. It was not my great grandfather who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was my grandfather. My great grandfather’s relationship with the missionaries made it so it was easy for my grandfather to join the Church. He would have the missionaries over for dinner, and would have them sleep in his house. He was “dumb” enough to go against the decree of the Chief, who said there could be only one church in the village, and it wasn’t The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My grandfather told him he would do as he pleased. So he defended the Church with the village chief. | ||
The property where the Church is located in Samoa is the property of my family. We lease it to the Church for one dollar a year. There is a place for the Church, the Bishop’s home, a volleyball and basketball court, and land to grow some food on. | The property where the Church is located in Samoa is the property of my family. We lease it to the Church for one dollar a year. There is a place for the Church, the Bishop’s home, a volleyball and basketball court, and land to grow some food on. | ||
'''7. If you have ancestors who came from outside of Samoa, learn as much as possible about where they came from.''' | '''7. If you have ancestors who came from outside of Samoa, learn as much as possible about where they came from.''' | ||
| Line 69: | Line 135: | ||
Then we need to learn how to do research for that part of the world.<br>Because of my ''English'' blood, I will eventually need to find out where in Great Britain my great grandfather came from and how to do British research in that area. | Then we need to learn how to do research for that part of the world.<br>Because of my ''English'' blood, I will eventually need to find out where in Great Britain my great grandfather came from and how to do British research in that area. | ||
== | ==Samoan Genealogy Resources== | ||
=== '''The Cole Jensen Collection''' === | |||
An important collection of compiled genealogies from Samoa is found in the ''<u>Cole Jensen Collection: Oral Genealogies and Genealogical Information Collected from the Polynesian Peoples and from the Pacific Islands.</u>'' These records were collected by William Cole and Elwin Jensen over a period of 50 years and microfilmed by the Genealogical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1984. The original collection consisted of 51 binders. The original materials no longer exist as an intact collection. However, there are nine microfilms (1358001-1358009) available at various family History centers. This collection has family group records, pedigree charts, oral genealogies, and other genealogical materials collected from the islands of [[Hawaii Genealogy|Hawaii]], [[New Zealand Genealogy|New Zealand]], [[Samoa Genealogy|Samoa]], [[Tonga Genealogy|Tonga]], [[Niue Genealogy|Niue]], [[Cook Islands Genealogy|Cook Islands]], and French Polynesia, including the Society, Marquesas, Austral Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. | An important collection of compiled genealogies from Samoa is found in the ''<u>Cole Jensen Collection: Oral Genealogies and Genealogical Information Collected from the Polynesian Peoples and from the Pacific Islands.</u>'' These records were collected by William Cole and Elwin Jensen over a period of 50 years and microfilmed by the Genealogical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1984. The original collection consisted of 51 binders. The original materials no longer exist as an intact collection. However, there are nine microfilms (1358001-1358009) available at various family History centers. This collection has family group records, pedigree charts, oral genealogies, and other genealogical materials collected from the islands of [[Hawaii Genealogy|Hawaii]], [[New Zealand Genealogy|New Zealand]], [[Samoa Genealogy|Samoa]], [[Tonga Genealogy|Tonga]], [[Niue Genealogy|Niue]], [[Cook Islands Genealogy|Cook Islands]], and French Polynesia, including the Society, Marquesas, Austral Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. | ||
| Line 89: | Line 154: | ||
'''1358008: '''Samoan genealogy records from the Wooley Collection of Pedigree Charts and Lineages of Samoa with a 45 page index, 258 pedigree charts in alphabetical order. | '''1358008: '''Samoan genealogy records from the Wooley Collection of Pedigree Charts and Lineages of Samoa with a 45 page index, 258 pedigree charts in alphabetical order. | ||
'''[[Family History Library Catalog]]''' | === '''[[Family History Library Catalog]]''' === | ||
The ''[[Family History Library]] ''has a large collection of ''Samoan ''records. <br>On the Internet, go to ''FamilySearch.org ''and choose the ''Library ''tab and then ''[[FamilySearch Catalog]]''. Type in ''Samoa'' to get records that are made on an ''Island Group-wide basis ''and print the items you are interested in. Then type in the '''''name of the island where your ancestors were from''''' to get a list of records made on that level. | |||
The ''[[Family History Library]] ''has a large collection of ''Samoan ''records. <br>On the Internet, go to ''FamilySearch.org ''and choose the ''Library ''tab and then ''[[FamilySearch Catalog]]''. Type in ''Samoa'' to get records that are made on an ''Island Group-wide basis ''and print the items you are interested in. Then type in the '''''name of the island where your ancestors were from'''''to get a list of records made on that level. | |||
Next, type in the name of the village where your ancestors came from to see if any records were made on that level. Click on the record types that interest you, and print out the lists you get. | Next, type in the name of the village where your ancestors came from to see if any records were made on that level. Click on the record types that interest you, and print out the lists you get. | ||
| Line 105: | Line 169: | ||
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" align="center" width="100%" | {| cellpadding="1" border="1" align="center" width="100%" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| align="center" | '''Last Name''' | | align="center" |'''Last Name''' | ||
| align="center" | '''First Names''' | | align="center" |'''First Names''' | ||
| align="center" | '''Residence''' | | align="center" |'''Residence''' | ||
| align="center" | '''About place'''<br> | | align="center" |'''About place'''<br> | ||
| align="center" | '''Tape''' | | align="center" |'''Tape''' | ||
| align="center" | '''mp3'''<br> | | align="center" |'''mp3'''<br> | ||
| align="center" | '''Transcript'''<br> | | align="center" |'''Transcript'''<br> | ||
| align="center" | '''PAF'''<br> | | align="center" |'''PAF'''<br> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Atualevao | |Atualevao | ||
| Atoa | |Atoa | ||
| Nua | |Nua | ||
| Tutuila | |Tutuila | ||
| align="center" | 10 | | align="center" |10 | ||
| align="center" | <br> | | align="center" |<br> | ||
| align="center" | 795889 Item 10 | | align="center" |795889 Item 10 | ||
| align="center" | <br> | | align="center" |<br> | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Jurisdictions | ==Jurisdictions== | ||
As a territory of the United States, American Samoa, has no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands at the second order: Eastern District, Manu'a District, Rose Island, Swains Island, Western District. | As a territory of the United States, American Samoa, has no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands at the second order: Eastern District, Manu'a District, Rose Island, Swains Island, Western District. | ||
== External Links | ==External Links== | ||
<br> | *[[Pacific Island Guide to Family History Research]] (Wiki article ) | ||
*[http://www.kindredtrails.com/samoa.html Kindred Trails] | |||
*[http://www.accessgenealogy.com/samoa/ Access Genealogy] | |||
*[http://sites.rootsweb.com/~samoawgw/ Rootsweb] | |||
*[http://www.vitalrecordsus.com/american_samoa-vital-records.html Vital Records US] | |||
*[http://www.vitalrecordsus.com/american_samoa-death-records.html Vital Records US]<br> | |||
'''Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:''' | '''Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:''' | ||
*[[Samoa Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records|Samoa Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records]] | *[[Samoa Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records|Samoa Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records]] | ||
*[[Samoa Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records|Samoa Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records]] | *[[Samoa Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records|Samoa Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records]] | ||
{{Pacific}} <br> | |||
[[Category:American_Samoa]] [[Category:Samoa]] | [[Category:American_Samoa]] | ||
[[Category:Samoa]] | |||