Samoa, or officially the Independent Republic of Samoa, is a group of islands located in the South Pacific Ocean, in the continent of Oceania, under the equator line. A country with a population of 200,000 in total, an area of 2,944 km², 403 km of coastline, tropical climate and volcanic features, and mountainous interiors. The population of Bpolu Island, which also includes the capital Apia, the most visited city of the country, is 40 thousand. The demographic structure of the country, whose administrative model is described as a constitutional monarchy, is 92.6% Samoan and 7.4% European. In the country where 99.7% of the total population is Christian, the official language is Samoan and English, and the literacy rate is 99.7%. You were surprised, weren’t you thinking it was the land of cannibals?

Samoa declared its independence from New Zealand in 1962 and uses the current flag, designed in 1949, with the five-star Crux constellation on a red background and blue color in the upper left. The red used on the flag represents courage, the blue represents freedom, and the white symbolizes spiritual purity.

Founded 4000 years ago by immigrants from Southwest Asia, the first settlements were discovered by European colonists in the 1700s, but retained their traditional structure until the British invasion in 1831. In 1831, it was under the control of the British, and since 1899, it was called German Samoa, and in 1914 Samoa became a colony of the British and New Zealand again. It gained its independence in 1962 and became Western Samoa. It was recognized by the United Nations as the Republic of Samoa only in 1976.

Due to the fact that the date line passes through the middle of the Samoan Islands, taking into account the difficulties experienced in trade, the international date change line was changed with the initiative of the American traders and the Western Samoa Islands were taken to the other side of the date line.

Due to the change in the date line, 186,000 people in Samoa, one of the last countries in the world to see the sun, went to sleep on Thursday night, December 29, 2011, and woke up on Saturday morning, December 31, 2011. Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi announced that the decision was made in order to minimize the disruptions in trade relations with New Zealand, Australia and Asia due to the time difference. Malielegaoi announced that the wages of the employees will still be paid for Friday, December 30, which will not be experienced in their country, while today’s money will not be taken from the tourists. Samoa, which was 21 hours behind Australia and 23 hours behind New Zealand, was 3 hours ahead of Australia and 1 hour ahead of New Zealand with this change.

Samoa, an island country located in the Polynesian island group in the Pacific Ocean, is also considered the “Cradle of Polynesian Civilization” because of its 4000-year history.

In 1908, they started the civil disobedience movement as passive resistance against the Germans and later the New Zealand occupation. Agricultural workers do not collect the products from the fields, those who are in production do not contribute to production, the local people do not participate in any demand and work expected of them, they do not obey the laws and any rules set or demanded by the occupying country. Pressures, punishments, heavy sanctions and intimidation did not yield much results, nearly half of the population lost their lives for this cause, but they still did not give up. As a result of the success of the movement, they gain their independence and become the independent Republic of Samoa.

Some nearby islands under American control are called American Samoa. American Samoa is just east of the date line, and the independent Republic of Samoa is just west of the date line. So there is a day difference between American Samoa and independent Samoa.

Samoa is a republic consisting of 7 islands of different sizes. Upolu, where the capital Apia is located, and the 6th largest island of the Pacific Ocean, the Savabil Islands, are the islands with the highest concentration of settlement.

In Samoa, whose currency is Tala, 1 US dollar = 2,665 Tala.

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We are going to Upolu Island, where Apia is the largest city and capital of the Republic of Samoa.

The Republic of Samoa, the Republic of Kirbati, and the Kingdom of Tonga are the countries closest to the west point of the date line. In other words, it is the furthest place to Turkey in terms of both time and distance. After this point, history changes.

In general, most of the people are not as black as other Polynesian peoples, but white or dark skinned. Mostly they are fat and it draws my attention that many people have tattoos, we later realized that these tattoos describe the social position of people and the tribe they belong to, in other words, it is a situation like social identity. Roads, environmentalism, houses are extremely clean and well-maintained, there is a peaceful and calm atmosphere.

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We are going to Savai Island, with a population of 43 thousand, where the passive resistance movement that changed the fate of this place in the past began.

“Matai” is a very important culture of this place. Among the honest, reliable and respected people in the society, those who are generally chosen from among men, reach the level of being matai with a certain ritual ceremony. Matailers are influential and have a say in all settlements in their society. He is a decision maker on issues such as problems that arise, issues with the state or things that need to be done. Each village or settlement may have more than one matai, and in some places even the majority of the population, there is no limit to the number.

This gives people a sense of social responsibility and sensitivity in society. While not absolutely necessary, the vast majority get tattoos on many parts of their body, usually from their knees to their waist. However, these tattoos are not as widely practiced, and can be completed in a few weeks in three to four hour sessions each day with pointed triple hammers made of shark teeth. Nearly every matai has a gathering place called Polefomo, surrounded by wooden poles in front of his house. When there is any issue or problem, everyone sits on the ground at the same distance without hierarchical superiority, discusses the issue and decides. You can meet on the road or everywhere, if you see someone with tattoos on their legs, it is very likely to be a matai. In other words, they are decision makers for the society they live in. In the past, there was a council of elders or village councils in the villages in Turkey, they were the decision makers on the issues related to the village they lived in, a similar situation. When the more known or wise Matailer dies, they are usually buried in tombs in front of their homes, which is an honor for their family.

Tattoos are very common in Samoa and other Polynesian peoples, almost everyone has it somewhere, some of them have a large part of their body done, if you see the man naked, you would think he is clothed.

More than one person from almost every family works in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, and the money they send is an important source of income for families. Most of the people we talk to know that there is plenty of fish in the sea, but they prefer to eat chicken instead of catching it. In other words, the fact that the climate is hot also has an effect, but there is also some laziness, I guess, they say it themselves.

If we look at the economy of the region, it doesn’t look like much, mostly tourists from Australia and New Zealand, products such as mango, banana, papaya, potato, which are exported as agricultural products, albeit a little. These seem to grow a bit spontaneously rather than being produced commercially. There is almost no industry or production in the region. How can there be growth without production without industry, it doesn’t happen here anyway. It is clear that the continuity of the economy is with the support of Australia and New Zealand. As such, these states have a say here and control the region.

As in other regions, there are not many archaeological, historical and civilizational remains in Samoa. We are going to Atu Atu Waterfall. The waterfall pool created by the water flowing from the high rocks, the greenery gushing from the soil and the beauty of the dazzling nature.

In the independence celebrations they took on January 01, 1962, people organize and decorate the front of their houses and gardens. The state awards the best regulator. This is the right method for national unity and nationality.

We go to the ocean coast where they call “blow hole”. The islands in the Pacific Ocean were formed as a result of the eruption of volcanoes that lasted for years under the sea thousands of years ago. Volcanic rocks of different shapes on each side. Some of these rocks are connected to the sea from the bottom on the coast, rocks with large holes in the middle. When the raging waves of the ocean hit the shore, the water gushes out of the hole meters into the air with the pressure coming from below. It’s a wonderful sight, but miracles should not be burdened, it’s a physics phenomenon. However, when water gushes out of these holes simultaneously or sequentially, it gives a beautiful image.

Your real miracle! We’re going to Lador Missonaly Sksietty Church in the village of SaleaulaLava Runs, where she lived.

As a result of continuous volcanic eruptions between 1905 and 1911, the whole village was destroyed and people had to leave. Those who return to their villages after years witness two different events. The hot lava entered the church door and flowed out of the windows without damaging the walls and main structure of the church. Today, the church, whose walls and roof are partially standing, and the frozen lava inside are considered sacred.

Second miracle! Although the lava flowing as a result of the eruption of the volcano completely destroyed the cemetery located near the church, nothing happened to the tomb of the virgin daughter of Matai, the chief of the village, lying in the same cemetery. I wonder if virginity is a good thing!

We have been wandering around in the middle of the big ocean for days, we couldn’t eat fish properly, we insisted that we eat fish and we decided to eat it. We understood again that we should not be insistent on some issues. I don’t know, can I explain how much fish is cooked by a person who does not eat fish in the middle of the sea? My dear, bluefish, red mullet, turbot, anchovy, horse mackerel outnumber them. A thousand thanks to God for giving us these amazing tastes.

We go to the Robert Louis Stevenson museum, which is very important for Samoans, on Lupolu Island, where the capital is Apia. Stevenson, a Scottish traveller, poet and writer, came to Samoa to write a book and joined the people’s war of independence. He supported the struggle for independence until his death in the magnificent Villa Vailima, which he built for himself and his family on a large land in 1890 with his own means. Considered as a savior and hero for Samoans, Stevenson’s house is opened to visitors as a museum in his memory today.

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There is 100 Foot Waterfall on our way, we can only see the water flowing behind the trees from afar from very high.

We go down to a wide plain, people dance to the music and have fun. At first we hesitated to see if it was a special occasion, but they were willing to bother us, and eventually we started dancing together. We are on December 29, 2022, both the New Year’s Day but the main 1 January independence day celebration. It is obvious that they are ready, the girls and the boys are dancing. They hosted us among them, after a while we embraced and said goodbye, the chief of the village is sending us off. I’m looking for a nude matai with tattoos on her body, places like this are opportunities for photos. And here is the nude, tattooed matai with all its majesty, I guess he was already willing when he was asking permission for the photo. There were beautiful shots, this place would be incomplete without this photo. Re-hugs, new year wishes and then continue on the road.

We’re going to the easternmost point of Lupolu Island, which is the easternmost point of the world on the dateline, just ahead is where the date returns to the previous day, or the westernmost point of the world on the dateline. We are going to the sea here, but let’s not go too far, we will return to yesterday.

To Sua is a big sinkhole, two big deep pits formed by a depression, these sinkholes are connected with the ocean from below, so the movement of the sea, its descent-rise can also be observed from here. In fact, it is possible to come across a similar geological structure in many parts of the world, it is a beautiful and impressive formation.

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The people of Samoa are mostly Christian, but Catholic. There are too many churches for the needs of many denominations such as Protestant, Mormon, Methodist. If you gather all of the island’s people in these churches, more than half of them will be empty.

We are going to the shrine of the Baha’is, a very well-maintained, large, beautifully landscaped, large shrine with different architectural features, located in the middle of a very large garden. In the evening hours, we did not meet anyone except a servant in the huge area and the temple.

If we talk briefly about what Baha’ism is; Founded in Iran by Bahá’u’lláh in the 19th century, Baha’i is a monotheistic religion that emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humanity. Three main principles form the basis for Bahá’í teachings and faith. the unity of God; There is only one god, the source of all creation. religious unity; All divine religions have the same spiritual origin and come from the same God. the unity of humanity; All human beings are created equal, united by unity in diversity. This diversity of races and cultures must be seen as worthy of admiration and acceptance. According to the teachings of the Baha’i faith, man’s purpose is to learn to know and love God through prayer, contemplation, and service to humanity.

The well-kept and clean Malli Vai Catholic Church, where hundreds of people can comfortably worship, is larger than many churches in the West.

There is a Mormon church on our way. We cannot visit it because it is closed, but it seems to be a very well-kept, clean and large church. We learned later that visitors to the church are not very welcome outside of the congregations. This is the center of the Polynesia region of the Christian Mormon sect.

If we look at what Mormonism is; a religion founded in the 1830s by Joseph Smith, believed to be a prophet. It is believed to be a modern prophet and book that came after the Bible and Jesus. The rules they call the word of virtue; It determines all their lives, from food to worship to intercourse. Mormons today believe that they are Christians and are the new and truest equivalent of their faith in Jesus Christ. They state that their aim is to rectify the corrupted Christianity through the prophets living under the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and premarital sex are prohibited in Mormons to protect their bodies until they give it back to God. Even today, they do not drink tea, coffee, cola, or watch sexually explicit films. Their jobs are more difficult than ours.

We visit the Methodist church; There is also a modern school for training clergy on the large estate. He has no difficulty in finding students, because graduates are sent to churches abroad.

If we look at what the Methodist sect is; It is a spiritual thought system connected to the Protestant sect of Christianity, which takes its beliefs from the life and teachings of John Wesley. It emerged as a revival within the 18th century Church of England and became a separate denomination after Wesley’s death. George Whitefield and John’s brother Charles Wesley were also important leaders of the movement. The current, claimed to have around 80 million adherents worldwide today, has spread to England, America and beyond due to its vigorous missionary work.

Supported by the Methodist Churches, Wesleyan theology focuses on the influence of holiness and faith on a Christian’s character. new birth in Methodist doctrines; assurance, honesty, and righteousness, while sanctification includes works of piety and the primacy of the Bible. Most Methodists believe that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, died for all mankind and that salvation is for all.

Another church, St. Peter’s Catholic Church: a huge church of about 1000 people. It’s really big and very nice, clean and well-maintained.

We visit another huge Catholic Church. Church with a different interior decor and structure in modern style. A group of congregations sing popular songs with guitar accompaniment, and we accompanied them. We greet each other and leave with our new year wishes.

Like Samoa, the church heaven, most of the Christian denominations have dozens of serious churches, so the total capacity is way above the population. There are only 70 Mormon churches and a Mormon university. Those who graduate from here or work in the church are sent abroad. As such, the demand here is more than others, not in terms of belief, but in terms of the future future. Probably all other denominations also have different methods of gathering congregations.

Considering that this is where the trade winds and ocean currents intersect in the Pacific, it is safer and easier to reach these places by sea than other places due to natural conditions. Could it be that there are so many churches in the future that this place is preparing to create an important base in the Pacific Ocean region?

Considering the economy of the island and the added value it creates, it is obvious that such a large number of religious temples cannot be built with the resources of this place. Well, it comes to my mind why someone or some institutions are investing so much here. Maybe the Pacific Ocean will be the regional center of a political strategic structuring in the future? Accounts all over the world come from different ways, but always to the same place.

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If we look briefly at the chronological history of the Samoa Islands;

2000 BC; As a result of immigration from Southeast Asia, the first settlements were established in the Samoa Islands.

1722; Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen was the first European explorer to discover Samoa.

1830; In order to spread Christianity, a group from the London Missionary Association came to Samoa and opened a branch.

1831; Britain occupied the island.

1899-1914; The United Kingdom and the United States agreed on the annexation of Samoa to Germany.

1914; The British and New Zealand troops, who took advantage of the situation of Germany, which could not deal with its colonies during the First World War, seized the island by sending soldiers.

1914; The name of the island changed from German Samoa to Western Samoa.

1928; The “Mau Passive Resistance Organization”, which opposed the occupation of New Zealand, carried out actions.

1941-1945; II. During World War II, US Marines were stationed on the island, but there was no conflict.

1962; The State of Western Samoa was the first island nation to gain independence in the pacific.

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1970; As a result of the researches made by scientists, traces of life dating back 3000 years have been found in Samoa.

1991; Samoa made their first appearance in the Rugby World Cup under the name Western Samoa.

1998; By increasing its influence on the media, the government imposed restrictions on the media organs.

2000; Corruption charges were brought against two former ministers of the government tribe and the sentences of the ministers found guilty were postponed to a later date.

2002; New Zealand has apologized to Samoa for its ill-treatment of the local population at times of occupation.

2007; King II. Mallietoa Tanumafili died at the age of 94 after 45 years on the throne. And he became the 3rd longest reigning leader in the world.

2008; A republic was declared in Samoa. Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese, one of the former prime ministers, was elected prime minister.

2009; Due to the earthquake that occurred under the ocean, a tsunami occurred and the settlements on the coastline of the island were damaged.

2009; With the law enacted in the country, the flow of traffic has been changed to the left lane.

2011; The Human Rights Protection Party came to power as a result of the elections.

2012; Samoa has joined the World Trade Organization (WTO).

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Samoa is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Pacific. American and Canadian tourists arriving by large ships stay for only 8 hours during the day and leave. Samoa, which has a population of 200 thousand, has an annual tourist inflow of 10-15 thousand.

In the evening, we ask if there is a fish menu in the restaurant, the waiter looks at us like aliens, no one in the island country eats fish, it is unbelievable.

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On our way, we visit the village of Palepa with a population of 2 thousand, there are 100 matai chiefs. We learned that Turkish TV series are watched a lot here. When you say that you are Turkish, it is obvious that they immediately talk about TV series, they are more curious than us.

There is no army in Samoa, only the police, so no one has a problem with military service.

On our way, we visit another waterfall, the air and the coolness of the hot water give some comfort.

There are many people in the obese category, the very fat woman, who has difficulty even walking 130 kg comfortably, and the young and normal weight young man are walking hand in hand. It’s gossip time, most likely a rich woman from Australia or New Zealand and a poor but handsome Samoan teenager love. Both are right, one is after the present, the other is after the future. The dream of every young Samoan person is to marry a tourist who comes here and throw the cover abroad. In the 1980s, when tourism boomed in Turkey, waiters and employees dreamed of marrying tourists and going abroad, especially in places like Bodrum, Marmaris and Antalya.

Today, December 31, 2022, we are in the Pacific Ocean, in the Polynesia region of the Oceania continent, at the easternmost point of the world according to the date line. In other words, we will be among the first in the world to enter the new year together with the island people of Samoa. Let’s see what happens, maybe we will get taller!

In the evening, we are at the Italian restaurant opened by the Italian man who married a Samoan woman and settled here years ago. We are going to another place to have good food, pleasant conversation and then welcome the new year. Here the fireworks started to explode one after the other, and we started kissing with wishes for another year, 2023 good luck to our world and our country.

 

best regards

Surprised

January 31, 2022