History of Samoa in Timeline
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is a Polynesian island country composed of two main islands and several smaller ones. Located west of American Samoa, northeast of Tonga and Fiji, and southeast of Tuvalu, its capital and largest city is Apia. The islands were settled by the Lapita people approximately 3,500 years ago, leading to the development of the Samoan language and cultural identity.
February 1900: Ratifications Exchanged
In February 1900, ratifications were exchanged for the Tripartite Convention of 1899, which divided the Samoan island chain.
1900: German Empire Governs Western Samoa
In 1900, the German Empire began governing the western part of the Samoan archipelago.
1900: Eastern Samoa Becomes US Territory
In 1900, the eastern island-group of Samoa became a territory of the United States, known as American Samoa.
1902: Mata o le Afi Eruption
In 1902, there was an eruption at Mata o le Afi.
1904: Manu'a becomes US territory
In 1904, Manu'a officially became a territory of the United States as part of American Samoa.
1905: Mount Matavanu Eruption
In 1905, Mount Matavanu in Savai'i began erupting, continuing until 1911.
1908: Mau a Pule Resistance Movement
In 1908, the non-violent Mau a Pule resistance movement arose. The leader, Lauaki Namulau'ulu Mamoe, was banished to Saipan.
1911: End of Mount Matavanu Eruption
In 1911, the eruption of Mount Matavanu, which started in 1905, came to an end.
August 1914: New Zealand Occupation
In August 1914, New Zealand troops occupied German Samoa at the start of World War I, ending German administration.
August 1914: New Zealand Troops Seize Control
On August 29, 1914, at the request of Great Britain, New Zealand troops landed unopposed on Upolu and seized control from the German authorities.
1914: End of German Rule
In 1914, the German Empire's governance of Western Samoa ended.
November 1918: Arrival of SS Talune and Influenza Outbreak
In November 1918, the SS Talune arrived from Auckland, causing an epidemic of pneumonic influenza in Western Samoa. 90% of the population was infected.
1918: New Zealand Encourages Banana Production
Around 1918, near the end of World War I, the New Zealand government encouraged the production of bananas in Samoa for the New Zealand market.
1918: Flu Epidemic & Resentment of NZ Rule
By 1918, the native Samoans greatly resented New Zealand's colonial rule, and blamed inflation and the catastrophic flu epidemic on its misrule.
1918: Influenza epidemic
During the influenza epidemic of 1918, approximately one fifth of the Samoan population died.
1918: Population statistics
In 1918, Western Samoa had a population of approximately 38,000 Samoans and 1,500 Europeans.
1918: Apology from New Zealand
In 2002, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark formally apologised for New Zealand's role in the 1918 Spanish influenza outbreak and for the Black Saturday killings in 1929.
1919: Influenza epidemic
During the influenza epidemic of 1919, approximately one fifth of the Samoan population died.
1919: Start of New Zealand Control
From 1919, New Zealand controlled Western Samoa as a Class C Mandate under trusteeship.
1919: Confirmation of Epidemic's Cause
In 1919, a Royal Commission of Inquiry confirmed that the epidemic was caused by the arrival of the SS Talune.
1920: League of Nations Mandate
In 1920, New Zealand officially gained control of the region as a League of Nations mandate, becoming the Territory of Western Samoa.
1928: Birth of Laʻulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa
In 1928, Laʻulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa, a prominent woman in Samoan politics and wife of Samoa's first prime minister, was born.
December 1929: Peaceful Mau Demonstration
In December 1929, High Chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi led a peaceful demonstration in downtown Apia.
1929: Apology from New Zealand
In 2002, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark formally apologised for New Zealand's role in the 1918 Spanish influenza outbreak and for the Black Saturday killings in 1929.
1929: Setting of Think of Garden
John Kneubuhl's play, Think of Garden, is set in 1929 and is about Samoa's struggle for independence.
January 1930: Mau Organization Banned
In January 1930, the New Zealand authorities banned the Mau organization.
1935: Labour Party Victory in New Zealand
The political stalemate was broken following the victory of the Labour Party in New Zealand's 1935 general election.
June 1936: Recognition of the Mau
In June 1936, a 'goodwill mission' to Apia recognised the Mau as a legitimate political organisation.
September 1936: Samoans elect advisory Fono
In September 1936, Samoans for the first time exercised the right to elect the members of the advisory Fono of Faipule, with representatives of the Mau movement winning 31 of the 39 seats.
1943: Department of Island Territories
In 1943, the Department of External Affairs was renamed the Department of Island Territories.
1946: United Nations Trust Territory
In 1946, Western Samoa became a United Nations Trust Territory.
November 1961: New Zealand Western Samoa Act
In November 1961, the New Zealand Western Samoa Act terminated the Trusteeship Agreement.
January 1962: Samoa gains independence
Effective January 1962, the country was granted independence as the Independent State of Western Samoa.
1962: End of New Zealand Trusteeship
In 1962, New Zealand's control of Western Samoa ended.
1962: Treaty of Friendship with New Zealand
In 1962, Samoa established informal defence ties with New Zealand through the bilateral Treaty of Friendship.
1962: Constitution came into force
The 1960 constitution, which formally came into force with independence from New Zealand in 1962.
August 1970: Joins the Commonwealth of Nations
On August 28, 1970, Western Samoa joined the Commonwealth of Nations.
1974: Publication of Lapita Site Findings
In 1974, scientists' findings on human remains discovered at a Lapita site at Mulifanua were published.
1974: The Yandall Sisters reach number one
In 1974, the Yandall Sisters' cover of the song Sweet Inspiration reached number one on the New Zealand charts.
December 1976: Admission to the United Nations
In December 1976, Western Samoa was admitted to the United Nations.
1979: Sons for the Return Home Film
In 1979, Albert Wendt's novel Sons for the Return Home was adapted into a feature film.
1984: Baháʼí House of Worship Completed
In 1984, Samoa's Baháʼí House of Worship was completed and dedicated by the Head of State.
1984: National University of Samoa Established
In 1984, the National University of Samoa, the country's main post-secondary educational institution, was established.
1989: Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree Film
In 1989, Albert Wendt's novel Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree was adapted into a feature film in New Zealand.
1990: Universal suffrage adopted
In 1990, Samoa adopted universal suffrage, but only chiefs (matai) were eligible to stand for election to the Samoan seats.
1991: Samoa's First Rugby World Cup
In 1991, Samoa competed at their first Rugby World Cup and made the quarter finals.
1992: Paul Theroux Notes Differences
In 1992, travel writer Paul Theroux noted differences between the societies in Western Samoa and American Samoa.
1993: Premiere of Think of Garden
In 1993, a year after his death, John Kneubuhl's play "Think of Garden" premiered in Auckland.
1995: Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals
In 1995, Samoa reached the quarter finals of the Rugby World Cup.
1995: Tautai Pacific Arts Trust Formalized
In 1995, the Tautai Pacific Arts Trust, initially an informal collective of visual artists in the 1980s, was formalized into a trust.
1996: O Tamaiti Wins Best Short Film
In 1996, Sima Urale's short film O Tamaiti won Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival.
July 1997: Name Change to Samoa
On 4 July 1997, the government amended the constitution to change the name of the country from Western Samoa to Samoa.
1997: Sia Figiel Wins Commonwealth Writers' Prize
In 1997, Sia Figiel won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for fiction in the south-east Asia/South Pacific region with her novel "Where We Once Belonged".
1997: Name Change to Samoa
In 1997, the government amended the constitution to change the name of the country from Western Samoa to Samoa. This was the name the UN had used since Samoa joined.
1999: King Kapisi Wins APRA Silver Scroll Award
In 1999, King Kapisi became the first hip hop artist to receive the New Zealand APRA Silver Scroll Award for his song Reverse Resistance.
1999: Rugby World Cup Second Round
In 1999, Samoa reached the second round of the Rugby World Cup.
2002: ESPN Article on Samoans in the NFL
A 2002 article from ESPN estimated that a Samoan male is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American.
2002: Apology from New Zealand
In 2002, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark formally apologised for New Zealand's role in the 1918 Spanish influenza outbreak and for the Black Saturday killings in 1929.
2003: Manu Samoa at the Rugby World Cup
At the 2003 world cup, Manu Samoa came close to beating eventual world champions, England.
2004: Publication of Wild Dogs Under My Skirt
In 2004, Tusiata Avia's first book of poetry, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, was published by Victoria University Press.
2007: Death of Laʻulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa
In 2007, Laʻulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa, a prominent figure in Samoan politics, passed away.
2007: Okaioceanikart Gallery Opens
In 2007, Marilyn Kohlhase opened a Pacific focused gallery called Okaioceanikart.
2007: Samoa wins at Wellington and Hong Kong Rugby Sevens
In 2007, Samoa won the cup at Wellington and the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, leading to a national holiday.
2007: Death of Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II
The Head of State until 2007, Malietoa Tanumafili II, passed away. He was a Baháʼí.
2008: Apron Strings Opens NZ International Film Festival
In 2008, Sima Urale's first feature film, Apron Strings, opened the NZ International Film Festival.
September 2009: Changed Rule of the Road
On 7 September 2009, the government changed the rule of the road from right to left.
2010: IRB World Sevens Series Champions
In 2010, Samoa became the IRB World Sevens Series Champions.
December 2011: Time Zone Change
At the end of December 2011, Samoa changed its time zone offset from UTC−11 to UTC+13, effectively jumping forward by one day.
2011: Population Estimate
According to a 2011 estimate in the CIA World Factbook, the population of Samoa is 96% Samoans, 2% dual Samoan-New Zealander and 1.9% other.
2011: Samoan Rugby League Competition
In 2011, the domestic Samoan rugby league competition had 10 teams with plans to expand.
2011: Release of The Orator
In 2011, the first ever fully Samoan film, The Orator, was released; it was shot in Samoa in the Samoan language with a Samoan cast, and written and directed by Tusi Tamasese.
2012: UNESCO Report on Literacy
According to a 2012 UNESCO report, 99 percent of Samoan adults are literate.
2012: Plans to expand Samoan Rugby League Competition
In 2012, the plans to expand the Samoan rugby league competition was for 12 teams.
2013: Okaioceanikart Gallery Closes
In 2013, Marilyn Kohlhase closed her Pacific focused gallery called Okaioceanikart.
2013: Rugby League World Cup Quarter Finals
In 2013, the national rugby league team reached the quarter finals of the Rugby League World Cup.
2014: UN Classification as Economically Developing Country
In 2014, the United Nations classified Samoa as an economically developing country.
2016: Population Census
In 2016, Samoa's population was reported to be 194,320 in the census.
June 2017: Christianity State Religion
In June 2017, Parliament amended Article 1 of the Samoan Constitution to make Christianity the state religion.
June 2017: Constitutional Amendment Referencing the Trinity
In June 2017, Samoa amended its constitution to include a reference to the Trinity, declaring Samoa a Christian nation founded on God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2017: GDP in Purchasing-Power Parity Estimated
As of 2017, Samoa's gross domestic product in purchasing-power parity was estimated at $1.13 billion U.S. dollars.
2017: Signed UN Treaty
In 2017, Samoa signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
2017: Tuimalealiʻifano Elected Head of State
In 2017, Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II was elected Head of State.
2017: Samoan Sign Language Inclusion
In 2017, during the International Week of the Deaf, elementary Samoan Sign Language was taught to members of the Samoa Police Service, Red Cross Society, and public to emphasize full inclusion with sign language.
2017: Samoa Declared a Christian Nation
Since 2017, Article 1 of the Samoan Constitution states that "Samoa is a Christian nation founded of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit".
September 2019: Measles Outbreak
In September 2019, a measles outbreak resulted in the deaths of 83 people.
October 2019: Measles Outbreak
In October 2019, a measles outbreak began in Samoa.
May 2021: Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa Became Prime Minister
In May 2021, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa became Samoa's first female prime minister.
October 2021: Ceased daylight saving time
In October 2021, Samoa ceased daylight saving time.
2021: Religious Group Distribution
According to the 2021 Census, the distribution of religious groups are as follows: Christian Congregational Church of Samoa 27%, Roman Catholic 19%, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 18%, Methodist 12%, Assembly of God 10%, and the remaining religious groups accounting for 16% of the population.
2021: Goal of 100% Renewable Energy
By 2021, the Electric Power Corporation set a goal of achieving 100% renewable energy.
2021: Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa elected Prime Minister
In 2021, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, daughter of Laʻulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa, was elected as Prime Minister of Samoa.
2021: Samoa Reaches Rugby League World Cup Final
In 2021, Samoa reached the final of the Rugby League World Cup to face Australia.
2021: Population Census
In 2021, the Samoan Census reported a population of 205,557.
2022: Samoa Police Service Strength
As of 2022, the Samoa Police Service comprised between 900 and 1,100 police officers.
2022: Tuimalealiʻifano Re-elected Head of State
In 2022, Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II was re-elected Head of State.
