• Samoan youth in traditional clothing.

    National Park of American Samoa

    American Samoa

History & Culture

Fautasi
Fautasi group hug and cheer.
NPS
 
The Samoan culture is Polynesia's oldest. We believe the first people of the Samoan Islands came by sea from southwest Asia some 3,000 years ago. Over the centuries, distinct cultural traits emerged that we now call fa'asamoa (fah-ah-SAH-mo-ah). From Samoa seafaring explorers and settlers journeyed to other Polynesian island groups hundreds of miles away.

Did You Know?

View out through the Tutuila Island rainforest toward the north shore’s rugged coastline.

Where still intact, Samoan rainforest extends from mountain summits to ocean shoreline.  Because fruit bats are important pollinators, fruit bearing trees and shrubs are common.