Samoans

Samoans are an indigenous Polynesian ethnic group native to the Samoan Islands in the central Pacific. They form the majority population of the independent nation of Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) and of American Samoa, a U.S. territory. Large Samoan communities also exist in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, reflecting ongoing migration and the Pacific diaspora.

The Samoan language, Gagana Samoa, is widely spoken and part of the Polynesian branch of the Austronesian family; English is common in education and public life. Traditionally, social life centers on extended families and the matai chiefly system. Fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way, denotes shared obligations, respect, and communal decision-making. Tatau, the customary tattooing, remains a notable cultural practice for both men (pe'a) and women (malu).

Historically, Polynesian settlers arrived in Samoa in ancient times, with contact by Europeans beginning in the 18th century. Samoa underwent significant political changes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including division between German and American control; Western Samoa gained independence in 1962, while American Samoa remains under U.S. administration.

Religion is predominantly Christian, with Methodist and Catholic denominations prominent, alongside beliefs tied to customary practices. The Samoan economy relies on agriculture, fishing, public sector employment, and remittances from relatives abroad. Cultural expressions appear in music, dance, carving, tapa cloth, and tattooing, and sport—especially rugby union and American football—plays a prominent role in national and diasporic identity.