palagi

Palagi is a term used in Samoan and in some other Polynesian language communities to refer to Westerners or foreigners, especially people of European or light-skinned descent. In everyday speech it can denote outsiders such as tourists, expatriates, or colonial-era officials, as well as non-Polynesian visitors who are not part of the local community.

The etymology of palagi is not definitively settled. It is commonly explained as deriving from a word associated with whiteness or foreignness, but there is no universally agreed-upon origin. The term has been in use since first substantial contact with Europeans and has taken on various nuances over time.

Connotations of palagi vary by context, speaker, and tone. It can be a neutral descriptive label, a practical identifier, or carry colonial-era or pejorative undertones depending on how it is used. In some settings, it is spoken casually without negative intent; in others it may be used more sensitively or critically. Because of its historical weight, some people prefer to emphasize nationality or identity (for example, “American,” “British,” or “Australian”) rather than the broader label palagi.

Across Polynesian languages, similar terms with related meanings exist, reflecting long-standing contact with Western visitors. Today palagi remains a living part of Pacific discourse about outsiders, often shaped by local norms of hospitality, humor, and social distance.