According to Samoan mythology and legends, its people descended from the gods and heavens to inhabit these tropical Pacific islands.
Many of Samoa’s ancient stories are told through dances and music, art, crafts and traditional tattoos.
They are also told through the artefacts in Samoa’s museums and several interesting archaeological sites that are open to visitors.
Samoa’s other stories come from more recent historical events that shaped the country as it is today.
This includes Samoa’s relationship with its neighbouring Polynesian islands, the arrival of Europeans, the civil war that split Western Samoa from American Samoa, a devastating outbreak of Spanish influenza, and the events that led to independence from Germany, then New Zealand.
