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36-594: In 1942 the New Zealand colonial administration took land from the village of Satuimalufilufi for defence purposes, forcing it to relocate. United States Navy SeaBees of 1st Construction Battalion subsequently constructed an airfield and Naval Base Upolu . It became an auxiliary field of U.S. Naval Station Tutuila in the Samoa Defense Group Area during the Pacific War. Faleolo Airfield

72-490: A 25-year lease to the eastern islet of Niuoku of Nukulaelae Atoll . J. C. Godeffroy und Sohn was taken over in 1879 by Handels-und Plantagen-Gesellschaft der Südsee-Inseln zu Hamburg (DHPG). Competition in the trading operations in the Central Pacific came from Ruge, Hedemann & Co, established in 1875, which was succeeded by H. M. Ruge and Company until that firm failed in about 1887. Tensions caused in part by

108-591: A dispute over ownership. In 2012, the 50th anniversary of independence, they petitioned for its return, stopped survey work, and blocked the road to the airport. In 2018 the Samoan government forcibly relocated families to allow for a further extension to the airport to be constructed. The airport is at an elevation of 58 feet (18 m) above mean sea level . It has one runway designated 08/26 with an asphalt surface measuring 3,000 by 45 metres (9,843 ft × 148 ft). The Pavement Classification Number for

144-444: A lesser extent Melanesians from New Guinea working for DHPG) was implemented, and “...by 1914 over 2,000 Chinese were in the colony, providing an effective labor force for the [German] plantations." Major plantation enterprises on Samoa: The German colonial period lasted for 14 years and officially began with the raising of the imperial flag on 1 March 1900. Wilhelm Solf became the first governor. In its political relations with

180-557: A militant movement to eventually march armed on Apia in 1909. Governor Solf met the Samoans, his resolute personality persuaded them to return home. However, political agitation continued to simmer, several warships arrived and Solf's patience came to an end. He had ten of the leaders, including their wives, children and retainers, in all 72 souls, deported to Saipan in the German Mariana Islands, in effect terminating

216-459: A taxiway and space for basing of up to 57 fighter aircraft. Airfield support buildings and two hangars were also constructed and completed in March 1943. After the war the airport was used for flying boats as part of the coral route , but the airstrip itself was little-used. It was upgraded in 1957 to allow the change-over from seaplanes to land-based aircraft. Heavy rain and flooding in 1967 eroded

252-475: Is a large coconut plantation, where coconuts are used to make Samoan Brand Coconut Cream which is sold worldwide. There are some 10 family-owned shops in the village with 3 billiard gaming areas. The traditional 'Sa', evening prayers, takes place each day throughout the village and lasts for about 30 minutes. The 'Sa' is a Prayer Curfew, played throughout most of Samoa. The village is vibrant in colour and culture. Horses used for plantation work are sometimes kept in

288-467: Is where the new Aggie Grey 's Lagoon Resort (the Government is the majority shareholder) has been built with a golf course beside the airport. Other Satapuala land includes a large coconut plantation opposite the airport which the government had planned to sell as small freehold lots and to build businesses and resorts. The chiefs (matai) of Satapuala have made legal claims to return customary land from

324-896: The Second Samoan Civil War , the Samoan Islands were divided by the three involved powers. The Samoa Tripartite Convention gave control of the islands west of 171 degrees west longitude to Germany, the eastern islands to the United States (present-day American Samoa ) and the United Kingdom was compensated with other territories in the Pacific and West Africa. During the colonial years new companies were formed to greatly expand agricultural activities which in turn increased tax revenues for public works that further stimulated economic growth; “...over all,

360-522: The triathlon took place in Satapuala, and due to the event, Satapuala became a busy area of the Island of Upolu too, besides Apia and Tuna'imato. The village is by the main island highway with a regular bus service. Fares to and from Satapuala are only $ 2 for adults and $ 1 for children under 12. From Apia to Satapuala the cost of a 40-minute taxi ride is approximately $ 40 to $ 50. Ten minutes west from

396-753: The 120 m high mast of their Telefunken wireless station, which was inaugurated as planned on 1 August 1914, just a few days after the beginning of World War I . The German colonial administrator used the former home of writer Robert Louis Stevenson as a residence; the building is now the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum . Germany did not experience similar levels of violent anti-colonial resistance in Samoa as it did in Southwest Africa, Cameroon, or East Africa. However, there were anti-colonial resistance movements in Samoa, such as

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432-439: The Samoan people, Solf's government showed similar qualities of intelligence and care as in the economic arena. He skillfully grafted Samoan institutions into the new system of colonial government by the acceptance of native customs. Solf himself learned many of the customs and rituals important to the Samoan people, observing cultural etiquette including the ceremonial drinking of kava . “German rule brought peace and order for

468-626: The airstrip and forced it to be closed for three days. The Samoan government subsequently sought a loan from New Zealand and the Asian Development Bank to upgrade it to take heavier aircraft. The upgrade was completed in April 1972, giving a 5,500 feet (1,700 m) sealed runway. The extended airport was capable of handling jets up to the size of a Boeing 737 , enabling direct flights to New Zealand. Desire for increased tourism saw it upgraded again over 1984-1985 to enable large jets. It

504-622: The conflicting interests of the German traders and plantation owners and British business enterprises and American business interests led to the first Samoan Civil War . The war was fought roughly between 1886 and 1894, primarily between Samoans though the German military intervened on several occasions. The United States and the United Kingdom opposed the German activity which led to a confrontation in Apia Harbour in 1887. In 1899 after

540-525: The elite-led Oloa and Mau a Pule movements, and youth movements against German colonial rule. Other than native Samoan police, Germany had no armed forces stationed in the islands. The small gunboat SMS Geier and the unarmed survey ship Planet were assigned to the so-called "Australian Station" (encompassing all German South Seas protectorates, not the British dominion Australia), but Geier never reached Samoa. British-born Herbert Morley , who

576-530: The first eight years of German rule were no longer needed after 1908. Samoa had become a self-supporting colony. Wilhelm Solf left Samoa in 1910 to be appointed Colonial Secretary at Berlin; he was succeeded as governor by Erich Schultz, the former chief justice in the protectorate. The Germans built the Telefunken Railroad from Apia onto the Mount Vaea for transporting building materials for

612-434: The first time. ... Authority, in the person of the governor, became paternal, fair, and absolute. Berlin was far away; there was no cable or radio.” The German administrators inherited a system by which some two hundred leading Samoans held various public offices. Over the years, rivalries for these positions, as well as appointments by colonial officials created tensions that dissident matai (chiefs) gathered together into

648-406: The geographic boundary of Satapuala covers an area from the coastline and inland. The village is separated into two sections. Satapuala-I-Tai ( tai means coastal) is the end of the village nearest to the lagoon shoreline. Satapuala-I-Uta ( uta means inland) is the end where most of the village people live, and also the place where the village road ends. The village of Satapuala is famous for having

684-428: The government for many years. The disputed land is the property of the government's Samoa Trust Estate Corporation (STEC, formerly WSTEC), land which came under the Samoa government when German and New Zealand colonial rule ended in Samoa. Leading Satapuala's legal claim against the government for more than two thousand acres (8 km²) was a high chief of the village, To’alepaiali’i Toeolesulusulu Salesa III ,

720-647: The historic Lapita Site . There is one narrow and roughly paved road which connects the two ends of Satapuala-I-Uta, although in Satapuala-I-Tai the road is unpaved. The main Upolu Highway is accessible from the main village junction, or also known as the Magafa . There are a few schools in Satapuala, including district college Satapuala College . Many children from the village attend and so do those from places as far as Leulumoega to Falelatai. There

756-491: The larger political district A'ana . It has a population of 1963. Satapuala is 40 minutes west from the country's capital Apia . The village was relocated in 1942 to build the Faleolo International Airport . Like other land in Samoa, customary land in Satapuala was also alienated during colonialism . Customary land has since come under the government. Part of the former customary village land

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792-471: The late Member of Parliament of the A'ana District and a prominent figure in Samoan politics. To'alepaiali'i was a Cabinet Minister in Samoa during the 1980s. He died during a trip to Sydney in November 2008. In the early 20th century this village had also made land claims against the New Zealand colonial administration, since it wanted to put an airport on the village grounds. Like most villages in Samoa,

828-645: The local stores. There are ATM outlets at the ANZ and Westpac branches at the airport. Like most villages in Samoa, Sunday is a sacred day. Churches in the village are Catholic Church of 'Sagato Atonio' and the LDS Church , which is located across the narrow village road from the Catholic Church. Two of the events from the 2007 edition of the South Pacific Games were held here. Sailing and

864-447: The occupation and hastened to Samoa with the armored cruisers SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau , arriving off Apia on 14 September 1914. He determined however that a landing would only be of temporary advantage in an Allied dominated sea and the cruisers departed. New Zealand occupied the German colony through to 1920, then governed the islands until independence in 1962 as a League of Nations Class C Mandate at first and then as

900-425: The period of German rule was the most progressive, economically, that the country has experienced.” J. C. Godeffroy, as the leading trading and plantation company on Samoa, maintained communications among its various subdivisions and branches and the home base at Hamburg with its own fleet of ships. Since the Samoan cultural envelope did not include “labor for hire,” the importation of Chinese (coolie) laborers (and to

936-510: The revolt. Energetic efforts by colonial administrators established the first public school system; a hospital was built and staffed and enlarged as needed. Of all colonial possessions of the European powers in the Pacific, German Samoa was by far the best-roaded; all roads up until 1942 had been constructed under German direction. The imperial grants from the Berlin treasury which had marked

972-510: The runway is 058FBXT. Faleolo Tower has some jurisdiction over the airspace of American Samoa and Tonga as well as its own airspace. It is assisted by the tower at Nadi, Fiji and the whole area is under Oceanic Control from Auckland, New Zealand. Satapuala Satapuala is a village situated on the north west coast Upolu island in Samoa . The village is part of A'ana Alofi 4 Electoral Constituency ( Faipule District) which forms part of

1008-485: The sea shortly after take-off on an international non-scheduled passenger flight to Pago Pago International Airport , American Samoa . All 32 people on board were killed. Volleyball , cricket and rugby union are the most popular sports in the village especially among youths. These take place in the village 'malae', open grounds in front of the 'fale tele' main meeting houses. German Samoa German Samoa ( German : Deutsch-Samoa ; Samoan : Siamani-Sāmoa )

1044-464: The second half of the 19th century, German influence in Samoa expanded with large scale plantation operations being introduced for coconut, cacao and hevea rubber cultivation, especially on the island of 'Upolu where German firms monopolised copra and cocoa bean processing. The trading operations of J. C. Godeffroy & Sohn extended to islands in the Central Pacific. In 1865, a trading captain acting on behalf of J. C. Godeffroy & Sohn obtained

1080-536: The village is Mulifanua Wharf where the inter-island ferry terminal is located for passenger and vehicle transport to Savai'i island. Boats to Manono or Apolima Islands are located at Manono Uta and Apolima Uta , further west on the main road past Mulifanua wharf. Many Samoans and tourists have stood in this village since this is where the main international airport of Samoa, Faleolo International Airport , stands. On 13 January 1970, Polynesian Airlines Flight 308B, operated by Douglas C-47B 5W-FAC crashed into

1116-580: The village tied amongst the breadfruit and coconut trees. This village is abundant in crops and flowers although the thorny weed vao fefe . Television and radio broadcast reception is reasonable in the village. A few pay phones are found around Satapuala's Main Village Shops, but the majority of pay phones are found at the airport, where there is internet access. Mobile Phones are widely used and through local companies Digicel and Go Mobile. Topping Up, Credit Recharges and SIM Cards can be purchased from

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1152-608: Was a German protectorate from 1900 to 1920, consisting of the islands of Upolu , Savai'i , Apolima and Manono , now wholly within the Independent State of Samoa , formerly Western Samoa . Samoa was the last German colonial acquisition in the Pacific basin , received following the Tripartite Convention signed at Washington on 2 December 1899 with ratifications exchanged on 16 February 1900. It

1188-541: Was completed by the Seabees in July 1942 and U.S. Marine Fighting Squadron VMF-111 was moved from Tafuna Airfield to Faleolo Airfield after the aircraft runway was completed to protect the islands of Upolu and Savai'i from an anticipated Japanese invasion. The original runway was 4,000 feet (1,219 m) x 200 feet (61 m) and was extended to 6,000 feet (1,829 m) x 350 feet (107 m) in March 1943 to accommodate

1224-575: Was further upgraded in 2000. While the land was taken for defence purposes during wartime, it was not returned when the war ended, and was later transferred to the Western Samoa Trust Estates Corporation. This has been contested since Samoan independence in 1962, resulting in ongoing protests and legal action. In 1985, villagers occupied some of the land, resulting in prosecution for trespass. In 1998 villagers slaughtered government cattle and fired on police as part of

1260-710: Was in business in Samoa in 1914, sent a letter dated July 27, 1914, where he tells of six German warships docking off Samoa. The letter was publicized in the Keighley News on November 17, 1914. At the behest of the United Kingdom the colony was invaded unopposed on the morning of 29 August 1914 by troops of the Samoa Expeditionary Force . Vice Admiral Count Maximilian von Spee of the East Asia Squadron gained knowledge of

1296-742: Was the only German colony in the Pacific, aside from the Jiaozhou Bay Leased Territory in China , that was administered separately from German New Guinea . In 1855, J. C. Godeffroy & Sohn expanded its trading business into the Pacific following negotiations by August Unshelm, Godeffroy's agent in Valparaíso. He sailed out to the Samoan Islands , which were then known as the Navigator Islands. During

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