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109-440: The Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute ( PacLII ) collects and publishes legal materials from 20 Pacific Islands Countries on its website www.paclii.org. These countries are American Samoa , Cook Islands , Federated States of Micronesia , Fiji Islands , Kiribati , Marshall Islands , Nauru , Niue , Papua New Guinea , Pitcairn Island , Samoa , Solomon Islands , Tokelau , Tonga , Tuvalu , and Vanuatu .A mirror of

218-591: A Deed of Cession of Tutuila in 1900 and a Deed of Cession of Manuʻa in 1904 on behalf of the U.S. government. The last sovereign of Manuʻa, the Tui Manuʻa Elisala , signed a Deed of Cession of Manuʻa following a series of U.S. naval trials, known as the "Trial of the Ipu", in Pago Pago, Taʻu, and aboard a Pacific Squadron gunboat. The territory became known as the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila . On July 17, 1911,

327-687: A U.S. Department of Interior –sponsored attempt to incorporate American Samoa, was introduced in Congress. It was ultimately defeated, primarily through the efforts of Samoan chiefs, led by Tuiasosopo Mariota. The efforts of these chiefs led to the creation of a territorial legislature, the American Samoa Fono , which meets in the village of Fagatogo . In 1950 the Department of the Interior began to administer American Samoa. By 1956,

436-462: A brief but lavish greeting. On January 30, 1974, Pan Am Flight 806 from Auckland , New Zealand, crashed at Pago Pago International Airport at 10:41   pm, with 91 passengers aboard. 86 people were killed, including Captain Leroy A. Petersen and the entire flight crew. Four of the five surviving passengers were seriously injured, with the other only slightly injured. The airliner was destroyed by

545-469: A hundred canoes, with more than 500 people in them: but I was afraid of striking the wrong victims; the call of my conscience saved their lives." On December 19, 1912, English writer William Somerset Maugham arrived in Pago Pago, allegedly accompanied by a missionary and Miss Sadie Thompson. His visit inspired his short story " Rain " which later became plays and three major motion pictures. The building still stands where Maugham stayed and has been renamed

654-532: A listing which is disputed by the territorial government officials, who do consider themselves to be self-governing. American Samoa and Pago Pago International Airport had historic significance with the Apollo Program . The astronaut crews of Apollo 10 , 12 , 13 , 14 , and 17 were retrieved a few hundred miles from Pago Pago and transported by helicopter to the airport prior to being flown to Honolulu on C-141 Starlifter military aircraft. While

763-522: A name for their new territory. The traditional leaders chose "American Samoa", and, on July 7, 1911, the solicitor general of the Navy authorized the governor to proclaim it as the name for the new territory. In 1918, during the final stages of World War I , the Great Influenza epidemic had taken its toll, spreading rapidly from country to country. American Samoa became one of the few places in

872-521: A naval station. Meade arrived in Pago Pago on USS  Narragansett and made a treaty with the Mauga for the exclusive use of the harbor and a set of commercial regulations to govern the trading and shipping in Pago Pago. He also purchased land for a new naval station. The chief of Pago Pago signed a treaty with the U.S. in 1872, giving the American government considerable influence on the island. It

981-493: A piece of shrapnel , and "a member of the colorful native Fita Fita Guard" received minor injuries; they were the only casualties. This was the only time the Japanese attacked Tutuila during World War II , although "Japanese submarines had patrolled the waters around Samoa before the war, and continued to be active there throughout the war." On August 24, 1943, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited American Samoa and inspected

1090-613: A pivotal role in five of the Apollo Program missions . The astronauts landed several hundred miles from Pago and were transported to the islands en route back to the mainland. President Richard Nixon gave three Moon rocks to the American Samoan government, which are currently on display in the Jean P. Haydon Museum along with a flag carried to the Moon on one of the missions. In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited American Samoa in

1199-527: A public meeting. The Senate has 18 members, elected for four-year terms by and from the chiefs of the islands . The Fono is located in Fagatogo . Pago Pago, American Samoa Pago Pago is home to one of the deepest natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean , sheltered from wind and rough seas, and strategically located. The harbor is also one of the best protected in

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1308-669: A school dedication: the Manulele Tausala, Lady Bird Johnson School. The President gave a speech where he laid out the American policy for its lone South Pacific territory. The President and First Lady returned to American Samoa in December 1966, on their way to Prime Minister's Harold Holt 's funeral in Australia. Governor Owen Aspinall offered a quiet welcome as the White House asked for there to be no ceremonies during

1417-591: A service to governments, legal professionals, NGOs, students, academics and members of the public and has been widely recognized as an example of excellence in promoting access to legal information. American Samoa American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the South Pacific Ocean . Centered on 14°18′S 170°42′W  /  14.3°S 170.7°W  / -14.3; -170.7 , it

1526-456: A stopover in Pago Pago in April 2017. He addressed 200 soldiers here during his refueling stop. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited town on June 3, 2017. On September 28, 2009, at 17:48:11 UTC, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck 120 miles (190 km) off the coast of American Samoa, followed by smaller aftershocks. It was the largest earthquake of 2009. The quake occurred on

1635-468: A strong naval presence in the Samoan Islands. Twice between 1880 and 1900, the U.S. Navy came close to taking part in a shooting war while its only true interest was the establishment of a coaling station in Pago Pago. The U.S. quietly purchased land around the harbor for the construction of the naval station. It rented land on Fagatogo Beach for $ 10/month in order to store the coal. Admiral Kimberly

1744-515: A teenager from rough seas. On November 8, 2010, United States Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton made a refueling stopover at the Pago Pago International Airport . She was greeted by government dignitaries and presented with gifts and a traditional kava ceremony. Mike Pence was the third sitting U.S. vice president to visit American Samoa (after Dan Quayle and Joe Biden ) when he made

1853-582: A village fire destroyed the legislative chambers and adjacent facilities. It was decided that the new Legislature would be placed permanently in the center of the township of Fagatogo, the traditional Malae o le Talu, at a cost of $ 500,000. A triple celebration in October 1973 marked the dedication of the new Fono compound, its 25th anniversary, and the holding in Pago Pago of the Pacific Conference of Legislators. First Lady Lillian "Lily" Lee unveiled

1962-609: A widespread Polynesian network or confederacy (or "empire") that was prehistorically ruled by the successive Tui Manuʻa dynasties. Manuan genealogies and religious oral literature also suggest that the Tui Manuʻa had long been one of the most prestigious and powerful paramounts of Samoa. Oral history suggests that the Tui Manuʻa kings governed a confederacy of far-flung islands which included Tutuila, as well as smaller western Pacific chiefdoms and Polynesian outliers such as Uvea , Futuna , Tokelau , Tuvalu and bigger islands like

2071-617: Is 40 miles (64 km) southeast of the island country of Samoa , east of the International Date Line and the Wallis and Futuna Islands, west of the Cook Islands , north of Tonga , and some 310 miles (500 km) south of Tokelau . American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States, situated 2,200 miles (3,500 km) southwest of the U.S. state of Hawaii , and one of two U.S. territories south of

2180-678: Is additionally a Pacific Islands Treaty Database. PacLII is an initiative of the University of the South Pacific School of Law with assistance from AustLII . PacLII is a signatory to the Montreal Declaration on Public Access to Law and participates in the Free Access to Law Movement , a grouping of a number of world wide organizations committed to publishing and providing access to the law for free. PacLII

2289-704: Is based at the Emalus Campus of the USP in Port Vila , Vanuatu . USP School of Law has its headquarters in Port Vila. Its students come from more than 12 Pacific Island countries. Most of them do not have easy access to the legal materials from across the region which they need to undertake their studies. PacLII was started by the School of Law as a means to overcoming the tyrannies of distance. It has grown to become

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2398-495: Is erected on Mt. Mauga O Aliʻi to honor their memory. On November 1, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill which created American Samoa National Park . On July 22, 2010, Detective Lieutenant Lusila Brown was fatally shot outside the temporary High Court building in Fagatogo. It was the first time in more than 15 years that a police officer was killed in the line of duty. The last was Sa Fuimaono, who drowned after saving

2507-465: Is home to the largest tuna cannery in the world. Pago Pago is the only modern urban center in American Samoa and the main port of American Samoa. It is also home to the territorial government, all the industry, and most of the commerce in American Samoa. The Greater Pago Pago Metropolitan Area encompasses several villages strung together along Pago Pago Harbor . One of the villages

2616-565: Is itself named Pago Pago, and in 2010, that village had a population of 3,656. The constituent villages are: Utulei , Fagatogo , Malaloa , Pago Pago, Satala and Atu'u . Fagatogo is the downtown area, referred to as "town", and is home to the legislature, while the executive seat is in Utulei. Also in Fagatogo are the Fono , police department, the Port of Pago Pago, and many shops and hotels. In 2000,

2725-503: Is listed among seventeen " non-self-governing territories " but is a member of several intergovernmental organizations, including the Pacific Community , Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and International Olympic Committee (IOC). Due to its strategic location, the U.S. military has a significant presence in American Samoa and plays a major role in its economy and society. The territory

2834-620: Is noted for having the highest rate of military enlistment of any U.S. state or territory; as of 2021, the local U.S. Army recruiting station in Pago Pago ranked first in recruitment. Tuna products are the main exports, with the U.S. proper serving as the largest trading partner. Tourism is a nascent but underdeveloped sector, owing in part to the territory's relative geographic isolation, which also accounts for its high rate of poverty and emigration. Residents of American Samoa are politically disenfranchised , with no voting representation in

2943-638: Is rumored to walk about the grounds at night. On August 17, 1924, Margaret Mead arrived in American Samoa aboard the SS Sonoma to begin fieldwork for her doctoral dissertation in anthropology at Columbia University, where she was a student of Professor Franz Boas . Her work Coming of Age in Samoa was published in 1928, at the time becoming the most widely read book in the field of anthropology . The book has sparked years of ongoing and intense debate and controversy. Mead returned to American Samoa in 1971 for

3052-579: Is the head of government and along with the Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa is elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term. The governor's office is located in Utulei . Since American Samoa is a U.S. territory, the President of the United States serves as the head of state but does not play a direct role in government. The Secretary of the Interior oversees

3161-513: The Fala o Futa , the first important fine mat of Samoa, donated by Senate President HC Salanoa S.P. Aumoeualogo. The other major contribution was a cannon which came off Kamiloa , a 171-ton steamer and the only warship in the fleet of King Kalakaua of Hawai'i. The Hawaiian king sent the ship to the Samoan Islands in an effort at creating a Polynesian kingdom. In 1965, the Tramway at Mount ʻAlava

3270-604: The H.M.S. Bounty mutineers . Von Kotzebue visited in 1824. Mission work in the Samoas had begun in late 1830 when John Williams of the London Missionary Society arrived from the Cook Islands and Tahiti . By the late nineteenth century, French, British, German, and American vessels routinely stopped at Samoa, as they valued Pago Pago Harbor as a refueling station for coal-fired shipping and whaling. The United States Exploring Expedition visited

3379-708: The National Register of Historic Places of the United States, including Navy Building 38 , Jean P. Haydon Museum , and the Government House . In 1985, the decision was made to privatize Ronald Reagan Shipyard . Southwest Marine , a company from San Diego, California , was selected to operate the shipyard under lease from the American Samoa Government. In 1986, the First Invitational Canoe Race

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3488-681: The President of the United States . In 1951, with Executive Order 10264 , President Harry Truman delegated that authority to the Secretary of the Interior . On June 21, 1963 Paramount Chief Tuli Leʻiato of Fagaʻitua was sworn in and installed as the first Secretary of Samoan Affairs by Governor H. Rex Lee . On June 2, 1967, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall promulgated the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, which took effect on July 1, 1967. The Governor of American Samoa

3597-474: The Sadie Thompson Building . Today, it is a prominent restaurant and inn. On November 2, 1921, American Samoa's 13th naval governor , Commander Warren Jay Terhune , died by suicide with a pistol in the bathroom of the government mansion, overlooking the entrance to Pago Pago Harbor. His body was discovered by Government House's cook, SDI First Class Felisiano Debid Ahchica, USN. His ghost

3706-539: The administrative capital of American Samoa in 1899. At the beginning of the 20th century, Pago Pago became American Samoa's port of entry . On April 11, 1904, the first public school in American Samoa, called Fagatogo , was established in the naval station area. The school had two teachers and forty students at the time of its opening. English author W. Somerset Maugham and his secretary Gerald Haxton visited Pago Pago from December 16, 1916, to January 30, 1917 on their way from Hawaii to Tahiti . Also on board

3815-790: The outer rise of the Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone . This is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire , where tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere meet, and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The quake struck 11.2 miles (18.0 km) below the ocean floor and generated an onsetting tsunami that killed more than 170 people in the Samoa Islands and Tonga . Four waves with heights from 15 feet (4.6 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) high were reported to have reached up to one mile (1.6   km) inland on

3924-543: The "Manulele Tausala" ("Lady Bird") Elementary School in Nuʻuuli , which was named after her. Johnson is the only US president to have visited American Samoa, while Mrs. Johnson was the second First Lady, preceded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943. The territory's only hospital was renamed the LBJ Tropical Medical Center in honor of President Johnson. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Samoa played

4033-561: The East & West High School All-Star Football Game. It has been held at the field in Gagamoe in Pago Pago. In 2008, the tenth Festival of Pacific Arts was held in Pago Pago, drawing 2,500 participants from 27 countries. Also in 2008, Asuega Fa’amamata , one of the few female chiefs in the territory, was elected by Pago Pago as its new senator, becoming the sole female legislator in the American Samoa Fono . In 2010, Tri Marine Group ,

4142-632: The Equator, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island . American Samoa consists of the eastern part of the Samoan archipelago —the inhabited volcanic islands of Tutuila , Aunuʻu , Ofu , Olosega and Taʻū and the uninhabited Rose Atoll —as well as Swains Island , a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau volcanic island group . The total land area is 77 square miles (199 km ), slightly larger than Washington, D.C. ; including its territorial waters ,

4251-727: The Fita Fita Guard and Band and the First Samoan Battalion of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at the U.S. Naval Station American Samoa. The fact that First Lady reviewed the troops led to further assurance that Tutuila Island was considered safe. Her presence underscored that World War II had passed by American Samoa. While the Fita Fita band played, Eleanor Roosevelt inspected the guard. On October 18, 1966, President Lyndon Baines Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited American Samoa. Mrs. Johnson dedicated

4360-483: The Greater Pago Pago area was home to 8,000 residents; by 2010 the population had increased to 15,000. Rainmaker Mountain (Mount Pioa), located in Pago Pago, contributes to a weather pattern that results in the city having the highest annual rainfall of any harbor in the world. It stands protectively over the eastern side of Pago Pago, making the harbor one of the most sheltered deepwater anchorages in

4469-541: The Marine Corps' 7th Defense Battalion arrived in Pago Pago and was the first Fleet Marine Force unit to serve in the South Pacific Ocean . It was also the first such unit to be deployed in defense of an American island. Guns were emplaced at Blunts and Breakers Points , covering Pago Pago Harbor. It trained the only Marine reserve unit to serve on active duty during World War II, namely the 1st Samoan Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The battalion mobilized after

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4578-564: The Mauga was the leading matai (chief) of Pago Pago. In 1836, the English whaler Elizabeth , captained by Cuthbert, became the first European vessel to enter Pago Pago Harbor. Captain Cuthbert is credited with ‘discovering’ Pago Pago and naming it Cuthbert Harbor. Two missionaries were assigned to Tutuila Island in the 1830s: Reverend Murray and his wife to Pago Pago and Reverend Barnden to Leone . They landed at Fagasa Bay and hiked over

4687-517: The Moon in 1969 by Apollo 11, as well as moonstones, all given as a gift to American Samoa by President Richard Nixon following the return of the Apollo Moon missions. The museum was officially opened in October 1971 with an opening featuring Margaret Mead as a guest speaker. The National Endowment for the Arts provided a start-up grant. The most valuable asset was an exquisite mat reputed to be

4796-616: The PacLII website is hosted by the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII), and is the version accessed by most users outside the Pacific Islands. The documents on the PacLII website consist mainly of primary materials such as court decisions and legislation but also include decisions of various tribunals and panels or secondary information such as court rules or bench books. There

4905-607: The Pacific Ocean. Historically, the strategic location of Pago Pago Bay played a direct role in the political separation of Western and Eastern Samoa. The initial reason that the U.S. was interested in Tutuila was its desire to use Pago Pago Harbor as a coaling station. The town has the distinction of being the southernmost U.S. capital, and the only one located in the Southern Hemisphere . The origin of

5014-619: The Roman Catholic Mission offered prayers. Students from the LMS school in Fagalele sang the national anthem. The two ships, Comoran and Abarenda , fired the national salutes. The Deed of Cession of Tutuila and Aunu'u Islands was signed on Gagamoe , and formalized the relationship between the U.S. and American Samoa. Gagamoe is an area in Pago Pago which is the Mauga family's communal and sacred land. Pago Pago became

5123-574: The Samoa in the North. Commerce and exchange routes between the western Polynesian societies are well documented and it is speculated that the Tui Manuʻa dynasty grew through its success in obtaining control and manufacturing goods such as finely woven ceremonial mats "('Ie Konga)" for the Tu'i Tonga, whale ivory " tabua " for their Fijian masters, obsidian and basalt tools, chiefly red feathers, and seashells reserved for royalty (such as polished nautilus and

5232-486: The South Pacific, which gives American Samoa a natural advantage because it makes landing fish for processing easier. Tourism , entertainment, food, and tuna canning are its main industries. As of 1993, Pago Pago was the world's fourth-largest tuna processor. In 2009, the total value of fish landed in Pago Pago — about $ 200,000,000 annually — is higher than in any other port in any U.S. state or territory. It

5341-556: The U.S. Army's Hawaii-based Tropic Lightning Parachute Club. The aeroplane contacted the Solo Ridge-Mount Alava aerial tramway cable across Pago Pago harbor, which sheared off its vertical stabilizer. The aircraft crashed, demolishing a wing of the Rainmaker Hotel and killing all six crew members and one civilian. The six skydivers had already left the aircraft during a demonstration jump. A memorial monument

5450-501: The U.S. Congress. American Samoa is the only permanently inhabited territory of the United States in which citizenship is not granted at birth, and people born there are considered " non-citizen nationals " with limited rights. Citizenship is a controversial topic locally, as the government of American Samoa fears that it would lead to the erosion of traditional customs. It is the only U.S. territory with its own immigration system. Traditional oral literature of Samoa and Manuʻa talks of

5559-399: The U.S. Naval Station Tutuila over the next 10 minutes. The first shell struck the rear of Frank Shimasaki's store, ironically owned by one of Tutuila's few Japanese residents. The store was closed, as Mr. Shimasaki had been interned as an enemy alien. The next shell caused slight damage to the naval dispensary, the third landed on the lawn behind the naval quarters known as "Centipede Row," and

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5668-406: The U.S. Naval Station Tutuila, which was composed of Tutuila, Aunuʻu and Manuʻa, was officially renamed American Samoa. People of Manuʻa had been unhappy since they were left out of the name "Naval Station Tutuila". In May 1911, Governor William Michael Crose authored a letter to the Secretary of the Navy conveying the sentiments of Manuʻa. The department responded that the people should choose

5777-415: The U.S. Navy-appointed governor was replaced by Peter Tali Coleman , who was locally elected. Although technically considered "unorganized" since the U.S. Congress has not passed an Organic Act for the territory, American Samoa is self-governing under a constitution that became effective on July 1, 1967. The U.S. Territory of American Samoa is on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories ,

5886-417: The U.S. formally annexed its portion, a smaller group of eastern islands, one of which contains the noted harbor of Pago Pago . After the United States Navy took possession of eastern Samoa for the United States government , the existing coaling station at Pago Pago Bay was expanded into a full naval station , known as United States Naval Station Tutuila and commanded by a commandant. The Navy secured

5995-440: The United Nations' decolonization list, arguing that the territory should not be considered a colony. American Samoans have a high rate of service in the U.S. Armed Forces . Because of economic hardship, military service has been seen as an opportunity in American Samoa and other U.S. Overseas territories . The federal Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 started gradual adjustments to the territorial minimum wage to bring it up to

6104-432: The United States mainland, he was prevented from disembarking from the ship that brought him home to American Samoa and was not allowed to return because the American Samoa Mau movement was suppressed by the U.S. Navy. In 1930 the U.S. Congress sent a committee to investigate the status of American Samoa, led by Americans who had a part in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii . Swains Island , which had been included in

6213-424: The Vaipito Valley has also revealed more substantial elements, such as constructions made from rocks, like house foundations and terraces (lau mafola). Ceramic findings have been retrieved at Vaipito, an inland area within Pago Pago village. A deposit here is thought to be an old hill-slope below a living area where people threw away their waste. Numerous large ceramic pieces have been retrieved here. The layer with

6322-507: The aircraft apart. On November 24, 1939, American Samoa's last execution to date was carried out. A man named Imoa of Fagatogo was convicted of stabbing a person named Sella to death and was hanged in the Customs House . The popular Samoan song "Faʻafofoga Samoa" is based on this, said to be the final words of Imoa. On January 13, 1942, at 2:26   am, a Japanese submarine surfaced off Tutuila between Southworth Point and Fagasa Bay and fired about 15 shells from its 5.5-inch deck gun at

6431-407: The attack on Pearl Harbor and remained active until January 1944. In January 1942 Pago Pago Harbor was shelled by a Japanese submarine , but this was the only battle action on the islands during World War II. On January 20, 1942, the 2nd Marine Brigade arrived in Pago Pago with about 5,000 men and various supplies of weaponry, including cannons and tanks. Pago Pago and the U.S. Naval Station

6540-406: The ceramics dates back to the time between 350 BCE and 10 CE. Another site, Fo’isia, is located approximately 100 meters from Vaipito, at the same elevation inland in Pago Pago. During sewer line construction, the American Samoa Power Authority noticed many broken pieces of clay pottery. Five dates associated with the ceramics indicate a time range between 370 BCE and 130 CE. The island of Tutuila

6649-468: The cruelty of its inhabitants than the lair of a lion or a tiger". This incident gave Samoa a reputation for savagery that kept Europeans away until the arrival of the first Christian missionaries four decades later. On December 12, at Aʻasu Bay, Lapérouse ordered his gunners to fire one cannonball amid the attackers who had killed his men the day before and were now returning to launch another attack. He later wrote in his journal "I could have destroyed or sunk

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6758-402: The deadly disease. The neighboring New Zealand territory at the time, Western Samoa , suffered the most of all Pacific islands , with 90% of the population infected; 30% of adult men, 22% of adult women and 10% of children died. Poyer offered assistance to help his New Zealand counterparts but was refused by the administrator of Western Samoa, Robert Logan , who became outraged after witnessing

6867-438: The dedication of the Jean P. Haydon Museum . In 1938, the noted aviator Ed Musick and his crew died on the Pan American World Airways S-42 Samoan Clipper over Pago Pago, while on a survey flight to Auckland , New Zealand . Sometime after takeoff, the aircraft experienced trouble, and Musick turned it back toward Pago Pago. While the crew dumped fuel in preparation for an emergency landing, an explosion occurred that tore

6976-434: The early 1970s, with the Office of Tourism reporting 40,000 visitors and calling for the construction of additional hotels. Service to American Samoa by air was offered by Pan American (four weekly flights), Air New Zealand (four weekly flights), and UTA (four weekly flights). From 1974 to 1975, records show that 78,000 passengers moved by air between the two Samoas and that Polynesian Airlines collected $ 1.8 million from

7085-475: The egg cowry ). Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century. Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen was the first known European to sight the Samoan Islands in 1722, calling them the "Baumann Islands" after one of his captains. The next explorer to visit the islands was Louis-Antoine de Bougainville , who named them the "Îles des Navigateurs" in 1768. British explorer James Cook recorded the island names in 1773, but never visited. The 1789 visit by Lapérouse

7194-409: The fourth struck the stone seawall outside the customs house. The other rounds fell harmlessly into the harbor. As one writer described it, "The fire was not returned, notwithstanding the eagerness of the Samoan Marines to test their skill against the enemy   ... No American or Samoan Marines were wounded." Commander Edwin B. Robinson was bicycling behind Centipede Row and was wounded in the knee by

7303-425: The government, retaining the power to approve constitutional amendments, overrides the governor's vetoes , and nomination of justices. The legislative power is vested in the American Samoa Fono , which has two chambers . The House of Representatives has 21 members serving two-year terms, being 20 representatives popularly elected from various districts and one non-voting delegate from Swains Island elected in

7412-400: The hill to the High Chief Mauga in Pago Pago. Mauga welcomed the missionaries and gave them support. RMS Dunottar Castle later moved to Pago Pago, becoming the second ship to enter Pago Pago Harbor . The missionaries later chose to establish their headquarters at Leone. On May 9, 1838, the London Missionary Society established a church in Pago Pago. As early as 1839, American interest

7521-444: The impact and succeeding fire. The crash was attributed to poor visibility, pilot error, or wind shear since a violent storm was raging at the time. In January 2014, filmmaker Paul Crompton visited the territory to interview local residents for a documentary film about the 1974 crash. As part of the Flag Day celebrations on April 17, 1980, a U.S. Navy P-3 Orion patrol plane from Patrol Squadron 50 took off with six skydivers from

7630-402: The island of Tutuila. The Defense Logistics Agency worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 16 ft × 16 ft (4.9 m × 4.9 m) humanitarian tents to the devastated areas of American Samoa. American Samoa is classified in U.S. law as an unincorporated territory ; the Ratification Act of 1929 vested all civil, judicial, and military powers in

7739-403: The islands in 1839. In March 1889, an Imperial German naval force entered a village in Samoa, and in doing so destroyed some American property. Three American warships then entered the Apia harbor and prepared to engage the three German warships found there. Before any shots were fired, a typhoon wrecked both the American and German ships. A compulsory armistice was then called because of

7848-466: The lack of any warships. At the turn of the 20th century, international rivalries in the latter half of the century were settled by the 1899 Tripartite Convention in which Germany and the United States partitioned the Samoan Islands into two: the eastern island group became a territory of the United States (Tutuila in 1900 and officially Manuʻa in 1904) and is today known as American Samoa;

7957-601: The level for US states. On December 13, 1784, French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse landed two exploration parties on Tutuila's north shore: one from the ship La Boussole at Fagasa, and the other from L'Astrolabe at Aʻasu . One of the cooks, David, died of "scorbutic dropsy". On December 11, twelve members of Lapérouse's crew (including First Officer Paul Antoine Fleuriot de Langle ) were killed by angry Samoans at Aʻasu Bay, Tutuila, thereafter known as "Massacre Bay", which Lapérouse described as "this den, more fearful from its treacherous situation and

8066-806: The list of guano islands appertaining to the United States and bonded under the Guano Islands Act , was annexed in 1925 by Pub. Res. 68–75, following the dissolution of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony by the United Kingdom. During World War II , U.S. Marines stationed in Samoa outnumbered the local population and had a huge cultural influence. Young Samoan men from age 14 and above were combat-trained by U.S. military personnel . Samoans served in various capacities during World War II, including as combatants, medical personnel, code personnel, and ship repairmen. In 1949, Organic Act 4500,

8175-417: The local steamer business of W. H. Webb required coal and he sent Captain E. Wakeman to Samoa in order to evaluate the suitability of Pago Pago as a coaling station. Wakeman approved the harbor and alerted the U.S. Navy about Germany 's intent to take over the area. The U.S. Navy responded a few months later by dispatching Commander Richard Meade from Honolulu , Hawaii to assess Pago Pago's suitability as

8284-423: The name Pago Pago is uncertain. One hypothesis suggests that it is derived from the Samoan language , where it is interpreted to mean "place of prayer." The letter "g" in Samoan sounds like "ng"; thus Pago Pago is pronounced "pahngo pahngo." An early name for Pago Pago was Long Bay (Samoan: O le Fagaloa), which was a name used by the first permanent inhabitants to settle in the Pago Pago area. It

8393-541: The number of quarantine ships surrounding American Samoa. Angered by this, Logan cut off communications with his American counterparts. After World War I, during the time of the Mau movement in Western Samoa (then a League of Nations mandate governed by New Zealand), there was a corresponding American Samoa Mau movement led by Samuelu Ripley, a World War I veteran who was from Leone village, Tutuila. After meetings on

8502-515: The official seal of American Samoa carved on ifelele by master wood-carver Sven Ortquist , which was mounted in front of the new Fono. The Arts Council Choir sang the territorial anthem, "Amerika Samoa", as composer HC Tuiteleleapaga Napoleone conducted. The territorial bird, lupe, and flower, mosooi, were officially announced during the same ceremony. Shipping in and out of Pago Pago experienced an economic boom from 1970 to 1974. Flights into Pago Pago International Airport continued to increase in

8611-411: The official languages, English and Samoan . Inhabited by Polynesians since prehistory, American Samoa was first contacted by Europeans in the 18th century. The islands attracted missionaries, explorers, and mariners, particularly to the highly protected natural harbor of Pago Pago. The United States took possession of American Samoa in the late 19th century, developing it into a major naval outpost;

8720-461: The only U.S. President to have visited American Samoa. Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center was named in honor of the president. Landing ahead of the Air Force One was the press plane that carried seventy news reporters. The two-hour visit was televised throughout the country and the world. Governor H. Rex Lee and traditional leaders crammed ceremonies, entertainment, a brief tour, and

8829-597: The project. Some parts were previously owned by the Polynesian Land Company, while other tracts were still owned by Samoan families. For the defense of the harbor in event of a naval war, the U.S. Navy wanted to purchase headlands and mountainsides above the Lepua Catholic Church which directly faced the harbor's entrance. In 1889, Robert Louis Stevenson paid a visit to Pago Pago. A California -based construction and engineering firm

8938-665: The renowned mat, Fua’au rallied the Tutuilans, encouraging them to revolt against the Tongan rule imposed by Lautivunia . During the period of Tongan rule, political opponents and defeated Samoan warriors were exiled to Pago Pago. The surrounding settlements effectively functioned as a Samoan penal colony. In response to the oppression, the Samoans, under the leadership of paramount chief Malietoa , eventually revolted against their Tongan rulers. When Westerners first visited Tutuila,

9047-631: The route. Pago Pago Harbor became a popular stop for yachts in the early 1970s. In 1972, Army Sp. 4 Fiatele Taulago Teʻo was killed in Vietnam and his body was flown home to Pago Pago where his many awards were presented to his parents. The first Army Reserve Center was named after him. Two additional American Samoans were killed in the Vietnam War, Cpl. Lane Fatutoa Levi and LCpl. Fagatoele Lokeni in 1970 and 1968, respectively. In 1972, seven historical buildings in American Samoa were entered in

9156-480: The ship was a passenger named Miss Sadie Thompson, who had been evicted from Hawaii for prostitution. She was later the main character in the popular short story, Rain (1921), a story of a prostitute arriving in Pago Pago. Delayed because of a quarantine inspection, they checked into what is now known as Sadie Thompson Inn . Maugham also met an American sailor here, who later appeared as the title character in another short story, Red (1921). The Sadie Thompson Inn

9265-465: The territory's strategic value was reinforced by the Second World War and subsequent Cold War. In 1967, American Samoa became self-governing with the adoption of a constitution; its local government is republican in form, with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches. It remains officially unorganized and is thus directly administered by the federal government. American Samoa

9374-413: The total area is 117,500 square miles (304,000 km ), about the size of New Zealand. American Samoa has a tropical climate, with 90 percent of its land covered by rainforests. As of 2024, the population is approximately 47,400 and concentrated on Tutuila, which hosts the capital and largest settlement, Pago Pago . The vast majority of residents are indigenous ethnic Samoans , most of whom are fluent in

9483-402: The two Samoas share language and ethnicity, their cultures have recently followed different paths, with American Samoans often emigrating to Hawaiʻi and the U.S. mainland, and adopting many U.S. customs, such as the playing of American football and baseball . Samoans have tended to emigrate instead to New Zealand , whose influence has made the sports of rugby and cricket more popular in

9592-555: The visit. Around 3,000 spectators went to the Pago Pago International Airport to see the President. In May 1967, Governor H. Rex Lee signed a law making Pago Pago a duty-free port. Excise taxes, however, were imposed on automobiles, firearms, luxury goods, and auto parts. The excise tax was heaviest on secondhand motor vehicles and machinery. It was nicknamed the "Junk Bill" as it intended to keep out old used merchandise. In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited Pago Pago on his way to Australia. Shortly after Christmas in 1970,

9701-559: The western Samoan islands. Travel writer Paul Theroux noted that there were marked differences between the societies in Samoa and American Samoa. On August 13, 1999, the United Nations granted American Samoa "observer seat" status. Six days later, American Samoa officially recognized both Samoan and English as its official languages. In 2001 and 2003, the United States unsuccessfully sought to have American Samoa removed from

9810-832: The western islands, by far the greater landmass, became known as German Samoa , after Britain gave up all claims to Samoa and in return accepted the termination of German rights in Tonga and certain areas in the Solomon Islands and West Africa . Forerunners to the Tripartite Convention of 1899 were the Washington Conference of 1887, the Treaty of Berlin of 1889 and the Anglo-German Agreement on Samoa of 1899. The following year,

9919-660: The world (the others being New Caledonia and Marajó island in Brazil) to have proactively prevented any deaths during the pandemic through the quick response from Governor John Martin Poyer after hearing news reports of the outbreak on the radio and requesting quarantine ships from the U.S. mainland. The result of Poyer's quick actions earned him the Navy Cross from the U.S. Navy . With this distinction, American Samoans regarded Poyer as their hero for what he had done to prevent

10028-439: The world's largest supplier of fish, purchased the plant assets of Samoa Packing and committed $ 34 million for a state-of-the-art tuna packing facility. Mike Pence was the third sitting U.S. vice president to visit American Samoa when he made a stopover in Pago Pago in April 2017. He addressed 200 soldiers here during his refueling stop. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited town on June 3, 2017. In August 2017,

10137-476: Was acquired by the United States through a treaty in 1877. One year after the naval base was built at Pearl Harbor in 1887, the U.S. government established a naval station in Pago Pago. It was primarily used as a fueling station for both naval- and commercial ships. The U.S. Navy first established a coaling station in 1878, right outside Fagatogo . The United States Navy later bought land east of Fagatogo and on Goat Island, an adjacent peninsula. Sufficient land

10246-451: Was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2003. When the U.S. joined World War I in May 1917, two German ships anchoring in Pago Pago were seized. The 10,000-ton Elsass was towed to Honolulu and turned over to the U.S. Navy, while its smaller gunboat , Solf , was refitted in Pago Pago and given the name USS  Samoa . Wireless messaging between Pago Pago and Hawaii

10355-412: Was also called O le Maputasi ("The Single Chief's House") in compliment to the Mauga, who lived at Gagamoe in Pago Pago and was the senior to all the other chiefs in the area. For a brief period in the 1830s, Pago Pago was also known as Cuthbert’s Harbor, named after British Captain Cuthbert, who was the first European to enter Pago Pago Harbor. Pago Pago was first settled 4,000 years ago. The area

10464-577: Was constructed as access to the TV transmission equipment on the mountain. It ran from atop Solo Hill at the end of the Togotogo Ridge above Utulei . It ascended 1.1 miles (1.8 kilometers) across Pago Pago Harbor and landed at the 1,598 ft (487 m) Mount ʻAlava. It was one of the world's longest single-span cablecar routes. President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited Pago Pago on October 18, 1966. Johnson remains

10573-480: Was contracted to build the coal depot in 1898. The naval engineer in charge was W. I. Chambers. On April 30, 1899, Commander Benjamin Franklin Tilley sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on USS  Abarenda with a cargo of coal and steel for the project. The U.S. Navy was the only American agency present in the area, and it was made responsible for administering the new territory. The first American flag

10682-411: Was ended by an attack , on Tutuila island where Lapérouse's men were trying to obtain water. His second in command Capt. de Langle and several of his crew were killed. La Pérouse named the island "Massacre Island", and the bay near Aasu is still called "Massacre Bay". HMS Pandora , under the command of Admiral Edward Edwards (Royal Navy officer), visited the island in 1791 during its search for

10791-540: Was generated for the Pago Pago area when Commander Charles Wilkes , head of the United States Exploring Expedition , surveyed Pago Pago Harbor and the island. Wilkes' favorable report attracted so much interest that the U.S. Navy began planning a move to the Pago Pago area. During his time in Pago Pago, Wilkes negotiated a set of “Commercial Regulations” with the matais of Pago Pago under the leadership of Paramount Ali'i Mauga. Wilkes' treaty

10900-471: Was held in Pago Pago. On September 25, 1991, downtown Fagatogo received a new landmark: the Samoa News Building. The Executive Office Building in Utulei was dedicated on October 11, 1991. In 1999, the first international conference on the Samoan language was held in Pago Pago. Since 2000, American Samoa Department of Education through its school athletic program is the host of

11009-661: Was initially settled by Polynesian navigators, who established a vibrant community rooted in agriculture, fishing, and the distinct cultural practices of Samoan society. There is archeological evidence of people living in the Pago Pago Valley at least 1500-1300 years ago. The ancient people of Tutuila produced clay pottery known as Samoan Plainware. The majority of these open bowls had plain designs and featured rounded bases. Such pottery has been retrieved from sites in Pago Pago, including at Vaipito . The production of such pottery ceased approximately 1500 years ago. A site in

11118-439: Was never ratified, but captains and Samoan leaders operated by it. Rumors of possible annexation by Britain or Germany were taken seriously by the U.S., and the U.S. Secretary of State Hamilton Fish sent Colonel Albert Steinberger to negotiate with Samoan chiefs on behalf of American interests. American interest in Pago Pago was also a result of Tutuila's central position in one of the world's richest whaling grounds. In 1871,

11227-488: Was obtained in 1898 and the construction of United States Naval Station Tutuila was completed in 1902. The station commander doubled as American Samoa's Governor from 1899 to 1905, when the station commandant was designated Naval Governor of American Samoa. The Fono (legislature) served as an advisory council to the governor. Despite being a part of the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany maintained

11336-574: Was ordered to Pago Pago while in Apia waiting for transportation home after the hurricane of 1889. In Pago Pago, he selected a site for the new coaling station and naval base. In June 1890, the U.S. Congress passed an appropriation of $ 100,000 for the purpose of permanently establishing a station for the naval and commercial marine. With the appropriation, the State Department sent Consul Sewall from Apia to Pago Pago to buy six tracts of land for

11445-535: Was part of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire from the invasion around 950 CE to when Tongans were expelled in 1250 . According to Samoan folklore, a warrior from Pago Pago, Fua’au, is associated with driving the Tongans out of Tutuila. According to the legend, Fua’au’s fiancé, Tauoloasi’i, was kidnapped and taken to Tonga while sleeping on an exquisite mat known as Moeilefuefue. Filled with anger at the loss of his fiancé and

11554-454: Was raised on April 17, 1900, at Sogelau Hill above the site of the new wharf and coaling facilities in Fagatogo. For the ceremony, a group of invitees from Apia arrived with German Governor Heinrich Solf onboard SMS  Cormoran . USS Abarenda , home of B. F. Tilley and his new government, was in the harbor. American consul Luther W. Osborn arrived from Apia, and many spectators arrived from American Samoa villages and other countries. Tilley

11663-529: Was routed through Fiji . As the British censored all messages through Fiji, the Navy quickly upgraded the facilities to go directly between Pago Pago and Honolulu. Pago Pago was a vital naval base for the U.S. during World War II . Limited improvements at the naval station took place in the summer of 1940, which included a Marine Corps airfield at Tafuna . The new airfield was partly operational by April 1942, and fully operational by June. On March 15, 1941,

11772-663: Was the master of ceremonies and began the program by reading the Proclamation of the President of the United States, which asserted American sovereignty over the islands. Next was the reading of the Order of the Secretary of the Navy, followed by chiefs who read the Deed of Cession , which they had written and signed. Before raising the flag, reverend E. V. Cooper of the London Missionary Society (LMS) and reverend Father Meinaidier of

11881-421: Was visited by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on August 24, 1943. Pago Pago was an important location for NASA 's Apollo program from 1961 to 1972. Apollo 10 , Apollo 11 , Apollo 12 , Apollo 13 , Apollo 14 and Apollo 17 landed by Tutuila Island, and the crew flew from Pago Pago to Honolulu on their way back to the mainland. At Jean P. Haydon Museum are displays of an American Samoa-flag brought to

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