Chinese in Samoa
Regions with significant populations | |
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Roman Catholic[4] | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Samoans, Chinese |
The majority of Chinese nationals currently residing in Samoa are businessmen, labour workers, and shopowners in the southwestern Pacific island nation of Samoa,[5] and there are at least 30,000 people in Samoa who are of mixed Samoan and Chinese descent,[6] although they are classified as ethnic Samoans in official census.[7] Around the world, about 25% of all Samoans claim Chinese ancestry. Nearly all Chinese nationals in Samoa reside within the Apia municipal area; neighbouring American Samoa,[8] also has a small population of Chinese expatriates.[9]
The Chinese community in Samoa is growing and becoming economically strong. A new wave of northern Chinese migrants are moving to Samoa, bringing their culture and languages with them. There are no Chinese schools in Samoa but an estimated 98.7% of Chinese expatriates and migrants send their children and youth to Robert Louis Stevenson School, Samoa which is a private school with an Australasian and Samoan curriculum. There is a primary campus located in the village of Lotopa, Faleata District and the secondary campus in the urban village of Tafaigata. Notable Chinese businesses include Frankie's Supermarket and Wholesale, Alan Wholesale, and Treasure Garden, as well as other small businesses and restaurants. An estimated 4000 Chinese tourists visit Samoa every year via Apia's Faleolo International Airport.
History
Historical records of Chinese settlement dates back to at least the 1870s. Two Chinese sailors under the command of
Chinese immigrants were almost entirely men, and most of the labourers took Samoan women as wives and by 1918 offspring of Chinese-Samoan descent were a visible minority, although smaller in terms of population compared to offspring of European (particularly German) and Samoan descent.[12][4] This eventually led to a ban in 1931 that prohibited Chinese men from interacting with Samoan women on all grounds. By the end of World War II only 295 Chinese remained, all of whom had either taken Samoan wives or were unmarried. Many Chinese labourers had since returned to China or remained in Samoa with their families.
In 1994,
Chinese-Samoans are well represented in the
Samoa's legislative capital city, Apia, signed a treaty on 31 August 2015 with a delegation from Shenzhen, China, making Apia and Shenzhen, Guangdong, China sister cities. The treaty will help promote Chinese tourism to boost Samoa's growing tourism industry, bring economic growth to Samoa, and encourage stronger ties between the two cities. Shenzhen Airlines is also set to operate flights from Shenzhen International Airport and Faleolo International Airport in Apia.
Language
The majority of the Chinese indentured labourers came from the
Cultural contribution
The cultural legacy of Chinese laborers in Samoa is readily apparent in the various Chinese dishes that have been adopted into Samoan cuisine. Chinese immigrants brought their culinary traditions with them to Samoa, where rice (alaisa),
Entrepreneurship, commerce, frugality, and communal investment are all business practices and cultural traits that facilitated the rise of Chinese immigrants from plantation laborers to business owners, shopkeepers, and trading moguls. The commercial and financial contribution of the Chinese continued as more Samoan-Chinese marriages and business arrangements were made. This Chinese-Samoan prevalence in modern Samoa is still apparent in the many prominent firms in Apia that bear Chinese names, such as Ah Liki Wholesale, Apia Central Hotel (proprietor, Ah Kam family), Leung Wai Legal Services, Chan Chui & Sons, Ltd, Ah Him Co., Treasure Garden (Chen Pao family), etc.
Despite obvious physical and cultural differences, it became apparent to both the Cantonese and the Samoans that their cultures shared much in common, and intermarriage since the 1870s has resulted in a large proportion of ethnic Samoans having Chinese ancestry today. Respect for parents, veneration of ancestors, and strong extended family and clan relationships were mutually shared customs.
The traditional Chinese camphor chest (jeung seung, 樟箱) has become commonplace in Samoan homes, where they are called atola'au. Ornately carved furniture and wall panels have also been adopted, often with Samoan-themed carvings and inlay.
Names
Many people of Chinese descent in Samoa took their fathers' first names as their
Notable Samoans of Chinese descent
- See Category:Samoan people of Chinese descent
- Eveni Tafiti, Multicultural Counselor of Weber State University[23]
- Verona Lovel Parker, Miss Samoa 1997[24]
- Muagututagata Peter Ah Him, Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa
- Papaliitele 15th Samoan Parliament
- Harrison Hansen, New Zealand rugby league footballer.
- Patrick Ah Van, New Zealand rugby league footballer.
- Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, New Zealand rugby league footballer.
- Hans Keil, Ministry of Tourism, Samoa
- Leeson Ah Mau, New Zealand rugby league footballer.
- Michael Chee-Kam, New Zealand rugby league footballer.
References
- ^ a b Pan (1986), p. 292
- ^ "American FactFinder of America Samoa". Archived from the original on 2020-02-14.
- ^ "新西兰 | 萨摩亚". yfao.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2016-01-21. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ JSTOR 25169313.
- ^ (in Chinese) 异国风情:萨摩亚人不愁吃住 树上长大面包
- ^ (in Chinese) 国家概况 Archived August 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The World Factbook". cia.gov. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ Pan (2003), p. 303
- ^ "Chinese residing in American Samoa complain of racist abuse". accessmylibrary.com. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ a b Crocombe (2007), p. 32
- ^ Tu'u'u (2002), p. 462
- ^ American Samoa Historical Calendar Archived August 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Samoan MP hits out at growing Chinese influence_新闻中心_新浪网". news.sina.com.cn.
- ^ "Samoa". state.gov. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China | Bilateral Relations". fmprc.gov.cn. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ISBN 1-74104-523-1.
- ^ Barmé (2006), p. 698
- ^ Leiataua or Lei'ataua: The Polynesian Origin and Migrations; Second Samoan Congregational Church UCC Convocation on Racial Justice–Portland, Oregon Archived 2007-11-29 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Chinese Genealogy Research Help". hawaiian-roots.com. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ "Cantonese name for Grandparents". cantonese.sheik.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ "American Samoa Bar Association | asbar.gov". asbar.org. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ISBN 9789820203778. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ "Center for Multicultural Excellence | Eveni Tafiti". weber.edu. Retrieved 2015-08-20.
- ^ Miss Samoa 1997: Verona Lovel Tapu Ah Ching - Parker Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
Bibliography
- Scot Barmé (2006). WorldMark Encyclopedia of The Nations–Asia and Oceania (Twelfth ed.). ISBN 1-4144-1093-X.
- ISBN 982-02-0388-0
- Pan, Lynn, The Encyclopedia of the Chinese Overseas, Harvard University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-674-25210-1
- Tu'u'u, Misilugi Tulifau Tofaeono, History of Samoa Islands: Supremacy & Legacy of the Malietoa, Tuga'ula Publication, 2002, ISBN 0-9582199-1-5
- Tom, Nancy Y.W. The Chinese in Western Samoa 1975–1985. Apia: Western Samoan Historical and Cultural Trust