Samoa's Pre-contact Connections in West Polynesia and Beyond

Abstract

article represents an analysis of previously published Samoan oral traditions in the investigation of Sämoa’s pre-contact connections to Tonga, Fiji and other islands of the Pacific. From our study we draw three conclusions: • The strongest is that there appears to be a high degree of interaction between Sämoa, Tonga and Fiji in pre-contact times. • The weakest is that Sämoa’s pre-contact relationship with Tonga may have been more continuous and one of distinct practicality (involving marriage, politics and war), while its pre-contact relationship with Fiji appears to be more mythic (concerned with ghosts and monsters, and with time long ago). • The most striking is that there is little or no evidence for pre-contact interaction between Sämoa and the islands of far East Polynesia, such as the Cook, Society, Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands, especially when compared to the mountain of evidence linking Sämoa, Tonga and Fiji in pre-contact times. SÄMOA-TONGA-FIJI