Every Day Is Special: American Samoa

Showing posts with label American Samoa. Show all posts

April 17 - Flag Day in American Samoa

Posted on April 17, 2020

On this date in 1900, American Samoa became...American!

There are quite a few Samoan Islands located in the South Pacific. Samoa-the-independent-nation is made up of two main islands and four smaller isles; altogether, it is quite a little bit smaller than Rhode Island. (My own state, California, is almost 150 times larger than Samoa!)

American Samoa, which lies to the east of Samoa, is made up of five main islands and two coral atolls - but its main islands are probably the size of Samoa's small islands, because American Samoa is only close to half the size of Samoa. (California is about 280 times larger!)

Notice that although American Samoa is south of the Equator
(unlike the rest of the U.S.), it is to the east of 180 degrees
longitude (also known as the International Date Line).

This is good, because it means that American Samoans
share the same date as the rest of Americans - although
it is a day behind folks who live in the nation of Samoa!

American Samoa became a territory of the U.S. on April 17, 1900. Most of the governing of the island happens right there on the island, and American Samoans (like residents of other U.S. territories) don't have much sway in the government of the United States. They are considered U.S. nationals, not U.S. citizens, and they elect a nonvoting member of the House of Representatives (and have no representation in the Senate). They can vote in U.S. presidential primaries but cannot vote for a presidential candidate in the general election.

But they do get to see this when they look out their windows:

American Samoans are almost all fluent in English and Samoan. The Polynesian culture of American Samoa has to some extent been Americanized (whereas Samoa's Polynesian culture has to some extent been "British-ized," because it was once part of New Zealand; for example, American Samoans drive on the right side of the street in American Samoa, like folks in the U.S., but Samoans drive on the left, like folks in Britain and New Zealand).

Here is the flag of American Samoa:

The colors and the eagle represent American Samoa's ties to the U.S., and the war club and fly whisk in the eagle's talons are symbols of Samoan chiefs.

Also on this date:

National Haiku Poetry Day

Anniversary of the end of one of the world's longest wars

Bat Appreciation Day

Astronomer Giovanni Riccioli's birthday

Anniversary of the arrival of horses in the New World

Anniversary of George Lucas Writing a Movie Treatment

Syria's Independence Day

Birthday of activist Jo Ann Robinson

Thank a Herbalist Day

Plan ahead:

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July 4 – Fourth of July in U.S. Territories

Posted on July 4, 2016

Of course, it's the fourth of July everywhere that uses the Gregorian calendar (and every nation in the world has to use the Gregorian calendar to some extent, even the five who haven't officially adopted it) – but the Fourth of July is a holiday in the United States.

I got to wondering – is it also a holiday in the United States Territories?

Yes...and no. And to some extent there is unhappiness for at least some residents about the irony of celebrating independence when their own territories are themselves denied independence.

In Guam, there are beach parties, picnics, fireworks, and American flags. But the people of Guam are denied meaningful representation in the U.S. federal government, since they have only one non-voting delegate in the House and don't participate in the Presidential election. Some people of Guam urge commonwealth status, statehood, or the merging with other territories or with Hawaii....or of course independence! So far, the U.S. government has rejected proposals.

In Puerto Rico, those who want statehood tend to celebrate the Fourth with music, food, and fireworks. But some people want Puerto Rico to become fully independent, and they tend to celebrate other holidays instead. Since most workers have the day off, though, beaches and other tourist destinations are crowded with families having fun together.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, one of the islands (Saint John) has a month-long carnival that ends on the Fourth of July. There are Calypso musicians, parades, the crowning of Ms. St. John and the Carnival King, and big fireworks displays.

Some aspects of St. John's Fourth is typical U.S. stuff (like above),
but other aspects is more typical of Caribbean and Carnival (like below).

In American Samoa, people have the day and do typical day-off kinds of things, like resting or recreating or getting together. But there isn't much in the way of parties, celebrations, or fireworks.

Finally, in the Northern Marianas, the week-long Liberation Day Festival ends on the Fourth of July. There is a parade with floats (like the one seen here), a beauty pageant, entertainment, and carnival-like booths for food and games.

Check out some gorgeous photos of these five territories:

(Above and below) American Samoa

(Above and below) Guam

(Above and below) Northern Marianas

(Above and below) Puerto Rico

(Above and below) U.S. Virgin Islands

Also on this date:

Fourth of July

Independence Day in the USA

Earth at Aphelion

Astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt's birthday

Anniversary of a BIG birthday gift

Boom Box Parade Day in Willimantic, CT

Indivisible Day

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

June 1 – Independence Day in Samoa

Posted on June 1, 2015

Three is a magical number in stories (from Goldilocks's three bears to the Three Little Pigs, from the Three Stooges to the Three Amigos).

And Samoa, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, decided that one day to celebrate independence just isn't enough – so the nation celebrates for three days straight!

Three things you should know:

Some of the Samoan islands are not part of the independent nation of Samoa, but instead are part of “American Samoa,” a territory of the United States.

The division of the Samoan islands happened back in 1900 – the U.S. making the eastern islands into a territory (as they still are), and the western islands becoming German Samoa. However, when World War I broke out fourteen years later, and the Brits and Germans began fighting, British ally New Zealand took over the islands of German Samoa, unopposed.
Samoa (the independent nation) became independent from New Zealand on January 1, 1962. I'm not sure why the Samoans celebrate in June!

Like any tropical island, there are some pretty gorgeous beaches on Samoa:

Like Hawaii, the Samoan islands were underwater volcanos that eventually rose high enough to become a chain of islands. When you explore Samoa, you might see hardened lava fields...