Samoan Cultural Presentation Presented by: Karla Hernandez,
Jessica Downward, and Kasey Dahl
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Origins and Immigration Group of nine islands Originally
settled around 1,000 BC Settlement of the Pacific English
missionaries arrived 1830 Treaty of Berlin 1889 Tripartite Treaty
of 1899 World War I 1914 Independence Immigration to United
States
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Culture, Values, and Symbols Large families Respect for Elders
Religion Food Sports Holidays Tattoos
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Ethnic Identity Early childhood Majority are traditional
Language Dance
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Perspectives & World Views Ethnic Relations Social Welfare
Gender Roles Medicine and Health Care
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Self Determination Not quite there yet US Territory on the
United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing territories
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Demographic Population: 194,320 (July 2012) Ethnic Groups (2000
Census): Native Pacific Islander 91.6% Asian 2.8% White 1.1% Mixed
4.2% Other 0.3%
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Demographic (Cont.) Economic Status: 90% of land is communally
owned Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of
the private sector with canned tuna as the primary export. Other
Exports: coconut oil and cream; copra; automotive parts; taro;
beer; non-fruit products
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Intra-Ethnic Diversity Polynesians are racially mixed Asians.
Migrated from South-East Asia and are indigenous to Polynesia.
Prejudice / Discrimination Reputation as perpetrators of violent
crimes Local Samoans against over-seas Samoans Samoan air about to
charge customers based on weight
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Assimilation and Acculturation Immigration of Samoans to New
Zealand, Australia, and the United States accelerated during the
1950s Scholarship students who wish to pursue college degrees were
sent to New Zealand American Samoa saw many of its citizens enroll
in US military services Samoans who chose to pursue ecclesiastical
endeavors were often educated by Anglicans in London Others entered
Catholic seminaries in the South Pacific and studied in Rome, while
those who became local leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints (Mormon) traveled to Utah.
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Assimilation and Acculturation (Cont.) In the 1990 census of
the US, over 55,000 Americans reported themselves to be of Samoan
decent. App. 26,000 of the respondents resided in California, with
another 15,000 in Hawaii, and 2,000 in Utah. Many recent immigrants
from Samoa have been forced to pursue low- paying jobs as untrained
laborers. Others have been forced to rely on governmental
entitlement programs for support. There are some prejudice against
the Samoan youth that have observers think Samoan people are
dangerous, due to some youth being apart of gangs. Derek Freeman,
anthropologist, said that on the contrary to the easy-going Samoan
nature portrayed, Samoan culture is hierarchical, power- conscious,
and occasionally violent.
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Revolution The first Samoan Civil War and the Samoan crisis The
first Samoan Civil War between 1886-1894 between rival Samoan
factions though the rival powers intervened on several occasion
with military forces. The Samoan crisis came to a critical juncture
in March 1889 when all three colonial contenders send warships into
Apia Harbor, and a larger-scale war seemed imminent until a huge
story in March 1889 damaged and destroyed the warships ending the
military conflict.
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Siege of Apia The second Samoan Civil War was a conflict that
reached a head in 1898 when Germany, the United Kingdom and the
United States were locked in dispute over who should have control
over the Samoa Islands. It occurred at Apia when Samoa forces loyal
to Prince Tanu were besieged by a larger force of Samoan rebels
loyal to Mataafa Iosefo. Over the course of several day of
fighting, the Samoan rebels were defeated.
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What Teachers Should Know As the Samoan culture adapts to
change from outside influences, teachers and students are compelled
to adjust to these changes. The studies purpose was to determine if
the lecture was a favorite among Samoan teachers, and if so, does
the cultured play a role in this performance. The study also
analyzed if Samoan students learned best by listening,or if the
learning styles change from generation to generation. Here are the
numbers Of the 66 people that were involved with interviews, focus
groups, and case studies: 85% preferred the lecture above the other
delivery methods. 91% of the teachers claimed that the Samoan
culture was the major influence in their using the lecture to teach
71% of the people interview said that the Samoan culture is an
auditory one. 92% of participants said that the lecture
methodologies definitely promoted learning in Samoan students.
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Teaching This Ethnicity During the first six years students are
taught in Samoan with English being introduced orally during the
third year. In the Seventh and eighth years English is the language
of instruction. After eight years of school students take a
national exam the rational behind the exam in the need to rank
students for selection into secondary schools. Throughout the
secondary education system the mode of instruction is English.
Samoan can be taken as a separate course. The secondary program is
five years in duration and is divided into a three year junior
secondary program. Which is followed by a two year senior secondary
program. Entry into the senior secondary program is highly
selective.