Samoan Traditional Knowledge and the National Park of American Samoa

An Ofu fisherman with a basket fish trap. National Park of American Samoa.

Through a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) agreement, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the National Park of American Samoa completed a Traditional Use Study, documenting how the Samoan people have used and managed land and water on the islands for over three millennia.

Why it matters

• Deep knowledge: Samoans' traditional knowledge and ties to land and sea run deep. Keeping traditional uses alive in the park, and community access, is vital to a thriving culture — though social, political and environmental change has affected access and resources over time.
• A park on village land: Congress established the park in 1988 to protect tropical forests and reefs and preserve archeological and cultural resources. In 1993, the NPS signed a unique 50-year lease with the American Samoa Government covering village land held under the matai communal land system, based on oral tradition and custom.
• Better decisions: knowing how particular plants, marine species and cultural sites are used helps the park decide what needs special protection, strengthen ties with the villages, and reach agreements that benefit both.

CESUs

The study was done with the Hawaiʻi-Pacific Islands CESU. CESUs link federal agencies with universities, museums and research institutes on everything from museum collections and cultural histories to ecosystem restoration and climate change.

Sources

Based on "Window to the Past: Unlocking Samoan Traditional Knowledge," National Park of American Samoa, National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain.