Chinese in Samoa
Encyclopedia
The majority of Chinese nationals currently residing in Samoa
are expatriate businessmen Samoa
, and there are at least 3000 people in Samoa
who are of mixed Samoan and Chinese descent, although they are classified as ethnic Samoans in official census. 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
, also has a small population of Chinese expatriates.
were based there for two years, and one of them settled down in 1876 and married a Samoan wife. A few Chinese traders also settled in Samoa and raised local families, and maintained close ties with Samoa's paramount chief, Malietoa Laupepa
. In 1880, Malietoa issued a subsequent ban on people of Chinese descent from settling in Samoa. Four years after Western Samoa came under German rule in 1899, the colonial governor Wilhelm Solf
lifted Malietoa's ban and shipped in Chinese labourers from 1903 onwards. Chinese coolies reportedly complained of tough working punishments as well as brutal physical punishments which they had to face, and these reports prompted the provincial governor of Canton to stop sending Chinese coolies to the German colonies.
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. 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 coolies had since returned to China or remained in Samoa with their families.
In 1994, China
provided financial assistance to fund the construction of the government office building in Apia. More recently the Chinese government has funded various other Samoan government constructions. Aeau Peniamina, deputy leader of Samoa Democratic United Party, caused a minor controversy in January 2005 when he remarked that "there are too many Chinese in the country". Joe Keil, the Minister of Tourism, who is of part-Chinese descent, promptly rebutted Peniamina's remarks.
Chinese-Samoans are well-represented in the civil service
, and China established diplomatic relations with Samoa
in November 1975. Chinese-Samoans are especially well represented in the retail, import-export, and restaurant sectors, notably in Apia.
province and generally spoke Cantonese or Hakka
as their primary language. However, their descendants in Samoa have adopted Samoan and English as their mother tongues, while Cantonese is still reportedly spoken by a few elderly people.
s, rather than their actual Chinese surnames due to Chinese personal naming convention
where the family name
is written first and the given name
next. Many of these names are of Cantonese origin, as the majority of the Chinese who settled in Samoa came from Taishan
and Panyu
. Chinese-Samoans often have surnames that start with "Ah," "Po," or "Ho" and common examples of Chinese-Samoan families include Ah Kuoi, Ah Van, Ah Mu (of whom some descendants have adopted the name "Rivers"), Po Ching, Ah You, Ho Ching, Ah Kam, Ah Liki, Ah Sam, Ah Mau, Ah Ching, Ah Fong, and Ah Wong. The retention of the "Ah" prefix is also common in Chinese-Hawaiian surnames, such as Akina, Ahuna, Akee, Akiona and Akaka. The practice stems from the Cantonese
word "ah" (阿) used before proper names when respectfully addressing family members - as in "ah-po" (阿婆), maternal grandmother; "ah-gong" (阿公), maternal grandfather; "ah-ma" (阿嫲), paternal grandfather;etc. Likewise, some European-Samoan names begin with "Misi," the Samoan transliteration of "Mister" (Mr.) - as in Misiluki (from "Mr. Luke"), Misimua (from "Mr. Moors"), Misipaulo (from "Mr. Paul"), Misitea (from "Mr. Stair"), and Misikea (from "Mr. Gurr")
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
are expatriate businessmen Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, and there are at least 3000 people in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
who are of mixed Samoan and Chinese descent, although they are classified as ethnic Samoans in official census. Around the world, about 25% of all Samoans claim Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
ancestry. Nearly all Chinese nationals in Samoa reside within the Apia municipal area; neighbouring American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, also has a small population of Chinese expatriates.
History
Historical records of Chinese settlement dates back to at least the 1870s. Two Chinese sailors under the command of Bully HayesBully Hayes
William Henry "Bully" Hayes has been described as a South Sea pirate and "the last of the Buccaneers", who together with Ben Pease, engaged in blackbirding in the 1860s and 1870s. Hayes operated across the breadth of the Pacific in the 1850s until his murder on 31 March 1877 by his cook Peter...
were based there for two years, and one of them settled down in 1876 and married a Samoan wife. A few Chinese traders also settled in Samoa and raised local families, and maintained close ties with Samoa's paramount chief, Malietoa Laupepa
Malietoa Laupepa
Susuga Malietoa Laupepa was the ruler of Samoa in the late 19th century.-Personal life: Laupepa was born in 1841 in Sapapali'i, Savaii, Samoa. His father was King Malietoa Moli and mother was Fa’alaituio Fuatino Su’a. He was raised in Malie, received a religious education at Malua Seminary and...
. In 1880, Malietoa issued a subsequent ban on people of Chinese descent from settling in Samoa. Four years after Western Samoa came under German rule in 1899, the colonial governor Wilhelm Solf
Wilhelm Solf
Wilhelm Heinrich Solf was a German scholar, diplomat, jurist and statesman.-Early life:Wilhelm Solf was born into a wealthy and liberal family in Berlin. He attended secondary schools in Anklam in western Pomerania and in Mannheim...
lifted Malietoa's ban and shipped in Chinese labourers from 1903 onwards. Chinese coolies reportedly complained of tough working punishments as well as brutal physical punishments which they had to face, and these reports prompted the provincial governor of Canton to stop sending Chinese coolies to the German colonies.
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
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
) and Samoan descent. 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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
only 295 Chinese remained, all of whom had either taken Samoan wives or were unmarried. Many Chinese coolies had since returned to China or remained in Samoa with their families.
In 1994, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
provided financial assistance to fund the construction of the government office building in Apia. More recently the Chinese government has funded various other Samoan government constructions. Aeau Peniamina, deputy leader of Samoa Democratic United Party, caused a minor controversy in January 2005 when he remarked that "there are too many Chinese in the country". Joe Keil, the Minister of Tourism, who is of part-Chinese descent, promptly rebutted Peniamina's remarks.
Chinese-Samoans are well-represented in the civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
, and China established diplomatic relations with Samoa
People's Republic of China–Samoa relations
The Independent State of Samoa and the People's Republic of China established official diplomatic relations in 1976. The two countries currently maintain cordial relations; China provides economic aid to Samoa....
in November 1975. Chinese-Samoans are especially well represented in the retail, import-export, and restaurant sectors, notably in Apia.
Language
The majority of the Chinese coolies came from the GuangdongGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province and generally spoke Cantonese or Hakka
Hakka
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
as their primary language. However, their descendants in Samoa have adopted Samoan and English as their mother tongues, while Cantonese is still reportedly spoken by a few elderly people.
Names
Many people of Chinese descent in Samoa took their fathers' first names as their surnameSurname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
s, rather than their actual Chinese surnames due to Chinese personal naming convention
Chinese name
Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"...
where the family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
is written first and the given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
next. Many of these names are of Cantonese origin, as the majority of the Chinese who settled in Samoa came from Taishan
Taishan
Taishan is a coastal county-level city in Guangdong Province, China. The city is part of the Greater Taishan Region....
and Panyu
Panyu
Panyu District or Pun Yue District is a district in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. It used to be a county-level city before it was incorporated in the administration of Guangzhou. The name of Panyu dates back to the completion of the conquest of Guangdong by Qin Shi Huang. It was the old name of...
. Chinese-Samoans often have surnames that start with "Ah," "Po," or "Ho" and common examples of Chinese-Samoan families include Ah Kuoi, Ah Van, Ah Mu (of whom some descendants have adopted the name "Rivers"), Po Ching, Ah You, Ho Ching, Ah Kam, Ah Liki, Ah Sam, Ah Mau, Ah Ching, Ah Fong, and Ah Wong. The retention of the "Ah" prefix is also common in Chinese-Hawaiian surnames, such as Akina, Ahuna, Akee, Akiona and Akaka. The practice stems from the Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
word "ah" (阿) used before proper names when respectfully addressing family members - as in "ah-po" (阿婆), maternal grandmother; "ah-gong" (阿公), maternal grandfather; "ah-ma" (阿嫲), paternal grandfather;etc. Likewise, some European-Samoan names begin with "Misi," the Samoan transliteration of "Mister" (Mr.) - as in Misiluki (from "Mr. Luke"), Misimua (from "Mr. Moors"), Misipaulo (from "Mr. Paul"), Misitea (from "Mr. Stair"), and Misikea (from "Mr. Gurr")
Notable Samoans of Chinese descent
- See :Category:Samoans of Chinese descent
- Aumua Ming Leung Wai, Attorney General of SamoaSamoaSamoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
- Eveni Tafiti, Multicultural Counselor of Weber State UniversityWeber State UniversityWeber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
- Verona Lovel Parker, Miss Samoa 1997
- Tuaimalo Asamu Ah Sam, CEO Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
- Muagututagata Peter Ah HimMuagututagata Peter Ah HimMuagututagata Peter Ah Him is a Samoan politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. He represents the constituency of Sagaga-Le-Usoga and is a member of the Human Rights Protection Party....
, Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa - Paul Chan Tung, member of Samoa national rugby union team (sevens)Samoa national rugby union team (sevens)The Samoa national rugby union team represent Samoa internationally in rugby sevens, a competitive sports tournament titled the IRB Sevens World Series which takes place annually in seven countries; United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, England and...
- Maualaivao Pat Ah Him, Minister of Health and member of 15th Samoan Parliament15th Samoan ParliamentThe 15th Samoan Parliament is the current term of the Parliament of Samoa. Its composition was determined by the 2011 elections.The 15th Parliament consists of 49 representatives, elected from six two-seat and 35 single-seat territorial constituencies, and two non-territorial constituences...
- Papaliitele Niko Lee Hang, Minister of Communication and Information Technology and member of 15th Samoan Parliament15th Samoan ParliamentThe 15th Samoan Parliament is the current term of the Parliament of Samoa. Its composition was determined by the 2011 elections.The 15th Parliament consists of 49 representatives, elected from six two-seat and 35 single-seat territorial constituencies, and two non-territorial constituences...
- Tapuai Toese Ah Sam, member of 15th Samoan Parliament15th Samoan ParliamentThe 15th Samoan Parliament is the current term of the Parliament of Samoa. Its composition was determined by the 2011 elections.The 15th Parliament consists of 49 representatives, elected from six two-seat and 35 single-seat territorial constituencies, and two non-territorial constituences...
- Ah Mu, first Chinese-Samoan member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traces its current dispensation beginnings to Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in Western New York. Initial converts were drawn to the church in part because of the newly published Book of Mormon, a self-described chronicle of indigenous American...
- Willie PochingWillie PochingWillie Poching is a New Zealand professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current coach of Samoa national team and assistant coach of English Super League club Warrington Wolves...
, professional athlete - Patrick Ah VanPatrick Ah VanPatrick Ah Van is a professional rugby league player who currently plays in the Super League for the Bradford Bulls...
, professional athlete - Monty BethamMonty BethamMonty Betham is a professional boxer and former rugby league footballer and junior world karate champion...
, professional athlete - Hans KeilHans KeilHans Keil is a Samoan politician. He was Samoa's Associate Trade Minister in 2007 and has also been Samoa's Minister of Commerce, Industry & Labour.-Incident in September 2008:He featured in the news over an incident on September 9, 2008...
, Ministry of Tourism, Samoa - Isaak Ah MauIsaak Ah MauIsaak Ah Mau is a rugby league player who played for the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League . He plays in the front-row. He is the brother of Leeson Ah Mau....
, professional athlete - Leeson Ah MauLeeson Ah MauLeeson Ah Mau is a New Zealand rugby league player in the National Rugby League . He is signed to play for the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2012, having previously played in the NRL for the North Queensland Cowboys and the New Zealand Warriors. He is a forward...
, professional athlete
External links
- Chinese in the Pacific: a bibliography
- Dragons in little paradise: Chinese fortunes in Samoa, 1900-1950 - mis