Samoa: Respecting the Mangroves
Case Study: Background
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Samoa is distinctively Polynesian in its culture. Most of its people live in the traditional villages that dot the coastline of the main islands, Upolo and Savaii. In these villages, people live according to 'faa Samoa' - the Samoan way of life. More than any other Polynesian people, Western Samoans choose to keep their closely knit village system alive.
Samoan society is based on the extended family system with several generations living together. Each family has at least one head person (matai) and each village has a council made up of the matai. Meetings are regularly held in special houses where the matai decide the future of the village and the fate of villagers themselves. Although there are police and a government court, justice is chiefly carried out according to traditional laws.
The buildings in the villages reflect the traditional way of life. The wall-less houses (fales), may be built of modern materials but are still designed according to tradition. Household items such as mats, baskets and ceremonial clothing are woven from natural materials decorated with patterns handed down through the generations. Carvings decorate the buildings, canoes and household wooden ware. Tapa cloth, made from beaten tree bark and printed with natural dyes, is still made and is highly prized.
The island of Upolo is lush and green with hundreds of species of flowering plants, herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables. Plant life grows abundantly due to the high rainfall and warm climate and it comes as no surprise to learn that agriculture is the main industry. However, agriculture is the main cause of one of Upolo's biggest environmental problems - the loss of much of its forest cover. Today, the protection of the remaining forests is an important issue in government planning.
Damage to coastal areas is another major environmental problem on the island. Reefs, lagoons and mangrove swamps all show signs of damage from human activities. Mangrove areas are under particular threat. These areas are often seen as mosquito breeding places, only useful for rubbish dumps or to be filled in for development.
However, mangroves are a very important part of the island's environment and there is an urgent need to protect the remaining mangrove areas.
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