Module 2: Friends or Foes: Making American Sāmoa
Have Samoans benefitted from their “enduring friendship” with the United States?
Captain SooSoo Taulelei, an officer in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, expresses great pride in his profession:
“I don my uniform with pride and grit and know that I’m not just representing myself, but my family both past and present and every other Samoan service member before me who fought to pave the way so that my family could come to this great nation and live in free pursuit of happiness for generations to come.” 1
American Samoans enlist in the US military at a higher per capita rate than any other state or territory. For many proud military families, enlisting is part of continuing the family business. With that comes immense pride in serving both their Samoan and American identities.
However, as we learn more about the colonial and military histories we can also see that the connection between the US military and American Sāmoa is complicated. Military recruiters often exploit the stereotype of the “Samoan warrior” when there are other reasons why Samoans enlist at high rates. For some, it is seen as “the only option” to get off the rock and seek greater career and economic opportunities for themselves and their families.
In this module, we will learn about the military history that transformed part of the Samoan islands into the US territory of American Sāmoa. We will consider this history and the complex “enduring friendship” between American Sāmoa and the United States.
Image 24.02.01 — Drawing of Pago Pago harbor on Tutuila by Alfred T. Agate c. 1840. Agate was an artist on the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-1842 led by Charles Wilkes of the US Navy.
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What is the difference between Sāmoa and American Sāmoa?
Why does American Sāmoa have the most enlisted soldiers in the US military per capita?
Why aren’t American Samoans US citizens if they live in a US territory?
