Samoa

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Immigration History from Samoa to Victoria

The majority of Samoans in Victoria come from the Independent State of Samoa, previously known as Western Samoa.

In the early part of the nineteenth century, Samoans aboard whaling and trading vessels made intermittent contact with Australia. This led a small number of Samoans to migrate to Australia, drawn by commercial and educational opportunities.

After Wesleyan missionaries from Australia began to visit Samoa in 1857, Samoan pastors began to travel to Australia for training and work. Other Samoan converts studied in Australia for short periods. By 1871, however, only six were living in Victoria, and a decade later only two remained.

From 1901 the White Australia Policy restricted immigration from Samoa. By 1921, the population of Samoa-born Victorians was just 12.

During the 1970s educational programs sponsored by the Australian Government saw an increase in the Samoa-born community in Victoria. The community grew from just 49 people in 1976 to 493 in 1986. By 2016, 6,198 Victorians were Samoa-born.

Today the community predominantly lives in the Dandenong area. 85% speak Samoan at home; 12% speak English. They are mostly Catholic and Protestant. A combination of Christian beliefs and Samoan traditions underpin community life.

The Samoan Advisory Council of Victoria supports the community and provides representation in political forums. Cultural organisations such as the Samoan Cultural and Performing Arts Group provide an avenue for the celebration and maintenance of Samoan culture. SBS Radio and the Melbourne Ethnic Radio Station 3ZZZ regularly broadcast Samoan language programs.

Immigration History from Samoa (Samoan) to Victoria

O le toatele lava o Samoa i Vitoria e o mai mai ile Setete Tutoatasi o Samoa, lea sa faaigoaina muamua o Samoa i Sisifo.

I le amataga lava o lona sefuluiva o senituri, o tagata Samoa sa faigaluega i va’a fagota tafola ma va’a la’u oloa, sa latou maua ni fesootaiga vavalalata ma Ausetalia. O le amataga lea o le o mai o nai tagata toalaiti mai Samoan ma nonofo loa i Ausetalia, e mafua mai i avanoa mo fefaatauaiga ma aoaoga.

Ina ua uma ona asiasi atu o misionare Uesiliana mai Ausetalia. Samoa ile tausaga e 1857, sa amata loa ona malaga mai faifeau Samoa i Ausetalia e aooga ma faigaluega ai. O isi tagata Samoa na liua mai sa aooga i Ausetalia mo sina vaitaimi puupuu. Peita’i ane, I le 1871, na o le toaono lava Samoa sa nonofo i Vitoria, ma i leisi sefulu tausaga mulimuli mai ai, ua na o le toalua na totoe.

Mai le1901 sa fai ai loa se Tulafono o Ausetalia Papa’e (White Australia Policy) na faasa ai loa le toe o mai o tagata Samoa e nonofo. I le 1921, o le faitauaofa’i o Samoa-e fananau i Vitoria ua na o le 12.

A o faia polokalame o aoaoga ile tausaga e 1970 lea sa faatupeina ele Malo o Ausetalia, sa maitauina ai le faateleina o Samoa-na fananau i le komiuniti o Vitoria. Sa tupu le komiuniti mai le na o le 49 tagata i le 1976, i le 493 i le 1986. Ina ua o’o atu ile 2011, ua lua afe toluselau ivasefulu tasi (4,021) Samoa ua fananau i Vitoria.

I nei aso o le toatele o tagata Samoa e nonofo i le tāfā o Dandenong, 85% e talanoa Faa-Samoa i le aiga; 12% e talanoa Faa-Peretania. O le toatele o i latou e Katoliko ma Polotesano. O le tuu faatasiga o talitonuga Faa-Kerisiano ma aganuu Faa-Samoa o loo faavae ai le soifuaga o tagata Samoa.

E lagolagoina ele Fono Faufautua a Samoa i Vitoria le komiuniti ma e i ai foi o latou sui i fonotaga faale-Malo. E faia foi e faalapotopotoga o mea tau aganuu, pei ole Samoan Cultural and Performing Arts Group ia avanoa e faafiafia ai I le faamanatuina o ni aso taua, ma faatumauina ai pea aganuu faa-Samoa. E faasalalauina atu pea lava pea e le fale ualesi faasalalau a le SBS ma le Melbourne Ethnic Radio -- 3ZZZ ia polokalame i le gagana Samoa.