Many people have visited Samoa over the centuries. Pirates made bases there, European ships brought diseases that killed the local people, and missionaries came to change their beliefs.

Part of Samoa is independent, and the other part is run by the United States of America.

In the villages, the chief, or matai, used to tell people what to do. Even today, people in the village still obey the matai. There are very strict rules of how people should behave.

On Sunday, everybody goes to church.

People enjoy eating from an umu, which is a way of cooking food under the ground, using hot stones.

They cook pork, chicken, fish and vegetables in the umu.

Samoan people love dancing. These people are dancing the sa sa while the drummer gives the beat for them to follow.