Samoans

 

Samoans or Samoan people are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in Polynesia, who speak the Samoan language. 

The group's home islands are politically and geographically divided between the Independent State of Samoa and American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the United States of America. 

Though divided by national border, the culture and language are the same.

The Samoan people and culture form a vital link and stepping stone in the formation and spread of Polynesian culture, language and religion throughout Eastern Polynesia.

Polynesian trade, religion, war, and colonialism are important markers within Polynesian culture that are almost certainly rooted in the Samoan culture. 

Samoa's ancient history with the kingdom of Tonga, chiefdoms of Fiji and French Polynesia form the basis of modern Polynesian culture.

Language:

Samoan is the country’s official language; legislative activity is conducted in both Samoan and English as required by the constitution. 

Samoan is believed to be among the oldest of the Polynesian tongues and is closely related to the Maori, Tahitian, Hawaiian, and Tongan languages. 

A large number of Samoan words reflect maritime traditions, including names for ocean currents, winds, landforms, stars, and directions. 

Some verb forms indicate the relative positions of objects, including directions of movement toward or away from the speaker. 

English is widely spoken as a second language.