American Samoa Local Customs

Local Customs

With the tourism industry being relatively new in American Samoa, visitors can delight in its unspoiled beauty and the friendliness of its local people. Visitors can expect to be warmly welcomed and share in many of the rich traditions and rituals that are at the heart of traditional Samoan life. In order to reciprocate this warmth and respect,there are certain social conventions that visitors should be aware of. The government publishes an official list of behavior codes for the Samoan people, Fa'a Samoa, which means the Samoan Way. The concept of respect and obligation towards family, church and community form an integral part of the Samoan identity. Most American Samoans attest to a Christian faith dating back to the influence of missionaries in the early 19th century. As a deeply religious nation there are very modest dress codes that tourists should be mindful of. In rural areas, women are requested to not wear shorts, and men should wear shirts. At beaches that are located near villages, women should not walk around in swimming suits. In addition to this Samoans adhere to a prayer period in the early evenings. Visitors are asked to avoid making excessive noise during this period. The prayer period is indicated by the sounding of three gongs. The first gong signals a return to the home, the second is for the commencement of prayer, and the third indicates that the prayer period is over. There are some villages where fishing and swimming are not permitted on Sunday. Tipping is generally not customary when dining out and is not expected by taxi drivers or hotel staff. However, american influence has meant that tipping in upmarket restaurants is now expected. Bargaining is not practised in markets or shops meaning that the advertised price is the one you should expect to pay.