Development Of Football In Samoa
The history of Samoans and sports starts from a very long time ago even before the North Shore area of Oahu became globally famous for football. This area was a pu`uhonua, also referred to as a region for the refuge that was protected by priests. Some villagers and some fugitives escaped to these regions to escape from the dangers of warfare in the island. Some sought shelter because they were afraid of being punished for violating the traditional laws and so, they all found refuge in this area. They were however admitted to getting refuge on condition that they had to live as per the priests’ rules. This settlement was however destroyed in 1778 when Captain James Cook arrived in Hawaii and destroyed the epidemiology of the island followed by deaths (Nauright 327). Later Kamehameha I took over the island in 1790 and further eliminated the refugee settlements that were guarded by priests. The same region again emerged in the 20th century when a different type of refuge drove the Samoans, the Tongans and native Hawaiians to this region. At this place, they were led by a new priestly group of football coaches who then put a foundation of a micro-culture of playing and excelling in football. As such, through such social circumstances such as the search for refuge but most importantly culture (fa’a Samoa) as will be seen later, this region has developed professional players.
Football as a Bonding Activity
As already mentioned, a micro-culture of football playing and excellence was already rooted, and so football soon became a civic cement for these inhabitants in the North Shore. Scholars such as Professor Ruck support this assertion and further adds that the history of sports among the Samoans started with the creation of sugar plantation that brought many as laborers and most importantly, Mormon temple that acted as a key unifying factor. According to Ruck, the coming of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1919 at La`ie and also the emergence of sugar plantation and factory, attracted Samoans, Tongans, Mormons and other proletarian pilgrims. All these people were earlier dwellers of Utah’s Great Basin. All the newcomers were welcomed and somehow initiated into the community through engagement in football.
Consequently, in the present century, Samoans are making up the most disproportionately overrepresented ethnic community in the NFL and Division I football. This overrepresentation that overrides these people’s population globally is thus emerging from the history of football on the North Shore before the Second World War. This trend began even before some of the today’s American Samoans adapted football. Most of these people were Mormons who came when the church of Mormons merged the La`ie beachhead with a new temple. As such, it is evident historically that the history of playing football among the Samoans began in this region that is in the north of Honolulu in a fishing village belonging to the aboriginals at the site of La`ie.The Role of the Culture of Fa’a Samoa
The temple of the Mormons attracted hundreds of Samoans who also came to La`ie and made it equal to a small Samoan village. These people adapted on their terms in this plantation town that was owned by the church and made sure to maintain their fa’a Samoa. This temple became the number one place of gathering among the converts from South Pacific. Furthermore, this area of La`ie welcomed another wave of immigrants after the American Navy closed its base in 1951. After a while youths in this town La`ie jointed together with others from Kahuku High and some from Hau`ula, Kahuku and Banzai Pipeline and soon football became a culture of these people at Kahuku High in the 1940s. As such, several coaches and experts worked together to lead the school to its first title in 1945 (Nauright 328). Consequently, Kahuku began to become better and better in football even before the era of pro ball and collegiate football.
In fact, in 1956, Kahuku took the state title led by their coach then, Harold Silva. This coach also laid a foundation of self-confidence among the Samoans so that they believed that they were able to compete in football against all teams in Hawaii. Kahuku soon became the first team that was full Samoan and also attracted the young men who did not get jobs at the sugar industry that was already on the decline (Gershon 89). In as much as Silver was a great coach, he did not significantly incorporate the cultural part of the fa’a Samoa. The one coach that later included this culture into the game was Famika Anae who took over from Silva. He was a son of a Mormon who was among those that went to build the temple, and in fact, he was a firm believer in religion and fa’a Samoa culture and discipline in football. This culture that encouraged excellence in sport and the use of games as a bonding activity helped to prepare Samoan boys at an early age for football.
Growing up as a Samoan and its impact on the sport Famika has acknowledged that there is a lot of physical preparation that Samoan children go through while they are young. This is a historical event that can be proven since a Samoan child starts to undertake physical labor right from before they reach school age. Activities such as climbing up coconut trees and other survival activities are all factors that prepare their muscles to play football by the time they join high school (Mead 16). Developing the fa’a Samoan ability of excellence where an individual is trained to embrace excellence in physical activity starts at an early age. Most impotently though, football has helped most of these players who come from low-income families to have something and become financially successful. As such, the games have served as a means of income today. It is therefore evident that the Samoans are the highest in number in NFL due to culture (fa’a Samoa) which is a dominant factor that can be traced from their history (Steinberg n.p). Moreover, other factors that have emerged later such as economic benefits can also account for the reasons why the Samoans are the most represented ethnic group in NFL football compared to other ethnic groups and even contrary to their population globally.
Conclusion
Samoans are over-represented in the NFL and Division I football and the best explanation for this is in their history with this sport. It has been revealed that this game had been introduced among this community very early even before the present-day popularity of the game in America. Additionally, the sport was considered as a mean through which the community bonded. In addition to the Mormons religion, the competition became religiously inspired. Most importantly thought the fa’a Samoa culture that emphasized on excellence in such physical activity and the family hood in sports also acted as a catalyst to the success of this game among the Samoans, making them emerge as the best players and the highest in number in most teams.
Work Cited:
- Gershon, Ilana, “No Family Is an Island: Cultural Expertise among Samoans in Diaspora.” Cornell University Press. 2012.
- Print Mead, Margaret. Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation. New York: Quill, 1961. Internet resource.
- Nauright, John, and Charles Parrish. Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print. (327, 328, 329)
- Ruck, Rob. Tropic of Football: The Long and Perilous Journey of Samoans to the Nfl., 2018. Internet resource. Steinberg, Leigh., “How Can Tiny Samoa Dominate The NFL?” Forbes. 2015. Sourced from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/leighsteinberg/2015/05/21/how-can-tiny-samoa-dominate-the-nfl/#1ea4dafbfbb
