Black Sabbatum hiding inwards the bush together with lastly Independence!

When Nelson was exiled the showtime fourth dimension , Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III took Pb of the Mau Movement too on 28 Dec 1928 , he paid for Samoa's liberty alongside his life.

Mau Parade on Black Saturday
(Source: National Library of NZ)

On what is forthwith known equally 'Black Saturday' , the Mau had gathered to celebrate the furnish of 2 of their exiles , when New Zealand police pull opened burn downwards on the crowd. Tupua Tamasese too vii others were fatally shot yesteryear New Zealand police. Three to a greater extent than people died afterwards too scores of people , including women too children , were wounded. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Kiwi officer was fifty-fifty clubbed to decease inwards the fracas.

Tamasese lying inwards province at Vaimoso
(Source: National Library of NZ)

So , in Jan 1930 , to seek too quell the 'rebellion' , the frustrated New Zealand administration declared the Mau to live on illegal. In an endeavor to disband the members , the white stripes were literally torn from the regal lavalava of the Mau uniform and members who refused were arrested too imprisoned.

Sailors removing the white ring from the Mau lavalava.
Source: (National Library of NZ)

So the Samoan men did what they had ever done when defeated inwards battle: around 1500 of the Mau men fled to the bush , to the mountains , to hide.

60 Mau prisoners teach inwards from coast at dawn.
(Source: National Library of NZ)

When the Kiwis sent inwards marines to hunt the Samoan men downwards , they were unable to navigate the dense tropical bush , too then instead they raided the villages that were secretly helping the men yesteryear providing them alongside nutrient too shelter. The cowardly marines terrorised the villages at nighttime too , it is reported , alongside raised bayonets , which I tin flame imagine alone infuriated the Samoan people fifty-fifty more.

Because their men were inwards hiding , the Samoan women took over the Mau activities , staging peaceful demonstrations too continuing to reckon too rest organised. The Samoan people were desperate , to a greater extent than than ever , to reclaim the province that had been theirs since fourth dimension immemorial.

Procession of Mau women taking over the populace protests because their men were hiding inwards the wood from the NZ administration. (Source: National Library of NZ)

In 1935 , after the pro-Samoan Labour Party won the New Zealand election , Samoa began its official tiresome march to Independence. By June 1936 , the Mau had been restored equally a legitimate political scheme exactly because of WWII too the Great Depression , too other political wrangles , it would non live on until 1962 that Samoa genuinely belonged , in i lawsuit once to a greater extent than , to the Samoans.

Ì Ì Ì

As you lot tin flame reckon , if you've been next my posts these final few weeks , independence did non come upward easily for Samoa. People were willing to challenge their household unit of measurement ties , willing to become to prison theatre , willing to enshroud out inwards the mountains , willing to direct chances banishment too exile , and even paid alongside their lives all because they believed SAMOA MO SAMOA.

So today , on the level of Samoa's 50th Independence , I experience 2 overwhelming emotions: I'm proud too I'm humbled.

I'm immensely proud that our people forthwith dominion themselves (even if I intend they are making a royal mess of it sometimes) , exactly I'm incredibly humbled yesteryear the stories of the Samoans that fought for the Independence nosotros forthwith enjoy.

Malo Samoa!
CONGRATULATIONS on 50 years
of hard-won Independence!

¶¶¶Happy Independence Day!¶¶¶

The Samoan Flag: Red for courage ,
Blue for Freedom too White for Purity

The stars on the flag stand upward for the Southern Cross constellation. This tin flame alone live on seen inwards the southern hemisphere which is why it appears on flags inwards that business office of the world.