Abstract
On January 1, 1962, Western Samoa became the first Pacific Island country to gain independence. In an increasingly globalized world, Samoan families, communities, and as a country turned to art and architecture that spoke to indigenous traditions while also communicating a newly emerging identity as a modern nation-state. Although contact with Western powers had been part of the Samoan experience for almost 150 years, the achievement of independence can be seen as a pivotal moment in this evolution. Often the results were hybrdic forms or substitutes that retained some aspect of the original art. The transformation of indigenous architectural styles and siapo (tapa, bark cloth) from cultural objects to semiotic icons is evident in 21st century Samoa at several layers of society. This paper focuses on how the arts functioned as markers of identity within villages in pre and early colonial times and their transformation to icons of national identity post-independence.
Presenters
Anne E. Guernsey AllenProfessor of Fine Arts, Fine Arts School of Humanities, Indiana University Southeast, Indiana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
Samoa, Architecture, Bark Cloth, Family, Community, Country
