At the Malae o Ti’afau at Mulinu’u this morning, Samoa’s flag of freedom is being hoisted high by Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, marking the beginning of our nation’s 60^th Independence celebrations.

It is a momentous occasion for Samoa. Each and every Samoan of all ages and from all walks of life should rejoice. The spirit of independence is not defined by the formalities at Mulinu’u. While the symbolism, joy and the significance of the annual gathering at the malae o le fa'autugatagi a Samoa cannot be denied, the fact we are unable to gather there today due to COVID-19 precautions, should not bound us.  

This is a moment where every Samoan, wherever you are in Samoa or around the world, should stand tall and be proud. It is fitting to have Fiame, the daughter of Samoa’s first Prime Minister, the late Mata’afa Fiame Mulinuu II, hoist the flag. What must be going through her mind thinking about the rich history of her family’s involvement? Did the late Mata’afa ever dream that one day, his daughter would have the opportunity to not just hoist the flag, but do so as the first female Prime Minister of this nation? 

Talk about journeys and how far we have come as a nation! 

But that is just one family’s journey. During the Constitutional Convention, there were more than 167 representatives from throughout this country whose contribution provided the solid platform upon which our Constitution was written and framed. It means every Samoan, whoever you are and wherever you come from, has a story of their journey to tell. We walk our own paths.

Today we pause to celebrate and reflect on Samoa’s journey, the legacy left by our forebears. We remember the struggle, tears, blood and the pain. We remember that Samoa’s independence is not just 60 years old; our nation and our people were independent long before but that freedom was taken from us by force. What we are celebrating today is 60 years since 1962 when Samoa regained independence from the administration of New Zealand, and other colonisers. 

O Samoa o le atunu’u tofi. Our forebears knew this and they fought to regain independence because they knew it is our tofi. Indeed, the ability to be free from the oppressive rule of others is our inheritance, our portion. It belongs to us, a God given privilege. As guardians of this tofi, we have a sacred responsibility to safeguard it for future generations. 

Since 1962, we have come a long way as a nation. We have been able to control our destiny; hold on to our heritage, traditions, identity, language, lands, seas, and religions and our fa’amatai system. As an independent nation, we have shown the world that despite being a small country in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, we can hold our own and punch well above our weight. Samoa in many respects has been the envy of other countries, big and small. It is something to be proud of. 

Politically, our story continues to be written. For a small country though, we’ve had it all, from scandals and tragedies ranging from a political assassination, to the sale of Samoan passports, and natural and man-made disasters, among others.

For nearly 40 years, the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), under the leadership of late Tofilau Dr. Eti Alesana, and Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malieleagaoi, controlled Parliament. Under their watch, socially, economically and infrastructure-wise, they did a lot of good work. From the days of dirt roads, no electricity, poor water supply, inadequate inter-island transportation, the one telephone at the Post Office where we used to stand in a queue to make an international call, to what we have today, we can only be grateful. 

But having the same political party in power for way too long invariably led to blatant abuse, undemocratic practices, and suffering, especially for the poor and the most vulnerable. The Constitution was mercilessly butchered, with laws impacting on fundamental freedoms to the denigration and demolition of Samoa’s traditional structure, including the role of Tama a Aiga (Samoa’s traditional royalty) and the fa’alupega and fa’asinomaga. Church Ministers, despite the sacred and unspoken code with which Samoans regard them, were not spared. The line that defines the functions of the three branches of government, the executive, legislative, and judicial, were blurred and abused. 

Truth be told, Samoa needed a change and that came after the 2021 General Election. The Constitutional Crisis, and after effect ripples are still being felt, none more obvious than the recent suspension of Tuilaepa and his right hand man, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi from Parliament. 

The rise of Fiame and the Fa’atuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) government has been a breath of fresh air. It is a new season. This is a new page in the history of Samoa that will be read by generations to come for guidance and direction. 

So where to from here? And what does the future hold for our nation, our people?  The simple answer is we don’t know. While we have our hopes and aspirations for a prosperous, safe and peaceful Samoa, it is impossible to predict the future. 

But as Samoans, we are deeply spiritual people. We believe that our achievements are a blessing from God, hence our national motto: “E fa’avae i le Atua, Samoa” (Samoa is founded on God). In 1962, our forebears declared that this nation is founded on God. This tells a story, they knew Samoa needed a rock solid foundation. 

The theme of our 60^th Independence this year is “Folau ma le Fa’atuatua.” As a nation, our journey has not always been smooth sailing but our forebears’ faith, which they ensured was reflected in the Constitution, has weathered all the storms – even a simmering Constitutional Crisis. 

Faith does not exist in a vacuum; it has got to be based on a strong foundation. God almighty is that solid foundation. We have come a long way. There is a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. There is also a lot to forward to. 

But these are difficult times. Sixty years after we regained our independence from countries that colonised us, we have to ask ourselves; are we still free from the control of outsiders? Is it true that our independence is under threat from a colonisation of a different form?

These are difficult but necessary questions. We celebrate during a time where there is so much fear, anxiety, strife, uncertainty and a geopolitical battle for control before us as a nation and a people, that the theme Folau ma le fa’atuatua i le Atua could not have been more apt. Happy 60^th Independence Anniversary, Samoa!