.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
"In my experience in Samoa, I have been struck by Samoan’s pride in their people, learning from trail-blazing ancestors. Thousands of years ago, Samoa’s ancestors journeyed across the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean in search of prosperity. They forged new technologies and drove innovation. Building on these foundations, Samoa has a strong sense of community, resilience, and faith, all of which contribute to the optimism many people in Samoa may feel."
I love Emily Luck's beautiful insight into Samoan optimism.
Emily is Australia's High Commissioner to Samoa: We are fortunate to have her service and leadership.
That insight resonates with me: When people ask what makes me optimistic, I attribute it to the four generations of ancestors who struggled with invasion, dictatorship and becoming refugees sharing stories with humour and lessons learned.
At its simplest, optimism is an expectation that good things will happen and that things will work out in the end.
Samoa is a South Pacific island nation known for its breathtaking natural beauty, rich culture, and friendly people. Its culture has a strong emphasis on community, family and faith. I was struck by the colourful gardens and the natural use of flowers in the hair of young and old, female and male.
In my opinion, Samoans are optimistic, joyful and relatively happy people. There are a number of factors that would contribute to Samoa's optimistic outlook. The country has a long history of peace and stability, and its people are known for their resilience and ability to overcome adversity. Samoan culture also strongly emphasises the importance of community, faith and spiritual practice, which helps foster a sense of optimism and hope. In a world where optimism may be in short supply, what can we learn from Samoans on fostering optimism?
Like everywhere I travel, most people have not been asked what makes them optimistic. Indeed as one young woman said to me, "Why would I choose to be anything but optimistic however you're the first person to ever ask me about optimism."
The question and my study of Samoan optimism generated a great deal of interest. Posting questions and my thoughts and insights on optimism resulted in an extraordinary engagement - more than 10% of the Samoan population reacted to my posts on Facebook with hundreds commenting or messaging me.
Of course, being optimistic is one part of the journey. The challenge is for leaders to harness that optimism to create an even more joyful and happy Samoa.
Samoan Culture
In Samoa, the culture is deeply rooted in the values of family, community, and spirituality. The traditional Samoan way of life, known as fa'a Samoa, is based on respect, reciprocity, and harmony.
My friend, Peter Kiely ONZM, Chairman of the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, told me, "Samoans are welcoming and have always been accepting. It starts with their smiles and their sense of fun. It’s hard not to be optimistic when those are the fundamentals.”
Building upon Peter's insightful words, it is undeniable that Samoans are known for their warm hospitality, leaving visitors struck by the genuine generosity and kindness of the locals. These values and cultural practices form the bedrock of Samoan society, fostering an atmosphere of optimism throughout the community. With their infectious smiles and a spirited sense of fun, Samoans create an environment where positivity thrives, uniting people and providing unwavering support for one another.
"In my experience, Samoans are optimistic, happy people. Optimism grows with patriotism, strong family ties and values. These bonds cement societies and create unity and optimism. We have much to learn from the Pacific peoples and the Samoans," said my friend Balys Stankunavicius, a travel industry entrepreneur who spent a lot of time in Samoa.
I was struck by the level of laughter, good humour and uninhibited joke-telling. As Apia's Tulipe Nugent wrote to me, "I love what you said about my people because that is what we are where we are in this world; we always feel we are who we are. We do love a good laugh, wearing bright colours, love of food, but most of all, the respect for everyone."
A taxi driver, Harold, echoed that notion of respect. Having lived and travelled globally, Harold told us he felt great freedom living in Samoa. "You need to know use the right language to the right people, and once you have got that, it is a very free society."
The President of the NSW Legislative Council, The Hon. Ben Franklin, MLC, told me, "From the conversations I’ve had the privilege to share and from what I’ve observed, the people of Samoa have shown a strong vision and sense of optimism for their country and, most importantly, its people. I suspect this comes from their heartfelt focus on family and celebration of community. It appears that they too, see the benefit of being confident in the future and being open to what’s possible."
Infectiously Optimistic Samoan Leaders and Their Optimism
"Liquid Optimism"
That phrase still resonates after a conversation with Samoan lawyer and leader Brenda Heather-Latu and my son Ted in Brenda's offices and in the well-named Nourish Cafe.
Brenda was referring to the atmosphere after the 2021 swearing-in of the current Samoan government in a tent on the lawns of parliament after the doors had been locked on the orders of the then Speaker.
A former Attorney-General of Samoa, Brenda told me,"I find optimism in life: being alive, being blessed by love and God's great favour and provision, with the environment and nature all around me on this gorgeous island of ours. Where life exists, I believe that there too lives hope that tomorrow will be even better than today, that your existence is part of a plan, and you have a positive role to play.
The Samoan entrepreneur Shelley Burich said to me, "My optimism comes from a combination of self-belief, determination, love and passion for what and why I do what I do. It is about having a purpose in life and trusting that winning and losing battles and challenges will help me achieve my goals and dreams. My view on Samoan optimism is that we are born into a culture with strong family and Christian values, and these values keep us optimistic and driving forward. We draw on these values daily for support, guidance, courage, and clarity to keep us optimistic. We are not alone in our vision and mission to be successful in life: We take our families with us on the journey and know we have them for support too. This keeps us optimistic. I believe "there is always tomorrow" epitomises our optimism for "all has not failed or been done today, not to worry, there is tomorrow." We live and work like this every day."
Religion and Faith
.jpeg?width=300&height=243&name=Victor%20in%20Apia%20Cathedral%20(1).jpeg)
Religion plays a significant role in Samoan culture, with Christianity being the dominant faith. Samoans are known for their deep faith and spirituality, which are integral to their sense of optimism. The Samoan culture greatly emphasises prayer, thanksgiving, and gratitude, recognizing the close association between gratitude and optimism.
The belief that God is in control and will provide for all needs is a powerful source of optimism within the community. That is reflected in Brenda's and Shelley's comments above.
Attending Apia Cathedral, we were struck by the beauty of the celebration of Mass, the joy in the singing and the engagement with people in the congregation.
Resilience
Samoa has challenges like any other country. The country faces several socio-economic issues, such as adequate supplies of potable water, energy, relative poverty, limited formal-sector job opportunities, and a need for more high-quality education and healthcare. Despite these challenges, the Samoan people have shown remarkable resilience and perseverance. They have a strong sense of community and are known for supporting one another during difficult times.
As with most countries, emigrants tend to be people with higher levels of optimism than the average. The Australian and New Zealand Pacific Australia Labour Mobility are attractive, and several people I spoke to were particularly keen to seek permanent residence to provide Australian education opportunities for other children.
The most recent World Bank estimate is that over 30% of Samoan GDP comes from remittances and is put to good use by most families.
Talking to people who have returned to Samoa from these overseas work schemes, there is a spirit of joy and gratitude for the Samoan lifestyle.
Climate Change
A 2019 study conducted by the National University of Samoa and the University of Otago found that Samoans take a very optimistic view of their ability to deal with the challenges of climate change. The researchers interviewed 165 villagers across Samoa's main islands and found that exposure to serious environmental challenges has not made villagers 'fatalistic' or 'helpless', but instead has given them a more optimistic outlook on life. Professor Binns found the Samoan approach challenges general western perceptions about Pacific nations' ability to respond to climate change: Exposure to serious environmental challenges has not made villagers 'fatalistic' or 'helpless', but instead has given them a more optimistic outlook on life.
The Samoan culture also greatly emphasises the importance of hard work and determination, and these values could be seen as optimistic as they foster a sense of hope and possibility.
While it is difficult to generalize about an entire country and its people, it could be argued that Samoa has an optimistic culture. The Samoan people value family, community, and spirituality, which can be seen as sources of positivity and support. Despite facing several challenges, the Samoan people have shown remarkable resilience and perseverance, which could be seen as indicators of optimism.
More Quotable Quotes
Interviewed by the Village Voice in 2016, Laumua Pualau, from the village of Afega, “Life in Samoa is great; there isn’t much to complain about. The way I see it, being optimistic about life is the key to living happily. I can sit around and complain about every single issue that comes my way but wouldn’t it be better to deal with the problem instead of complain about it? Everything is great and I would like to keep it that way."
Peter Kiely ONZM, Chairman of the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, told me, "Samoans are welcoming and have always been accepting. It starts with their smiles and their sense of fun. It’s hard not to be optimistic when those are the fundamentals.”
Australian Diplomat Patrick Lawson, "Here in Samoa, what makes me optimistic is the many powerful and incredible women who are in some pretty impressive jobs here. Not only the first female Prime Minister, but a lot of the government agencies are full of women. And I think having that strong gender focus will really help the future of Samoa and how they develop as a nation."
Balys Stankunavicius told me, "In my experience, Samoans are optimistic, happy people. Optimism grows with patriotism, strong family ties and values. These bonds cement societies and create unity and optimism. We have much to learn from the Pacific peoples and the Samoans."
I asked Sonya Leilani Stanley what makes her optimistic. Sonya told me, "Because I have confidence in GOD preparing the future for our SAMOAN people."
We asked Fu'a M. Ae-Su'a what makes her optimistic. She told us, "My dear late Mama taught us to always learn a good lesson from any situation be it bad or good, things happen for a reason either make us bitter or better, so it's your choice!"
Lemi Lam Sam told me, "I wish the world could live like Samoa then the world will be absolutely perfect."
What would you add? Please Email Me
Some Related Videos
Fa'a Samoa
Samoan Humour
The optimist says the glass is half full.
The pessimist says the glass is half empty.
The realist says it's just a glass of water.
The Samoan? He's laughing and enjoying the company because no matter if the glass is half full or half empty, there's always enough happiness to go around!
.png)
.png)
.png)
Keep up to date with the latest from Centre for Optimism
We appreciate any contribution you can make to help us spread optimism with the world
.svg)
.svg)
