Ethnographic assessment and overview, National Park of American Samoa

Abstract

The Ethnographic Assessment and Overview of the National Park of American Samoa was commissioned to document the ethnohistorical background and cultural context of Park localities, as well as modern resource use within the Park, as a guide to policy making. The investigation has focused on the historical and cultural significance of Park areas and on how Samoans today utilize lands, forests, reefs, and offshore fisheries lying within the Park boundary. A detailed discussion of our research methodology is presented in Chapter III. After discussing the environmental, archaeological, and ethnohistorical contexts of the National Park of American Samoa, the report addresses agriculture, marine resource use, medicinal plants, and culturally significant sites. Quantitative analyses of systematic interview data on these topics are presented in Chapter VIII. The report concludes with a summary of findings, a discussion of how local residents perceive the Park, and with suggestions for future research.