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Dietary and Social Choices in American Samoa
| Article
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11256 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
5 / 1986 |
7,088 Words |
| Author
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James R. Bindon
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My first impression of Samoa, in July of 1976, was of being surrounded by green in every direction. This was truly the tropical paradise that I had read about for so long. But this was paradise with a twist--supplied by 150 years of exposure to European and U.S. influence. There were, and still are, many interesting questions awaiting answers. I have spent much of the last decade investigating how recent changes in lifestyle have affected the diet and health of Samoans. The article summarizes the background of my study and some of the findings at which my colleagues and I have arrived.
Polynesians first arrived in the Samoan archipelago about 3,000 years ago, carrying with them everything that they needed to set up a long-term settlement. The group of voyagers that founded the Samoan population had few local foods to rely upon when settling the islands. While ocean and reef resources were no doubt bountiful, plant foods would not be available until their crops began bearing. As in most Polynesian communities, these crops included breadfruit (Artocarpus communis, Samoan: 'ulu), banana (Musa, Section Eumusa, Samoan: fa'I), taro (Colocasia esculenta, Samoan: talo), elephant ear (Alocasia macrorrhiza, Samoan: ta'amu) and coconut (Cocos nucifera, Samoan: niu). Until these crops began producing, the new arrivals were probably dependent on the few stored foods available. These would have included fermented breadfruit and banana.
The early voyagers must have experienced a prolonged period of deprivation. Some have suggested that, as a result, a strong natural selection occurred that genetically shaped the subsequent population of Polynesia. This selection favored individuals who got the most out of their food. In preparation
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