Book shows never before seen photographs of old Samoa

SAMOA – A new book containing photos dating back to when many Germans lived in Samoa has been released in Apia.

Samoa was a German protectorate between 1900 and 1914.

Called To Walk Under Palm Trees, the book contains rare photos, many sourced from family collections.

The books author, Tony Brunt, said the pictures had captured historical moments in Samoa.

“One of the primary motivations is to get these photos that are historically significant out of purely private collections and into the digital archives of the Museum of Samoa,” Brunt said.

“We don’t want these albums when people no longer have a use for them or when they are passed on, to end up in rubbish skips out on the street outside their homes.”

Brunt said a lot of work had gone in to curate the final photo selection as there were so many great photos.

“It became clear that there were some magnificent collections that had never been seen before that were historically important, and I was able to, over time, over several years, to scan lots of albums with the kind agreement of the owners.

Brunt said he was still on the look out for more photos, as work was already underway on a second book.

“I’m looking for photos with great human interest, with exceptional quality or that have historical significance. We won’t turn down any collection with photography that has not been seen before,” he said.

Brunt said the Samoa Historical and Cultural Trust paid for an initial print run of 1000 copies.

The book is also available online free of charge.

- RNZI