Thepolitical union ofSamoa (anindependent state previously known as Western Samoa) andAmerican Samoa (aUS territory also known as Eastern Samoa), both of which are part of theSamoan Islands, has been proposed ever since their current status was established in the first half of the 20th century under theTripartite Convention, and even earlier: In 1919, Western Samoa, formerly aGerman protectorate, expressed a desire to unite with American Samoa. TheSamoan people in both Western Samoa and American Samoa shareethnicity andculture, but their islands have remained politically separated.[1] AfterWorld War I, the western islands were incorporated as theWestern Samoa Trust Territory under British administration from 1920–1946, and under New Zealand administration from 1946 to 1962. The Inter-Samoan Consultative Committee was established in 1955 to promote cooperation between the two.[2]Richard Barrett Lowe, the governor of American Samoa from 1953 to 1956, said during his tenure that it had been decided that reunification with Western Samoa was not to be discussed by the Committee.[3] In 1969, a political commission in American Samoa rejected a proposal for unification with Western Samoa.[4]
Sentiments for and against unification exist in varying degrees.[5] Nevertheless, some Western Samoan political leaders have argued in favor either of unification or of making Western Samoa an American Trust Territory.[6] Although inhabitants of American Samoa have a strong Samoan national identity, there is no large movement among them in favor of independence or unification with Western Samoa.[7] American Samoa protested Western Samoa's official name change to "Samoa" in 1997, concerned that it would imply that Samoa has authority over all the Samoan islands, including American Samoa.[8]
There exist varying degrees of sentiment for and against unification. The independent state of Western Samoa fears uncontrolled "americanization," while American Samoa fears the burden of uniting with an economically poorer country whose inhabitants greatly outnumber those of American Samoa and might have the decisive say in any issues decided by majority rule.