Best RecipesBlack Saturday, hiding in the bush and finally, Independence! News Recipes

When Nelson was exiled the first time, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III took lead of the Mau Movement and on 28 December 1928, he paid for Samoa's freedom with his life. 

Mau Parade on Black Saturday
(Source: National Library of NZ)

On what is now known as 'Black Saturday', the Mau had gathered to celebrate the return of two of their exiles, when New Zealand police opened fire on the crowd. Tupua Tamasese and 7 others were fatally shot by New Zealand police. Three more people died later and scores of people, including women and children, were wounded. A Kiwi policeman was even clubbed to death in the fracas. 

Tamasese lying in state at Vaimoso
(Source: National Library of NZ)

So, in January 1930, to try and quell the 'rebellion', the frustrated New Zealand administration declared the Mau to be illegal. In an attempt to disband the members, the white stripes were literally torn from the purple lavalava of the Mau uniform and members who refused were arrested and imprisoned. 

Sailors removing the white band from the Mau lavalava.
Source: (National Library of NZ)

So the Samoan men did what they had always done when defeated in battle: around 1500 of the Mau men fled to the bush, to the mountains, to hide. 

60 Mau prisoners arrive from coast at dawn.
(Source: National Library of NZ)

When the Kiwis sent in marines to hunt the Samoan men down, they were unable to navigate the dense tropical bush, so instead they raided the villages that were secretly helping the men by providing them with food and shelter. The cowardly marines terrorised the villages at night and, it is reported, with raised bayonets, which I can imagine only infuriated the Samoan people even more.


Because their men were in hiding, the Samoan women took over the Mau activities, staging peaceful demonstrations and continuing to meet and stay organised. The Samoan people were desperate, more than ever, to reclaim the country that had been theirs since time immemorial.

Procession of Mau women taking over the public protests because their men were hiding in the forest from the NZ administration. (Source: National Library of NZ)

In 1935, after the pro-Samoan Labour Party won the New Zealand election, Samoa began its official slow march to Independence. By June 1936, the Mau had been restored as a legitimate political organisation but because of WWII and the Great Depression, and other political wrangles, it would not be until 1962 that Samoa truly belonged, once again, to the Samoans. 

Ì Ì Ì

As you can see, if you've been following my posts these last few weeks, independence did not come easily for Samoa. People were willing to challenge their family ties, willing to go to prison, willing to hide out in the mountains, willing to risk banishment and exile, and even paid with their lives all because they believed SAMOA MO SAMOA. 


So today, on the eve of Samoa's 50th Independence, I feel two overwhelming emotions: I'm proud and I'm humbled. 


I'm immensely proud that our people now rule themselves (even if I think they are making a royal mess of it sometimes), but I'm incredibly humbled by the stories of the Samoans that fought for the Independence we now enjoy. 

Malo Samoa!
CONGRATULATIONS on 50 years 
of hard-won Independence!

¶¶¶Happy Independence Day!¶¶¶

The Samoan Flag: Red for courage,
Blue for Freedom and White for Purity

The stars on the flag represent the Southern Cross constellation. This can only be seen in the southern hemisphere which is why it appears on flags in that part of the world.

Samoan Flag cake: Four layers of dense, rich chocolate cake
filled with buttercream and covered in fondant.

Best RecipesNelson and the second Mau, Brown and White Mini-cakes News Recipes

NZ raises their flag at the courthouse in Apia, 29 August 1914
(Source: National Library of NZ)

Germany left Samoa after a peaceful takeover by New Zealand in 1914, but the Kiwis proved to be as bad as the Germans, which lead to the formation of the second Mau a Pule movement.


In 1919, the New Zealanders allowed an influenza-plagued ship of passengers to dock in Apia. Influenza spread quickly amongst the Samoans, who had no immunity to the disease, while the administration did nothing. 


Well, they did do one thing. They refused help from medical staff in American Samoa. So while no-one died in American Samoa, 22% of the Western Samoan population was wiped out, about 7,500 people. The sick fell quicker than they could be buried. When whole families died, they were simply thrown into mass graves or left in their houses which were then torched.


One person who lost five members of his family to influenza was Olaf Frederick Nelson. A successful and influential afakasi (half-caste) businessman, Nelson was disillusioned with colonial rule and began to organise what would become the second Mau movement. 

Nelson (centre) with his daughters and travellers.
(Source: National Library of NZ)

Nelson believed so strongly in Samoa's Independence that he went to the League of Nations (the UN's predecessor) in Geneva, and presented a petition for Samoan self-rule. It was signed by 8000 out of 9300 Samoan adult men, but still he was denied a hearing. 


Nelson was such a staunch supporter of Samoan self-government, organising Mau meetings and encouraging peaceful civil disobedience, that he was exiled to New Zealand twice for his activities, including an 8 month stint in prison. It was during one of his exiles that things came to a head between the New Zealanders and the Samoans, and I'll write about this in my next post.

Mau members coming to Apia from bush for fono. 
Note their uniform, a purple lavalava with a white stripe.
(Source: National Library of NZ)

Because Nelson was an afakasi who was Samoan through and through, let's celebrate the diversity of the Samoan population with brown and white mini-cakes. You know, like ebony and ivory, because let's face it, Samoans come in all shapes and colours. 


OK, you can stop rolling your eyes at how desperately I'm trying to link Samoan history to food, thank you very much. And here are the recipes. You're welcome.

White Mini-Cakes
(makes 16)


3 egg whites, room temperature
1/3 cup + 1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened


Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set up your mini-cake or cupcake liners.


Lightly mix the egg whites, 1/3 cup of milk and the vanilla in a small bowl. In a bigger bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and the other 1/3 cup of milk and mix with an electric beater on low speed until the dry ingredients are moist. Then turn the speed up to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Next add the egg mixture in two parts, beating for 1 minute after each addition. 


Divide the batter evenly into the mini-cake/cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before decorating.

Brown Mini-cakes
(makes 16)


1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon koko Samoa
1/2 cup boiling water
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened



In a cup or small bowl, mix the koko Samoa with the boiling water and leave to cool to room temperature.


Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set up your mini-cake or cupcake liners.


Lightly combine the eggs, water and vanilla in another small bowl. In a larger bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and room temperature koko and beat on low speed until the dry ingredients are moist. Then turn the speed up to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Next add the egg mixture in two parts, beating for 1 minute after each addition. 


Divide the batter evenly into the mini-cake/cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before decorating.