Bestling

W.Samoa

INDEPENDENT Western Samoa A —cosmopolitan, fast-developing yet serene—is a land in an ideal setting. Samoans know about traffic jams and business conferences and Alka Seltzer. But they also know the sound of the wind in the palm trees and the sight of the moon over a peaceful lagoon. Above, the famous “Beach” Apia’s main street—which runs the entire length of the town’s foreshore. BP's dominates the scene. Next to BP’s is the Post Office and next to that is the Bank of Western Samoa. Just a few minutes drive away is the idyllic beach (left). (Over)

Samoans, like all Polynesians, love messing about in boats. The two boats at left are at Matautu, just outside Apia (which can be seen across the harbour). Samoans are also great ones for the land— although in Western Samoa the land is often wild as the picture (below left) shows. These tall trees of Savaii Island are the ones that interest Potlatch Inc., the American timber company which recently signed a $6 million deal with the Western Samoan Government (P/M, Apr., p. 22). Below, the Sliding Rocks of Papasee’a, just 15 minutes drive from Apia. There are three sets of sliding rocks here.

The first is for children, the second is for women and the third (pic tured) is for men.

This group of singers and dancers (top) performs for guests at Aggie Grey’s Hotel in Apia. Above, Prime Minister Mata’afa’s home on the outskirts of Apia. The building is a combination of Samoan and European architecture. And left, one of Apia’s little oddities—the Tenpenny Store. Nobody is quite sure how the building—a cafe—got its name, but Fiji photographer Rob Wright (who took all the pic tures on these pages) suggests that ten pennies will buy a cup of tea.