Just as how last year we went to a warm spot (Tahiti) in December, this year we are off to Samoa. Don’t confuse it with American Samoa. This is the former Western Samoa, a country of about 290 000 people. Their culture has a rich history of dancing and music (some of which you will hear during the episode).

We talked a bit about the importance of sport in Samoa, where rugby is king. It is interesting that Samoa (along with New Zealand and Fiji) do a war dance of sorts (the Haka) before rugby matches. There are few things cooler, or more intimidating, than seeing a bunch of huge rugby players dancing in unison.

Samoa has a special relationship with New Zealand, but the past, when NZ ran Samoa, is a bit checkered. Well such is often the way with colonialism, even when the intentions were good. Today people often go to New Zealand from Samoa for school or work and send money home.

Their political system is at first blush, a parliamentary democracy like we are used to, except when you look more closely at it you realize that pretty much only village chiefs become MPs.

Next time it is off to Macedonia. See you there!