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Author “looking for a few good men” — and women

It may be the best book ever written on American Samoa — the one you’ve always heard about — but never read. It is the Centennial Book, written for American Samoa’s anniversary in the year 2000, when the only U.S. Territory south of the equator celebrated 100 years beneath the Stars and Stripes. It’s a relationship which has, for the most part, been one of mutual agreement, close cooperation and loyal friendship.

 

The author of the Centennial Book, Robert Shaffer, was a long-time resident of American Samoa, and while he moved away several years ago, he has never cut his ties to, nor stopped caring about, the territory. His focus is now on updating the book which he authored, designed and produced for the territory’s Centennial anniversary.

 

Shaffer came to the Pacific as a Peace Corps worker and stayed for almost 30 years.

 

In his words, “I first visited the territory in March, 1964, flying in from Sydney — the airport wasn't even built… they stamped my passport in a one room shack with a single light bulb lighting the room. I returned in Sept. '67 after graduating from college and worked as a reporter for Mike Kneubuhl for nearly four months — he owned the Samoa Times then.”

 

Shaffer returned home to California in December 1967 to go to grad school, and after grad school he joined the Peace Corps, and was eventually stationed in Savai’i.

 

His book, which has garnered attention and awards from libraries, government and civic organizations, was a self-professed “labor of love”.

 

Shaffer told Samoa News the book required four years of research and writing to produce. With 213 pages and more than 200 illustrations, including historical and contemporary photos, traditional Samoan art and design, color plates and historical documents obtained from the National Archives in Washington, D.C., its13 chapters include the geologic formation of the Samoan Island chain; the original settlement of Samoa; the arrival of the missionaries; the division of Samoa into two political territories; World War II in the territory; and the transition of the territory from the Navy administration to the Department of the Interior.

 

The head librarian for the state of Hawai’i purchased a Centennial Book for every public library in Hawai’i, stating that the Centennial Book is "the best book ever published on a Pacific Island group, its people and history."

 

More than 100 public and school libraries from cities in California and Utah purchased the book, which was a finalist in a worldwide competition for best Coffee-table book published in 2000.

 

The labor of love continues for Shaffer, who will arrive in the territory tonight (Friday, Sept. 26) to do further research for the book, which he plans to update, adding four new chapters, including one on the history of American Samoans in the military. Another addition to the book will include the history and ancient culture of the Manu’a islands._

 

The research is being conducted by Shaffer, and by Cheryl Hunter, who was the Centennial Book's editor and a former newspaper editor and feature writer.

 

Regarding the new chapters on American Samoans in the military, Shaffer told Samoa News, “We hope to meet with as many military families and active duty military personnel as possible while we are in the territory, as well as those families whose grandparents or great grandparents served in the Fita Fita, in Korea or Viet Nam. We will also want to meet with those military or their family members who served in recent or current wars such as the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.”

 

He added, “I would guess 60-70% of the present population of Tutuila and Manu'a have never seen, or even heard of this book, though 10,000 copies were printed. Thus, it is probably necessary to inform the military families about the book, what it is about, why it was produced, and its importance in providing a fairly detailed history of American Samoa and its people.”

 

Shaffer and Hunter arrive tonight on Hawaiian Air.

 

In order to conduct his research, he has booked the Naumati Room at the Tradewinds Hotel for tomorrow — Saturday morning, September 27. Beginning at 10a.m., he and his editor will meet with as many people as possible.

 

Families with a member who served in the Fita Fita Guard — as well as the Korean or Viet Nam wars, are asked to bring documentation of the family member, including the name and rank, years served, military unit, special decorations, and a photo of the military member in uniform, either individually or with his/her unit.

 

Members of the military presently serving or retired or a family representative are also asked to attend, including those who served in the Panama military action, the Persian Gulf War in 1991, and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

 

Members in the American Samoa Army Reserve, past or present, are also asked to attend.