Falelatai

This is a panorama view of the village of Falelatai on the island of Upolu in Samoa. The image captures some faletele (round houses) and faleafolau (long houses) sitting at the edge of the malae (village green) area.

A sandy pathway leads away in the left hand side of the image and the village surrounds are populated by stands of coconut trees.

A flag (blue ensign) featuring a Union Jack and a circular badge depicting three coconut palm trees (hand painted) is visible in front of the faleafolau at the centre of the photograph.

Thomas Andrew: Photographer of Samoa

This photograph is part of a large collection of images taken Thomas Andrew, a New Zealander who lived in Samoa from 1891 to 1939. Andrew is best known for his studio portraits, but he ventured well beyond that controlled environment. He photographed political events, recorded daily life, and shot idyllic scenes for the tourist market, as his diverse portfolio reveals.