Black Saturday, By Cynthia.

Saturday, 28^th December 1929

It was a warm and sunny Saturday morning. I was standing by the waterfront in Apia; suddenly I saw a large group of men wearing white clothes marching towards the waterfront saying ‘PEACE’. Then along came a group of armed police officers. The officers started to open fire at the men. All the police officers started to arrest the marchers as the marchers approached the police station, an officer fired a machine gun to deter the mob. As an experienced gunner he fired his gun over the heads of the crowd. But suddenly three other policemen fired their riffles at the crowd. The firing injured the prominent Samoan leader TUPUA TAMASESE   LEALOFI III. It also killed seven other people in the crowd. It was a sad and tragic day for everybody in Samoa because the marchers didn’t do anything wrong, they were just walking down the street saying ‘PEACE’ to anybody they met. It was a sad and tragic day for all the Samoan people

Black Saturday, By Kristina.

Anonymous Samoan’s Journal of Black Saturday.

I am a Samoan citizen living under the New Zealands authorities. Yesterday was the worst day of my life. My loved ones were murdered and I only have my brother left .  Our Samoan Leader, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi was also tragically killed and he was majorly prized by the Samoan community.

Yesterday, I was standing in the centre of the riot in Samoa Saturday, 28^th, December, 1929. All I could hear was the horrendous screaming, moaning of the people being killed. Blood, everywhere. I was also one of the lucky survivors.  The question is …. Why? Why did they shoot at us? Was it something we did? Was it something we said? It was because my fellow friends were wearing their cultural garments that represent who they were and what they stand for. They were all killed because of their pride that they had, the courage they brought upon us made us realise that we stand for something. That day, made everyone inspired by their bravery.  

The day New Zealand took charge, everything went wrong. Despicable Rules were made amongst the Samoan public. I did not have enough power and back-up to fight against the New Zealand Government. They had weaponry that we could never fight off, prepared strategies and much more population of their soldiers.

It hurts to see my people under attack, under ridiculous rules that shouldn’t be brought upon us. These are my last remarks as I am under attack by New Zealands Military army. 

Black Saturday, By Suhail.

BLACK SATURDAY

Saturday, 28^th December 19 1929, it was a beautiful sunny day in Apia I remember it as if it was yesterday the darkest day for us Samoans. It all started out while New Zealand was trying to get Germany to leave so they can own Samoa and people in it. They obviously won, so that’s why we had to listen to rules that these people made we had to listen to.

It was things like having to pay tax, wear clothes that the parliament made (when I heard of them I didn’t know who they were) we had to do things other whys we would have gotten fined. The locals made a sort of gang thing called Mau, it started of with not wearing what the New Zealanders wanted then went on to not mowing the lawn which led to a fine and then not paying that fine.

Darius my close mate was one of them who were in the Mau I questioned him like I was crazy. and he said “ I don’t want to listen to these people I don’t even know if they respect me”, you might get killed you……..”, he walked of. Darius and these other random boys walked down the street where the New Zealand troops were. They were wearing white lava lavas and tee-shirts, the mob approached the New Zealand troops, a police sergeant fired a Lewis machine gun from the balcony above. An experienced gunner shot a few shots over the mob’s heads. Tragicly, the shot wounded prominent Samoan leader Tupua Tamasese Lealofi, it also killed  Migao, Leota Anese, Tapu, Ainoa, Faumuina of Savai’I, Vele and Tu’ia.

Many of the Mau died but it was a tragic day but it is in history everyone disagreed to the New Zealanders, eventually the New Zealanders left and the Samoans could do the things they wanted and choose who wanted to lead and things.

THE END

Black Saturday, By Wendy.

The Diary of an Anonymous Visitor

 Black Saturday, which occurred on the 28^th of December 1929, was one of the worst days of my life…

I was standing on the balcony on my hotel room in Apia. It was bright, hot sunny day and there was a slight breeze. I decided to go for a walk outside. As I stepped out of the hotel door, I realised there was no one outside. This was because of the New Zealanders.

New Zealand was kind of in charge of Samoa. They made ridiculous rules which the Samoans didn’t like. They had to pay taxes, get to know politicians etc. They were banned from many things such as taking a walk outside and they had to learn to live life the way New Zealanders did.

I decided it wouldn’t be any fun just being outside by myself. I wanted to get to know the public, explore the area and taste exotic foods. I stepped back inside the hotel room and decided to take a nap.

2 hours later I got woken up by something noisy outside. Yes, it was Black Saturday occurring on the 28^th of December 1929 and it was only just the beginning…

There were gun shots being fired randomly at Samoans because they were outside. As the mob approached the station, a Lewis gun was being used from someone up in the balcony. It was the NZ police. The Samoans were protesting in a marching parade trying to be free. The Samoan leader Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III was shot at that location and was put into hospital. It was crazy out there. I didn’t know what to do. Many people were shot and killed right there on the spot. I saw people falling to the ground like dominoes. There was blood all over the floor. The next thing I knew, I fell to the ground, blood gushing out of my leg.

The next morning I woke up in hospital. This diary was written during the time. I’m about to have an operation… I hope things go well. 

Black Saturday, By Kina

The WORST INCIDENT IN NEW ZEALAND’S RELATIONSHIP WITH SAMOA

Saturday the 28^th of December 1929. It was a hot, sunny morning when I stepped out into the balcony and was astounded by all the rage and anger coming from the New Zealand police officers as they were firing at the Mau Movement group of Samoa. The Mau Movement was protesting to be true to yourself and was saying “PEACE.” It was terrible as I watched in fear crying for someone to stop it. The police officers killed eight innocent people, who just wanted to walk on the road of Apia doing what’s right and fighting for their country. This fight was happened because an attack by the police to arrest the Mau secretary who was marching in the parade. I felt like a fool because me, myself was from New Zealand.  That is the most worse day I’ve had in my entire life.

By Lomekina Tatafu.