German Government Returns Samoan Artefact Taken During the Civil War

“The taking of the prow was part of the global looting of cultural heritage, which was a feature of inacceptable colonial behaviour,” said Germany’s Minister of State Federal Foreign Office, Honourable Katja Keul.

By Lagi Keresoma

Apia, Samoa – 12 July 2024 – A prow that is only the surviving part of a Samoan Taumualua War Canoe taken in 1888 during the Samoan Civil War, has been returned to its homeland after 134 years.

The artefact was handed over by the Minister of the German Federal Foreign Office, Honourable Katja Keul to the Samoa government, in a ceremony at the National University of Samoa on Wednesday night.

The handover ceremony also marked the culmination of a four-year cooperation project between the Übersee-Museum Bremen and NUS, which aimed to research the ethnographic history of the object and its significance to Samoan culture.

The German Government Minister of State, Hon. Katja Keul speaking with a photo of the Taumualua War Canoe on the screen and the original  prow in the forefront.

History of the Taumualua and the prow
The civil war was between the Tamasese Camp at Mulinu’u and the Mataafa camp at Matautu.

The Taumualua war canoe belonged to the Mataafa camp and one night, rowed across the harbour in search of a cannon gun believed to have fallen off a boat close to the Tamasese camp.

In discreet order, they searched and found the cannon gun and because of the success of their mission, they rowed back to their camp singing songs which were heard by a German Military nearby.

An order was given to stop them but they jumped off the canoe and pushed across. They reached camp but the German military followed and seized Taumualua.

Cannon shots were discharged which killed some of the campers and destroyed houses that belonged to some of the Americans and British residents along the coast.

“Taumualua was taken by military assault and destroyed and the prow was taken to Germany as a trophy,” said Keul.

In 1932, a naval officer gave the prow to the Ubersee-Museum Bremen, Germany where it stayed for many years.

Dr. Wiebke Arhndt, Director of Übersee Museum Bremen, Professor Tuifuisa’a Patila Amosa, Vice-Chancellor and President of the National University of Samoa and the German Minister of State, Ms. Katja Keul with signed copies of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Memorandum Of Understanding with NUS
“Today we witness the return of a historic prow to its homeland of Samoa and it is a symbol of varied relations between Samoa and Germany then and now,” said the Minister.

Despite the distance between the two countries, the Minister said that they look back on the legacy of a common history and shared values and the goal of working together for a better future.

The Minister is glad to be in Samoa especially for the handover event in her portfolio as Minister of State which includes cultural heritage and addressing Germany’s colonial past, not least by starting open and honest discussion and raising awareness.

“The past is important because we all need to understand where we come from in order to know where we are going and bringing the artefacts back to Samoa
will help make cultural heritage visible and tangible here and now,” she said.

In 2021, the Ubersee Museum approached the Foreign Office with a proposal to set up a cooperation project with the National University of Samoa.

The aim was to conduct comprehensive research on the eminent collection of Samoan artefacts in Bremen and creating digital records of the entire collection.

Desmond Lee Hang, NUS Pro Chancellor Prof Lealaimanua Emma Kruse Vaai, Dr. Wiebke Arhndt – Director of Übersee-Museum Bremen, the German Minister of State -Ms. Katja Keul, NZ High Commissioner Ms. Si’alei Van Toor and Professor Tuifuisa’a Patila Amosa, Vice-Chancellor of NUS with the prow in the forefront.

The project is called “The Blue Continent –the Platform” and led to numerous encounters, exchange visits and fresh scientist insight on both sides.

Its goal was to publish the findings in a digital exhibition that makes part of Samoan heritage accessible to the Samoan people and to the world.

That exhibition of all artefacts will be in Samoa in September and another one in March 2025 in Bremen, Germany.

“The prow and the Bremen collection tell us something about the history of appropriation which will now be reversed. Cultural artefacts are an essential part of the identity of every person and no one should be deprived of this aspect of their identity,” said Keul.

She also noted the position of the German Government for the Samoan people to retrieve and have full access to the items that are part of their cultural heritage.

“This will give us a chance to reflect on our history and to exchange openly and trustworthy information on our shared past,” she said.

The NUS Vice Chancellor, Professor Tuifuisa’a Patila Malua Amosa on behalf of the Government of Samoa acknowledged the Government of Germany and Ubseee Museum.

“The collaboration between the Ubersee Museum and NUS is a significant milestone in provenance research for the Pacific and Samoa,” said Tuifuisa’a.

She said the team of Ubersee Museum and NUS have thoroughly investigated the ethnographic history of an object that might seem insignificant to many.

“This prow holds information about a period of Samoan history that is often preserved in our oral stories, textbooks and museums.”

She said that in the course of the investigation, the researchers used the collectors’ diaries, archival records and missionary writings to piece together the history of an object taken from Samoa in 1888.

“The return of the prow is not only  a connection to Samoan history but will allow students, community members, tourists and Samoan matai to have a deeper conversation on Samoa history both in the classroom and community.”

The handover ended with the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding between Germany, the Ubersee Museum and the National University of Samoa.