60 years

The two denominations on the island, the Methodist church and the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa joined hands for the celebrations yesterday.

Earlier in the week, residents participated in parades, a flag raising and ava ceremony and sports.

There was also traditional Samoan entertainment and the fautasi races which were held after a lapse of nearly three years.

This is the first time that Manono hosted events following a Cabinet decision to encourage all villages and constituencies to organise their own celebrations.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa - who is also chairperson of the Independence Committee - raised the flag of freedom at a flag-raising ceremony this morning along with a 21 gun salute by the police.

Fiame had announced earlier that only local dignitaries have been invited to this morning's event.

But the full story of this Pacific country's challenging self-determination journey is not one that has been made easily accessible to Samoan children in Samoa and around the world, until now.  

Samoan educator and award winning author Dahlia Malaeulu over the weekend released Granpa's Siapo,  a Pasifika children's picture book  which highlights Sāmoa's historical ties with New Zealand, the impact of colonization and which aims to promotes cultural understanding for those who are not aware of Sāmoa's independence struggle.