Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa: Samoan birth, death and marriage collections at Central Library

Sāmoan Language Week is an opportunity to acknowledge and support the Sāmoan language and its use in New Zealand. We celebrate the languages and cultures of our diverse nation, to connect people back to their roots but also to teach other people about a different culture.

In Research Central, on Level 2 in Central City Library we are proud of the diversity of our international family history collection. Our Pacific Island collection is big part of this - and the Samoan collection is very strong. People use our family history collections to trace their family, but also to reconnect with their culture and their heritage.

If you search our catalogue by typing: 3 SAM BDM in the search box for example you will find a whole host of resources on microfilm for births, deaths and marriages in Samoa:

• Birth registers for Savai'i, Western Samoa, 1905-1993
• Death registers for Savai'i, Western Samoa, 1923-1992
• Death registers for Upolu, Western Samoa, 1923-1993
• Delayed registrations of births for Western Samoa, 1948-1993
• Marriage records for Upolu, 1919-1993
• Birth registers for Upolu, Western Samoa, 1905-1992
• Probate case files, 1920-1978 [microform] ; Probate registers and index, 1920-1978
• Births within the British military occupied territory of Samoa, v. 1-8, 1917-1961
• Birth registers, 1876-1920
• Births registered at the British consulate, ca. 1869-1915
• Births within the district of the British Consulate at Samoa, 1852- 1915
• Deaths within the district of the British consulate at Samoa, 1875-1913
• European birth registers, v. 1-55, 1920-1962
• Record of birth and death certificates, Western Samoa, 1962-1963
• Records of births in the outer districts of Western Samoa, 1961- 1964
• Register of births within the British military occupied territory of Samoa, 1917-1920
• Vital records, ca. 1917-1920
• Register of British subjects residing in the Samoan Islands, ca. 1878-1915
• Death certificates, 1900-1972
• Registers of deaths, 1900-1938
• Marriage licenses and certificates, 1900-1968
• Birth certificates, 1850-1972
• Affidavits of delayed registration of births, 1962-1972
• Register of births, 1900-1928
• Marriage registers, 1900-1912

These records are in a mixture of languages: Sāmoan, English and German, according to when in history the records were created.

So if you want to celebrate your Sāmoan heritage, come in and research with us anytime.

Happy hunting

Tōfā soifua

Seonaid