Sili, Samoa Explained

Official Name:Sili
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Samoa
Subdivision Name: Samoa
Subdivision Type1:District
Subdivision Name1:Palauli
Population As Of:2016
Population Total:1,071
Timezone:-11
Coordinates:-13.7561°N -172.3778°W

Sili is a village on the south side of Savai'i island in Samoa. Sili is situated inland, unlike most villages in Samoa which are settlements by the sea. The village lies within the electoral constituency of Palauli 1. [1] The population is 1071.[2]

The people of Sili rely on subsistence agriculture for their livelihood. Due to its location away from the coast, fishing has minimal impact on the village economy. The Sili river, like most natural resources and land in Samoa, is situated on traditional land owned by the village. The river has cultural and historical significance for the people. Traditional knowledge and conservation is a key factor in village governance. Organic farming is used for all crops and the use of pesticides and chemicals are banned.[3]

In recent years, Sili rejected a scheme by the government of Samoa to build a hydroelectric plant on village land[4] due to environmental and cultural factors. The hydro project had received backing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which had been assisting the Samoan government and its Electric Power Corporation (EPC) to make high priority investment in renewable energy project.[5] The ADB had given the government US$0.3million towards the hydro project in 2003. Village chiefs (matai) claimed the scheme would pollute their water and ruin the environment.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Electoral Constituencies Act 2019 . Parliament of Samoa . 31 January 2019 . 11 September 2021.
  2. Web site: Census 2016 Preliminary count . Samoa Bureau of Statistics . 2016 . 23 August 2021.
  3. Web site: Sili Village. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The GEF Small Grants. 23 November 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100424081553/http://www.undp.org.ws/Projects/Savaii/41PalauliLeFalefa/tabid/2183/language/en-US/Default.aspx. 24 April 2010. dmy-all.
  4. News: Samoa's Sili hydro plan scuttled, 12 March, 2004 UTC. Radio New Zealand International. 23 November 2009.
  5. Web site: Preparing the Savaii Renewable Energy Project, TA number 3985. Asian Development Bank, Projects. 2002. 23 November 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110724223742/http://pid.adb.org/pid/TaView.htm?projNo=35132&seqNo=01&typeCd=2. 24 July 2011. dmy-all.
  6. Book: Francis Group , Taylor & . Europa World Year Book 2, Book 2. 3627. 2004. 23 November 2009. Taylor & Francis. 1-85743-255-X.