By SAMOAN Citizen Journalist
December 31, 2011
SAMOA NEW YEAR - Today is New Year in Samoa. The Pacific island nation lost Friday off this week's calendar in a historic leap across the dateline. For years its trading partners New Zealand and Australia were a day ahead. Now the nation is in line with midnight switch from December 29 (Thursday) to December 31 (Saturday).
Samoans celebrated the New Year at Thursday midnight in the streets with songs, prayers and ringing of bells. People crowded to be photographed near the town clock in the capital Apia on the stroke of midnight. People clapped, cheered and car horns blared as the bells chimed midnight to mark this historic event.
Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said this alignment with trade partners New Zealand and Australia could only benefit Samoa to have five days a week trade with the regional powerhouses.
The date line dance was implemented in this tiny South Pacific island nation 119 years ago in 1892 when the U.S. traders persuaded local Samoans of aligning the time with nearby U.S.-controlled American Samoa.
Samoa, along with neighboring Tokelau lie near to the date line crossing through the Pacific Ocean.
In 2009 Tuilaepa introduced changes enacting a law that meant cars switched to left-hand side of the road driving bringing the nation in line with New Zealand and Australia.
December 31, 2011 | 1
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