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Right now, there is a growing number of off-island American Samoans who demand birthright citizenship. On the islands, a conversion from the communal way of living to individually owned property and an Americanized lifestyle is visible.

 If American Samoans would gain American birthright citizenship, it could destroy the thought of fa’a Samoa. Because as you can tell, the concept of economic individualism is not possible in the light of Samoan traditions. The on-islanders fear that if the US Constitution would be applied to American Samoa, the self-autonomy and protection of communally owned land would expire. As a consequence, American Samoans would need to give up their unique system of landownership.