What’s In A Name? American Samoa
Located 2,300 miles south of Hawaii, American Samoa is the most southern point in the United States and is one of the oldest Polynesian cultures in the world, with first settlements thought to be around 1000 B.C. The islands of Samoa, or “sacred earth” in Samoan, have earned a number of nicknames throughout their history. Due to its central location near the equator, it is often referred to as the “heart of Polynesia.”
In the late 1760s, French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville nicknamed the islands the “Navigator Islands” due to the great navigational skills he found the people to have in sailing and trading among nearby islands. And, as the islands produce more American football players than anywhere else in the world, they have also earned the nickname “Football Island.” In 2017, 30 players in the NFL were from American Samoa and more than 200 American Samoans played Divisional NCAA Football!
Information & Image Source: factretriever.com/american-samoa-facts
