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Art in the traditional western sense never really existed until fairly recently. Unlike most of the other polynesian islands there are no early examples of sculpture of the human form, with the earliest that do exist appearing to come from the 19th century. Why this should be is not known. Both in Fiji and Tonga carving and sculpture is common and considering the close links between these three island groups it is suprising it did not exist in Samoa. The supporting poles of the Samoan fale do not appear to have been adorned with carvings either, a practice common in other Pacific Island cultures.

Warfare was a major part of Samoan culture, one early European observer categorised it as a Samoan pastime, and the carving and manufacture of Samoan war clubs reflects its impotance.

Another area of Samoan design which stands out is in the construction of Samoan fale. The roof of the building was made from a very complex arrangement of rafters and beams, bound together in a special way with rope made of sinnet. This method of construction leads to the formation of superb patterns on the inner surface of the roof.

The graphic arts seem to be equally devoid of activity with the exception of of one area, that of tapa. Tapa is a material usually made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree. In Samoa it served as clothing, sail material and a way of expressing wealth. It was usually decorated with a reddy-brown or black pigment in intricate geometrical designs.

The tropical climate is not the most condusive for the preservation of organic material and since most Samoan items were produced from plants that grew around them it is not suprising that little of proven early provenance exists today. Other polynesian communities had access to nephrite or serpentine which meant that tough tools, for producing large-scale detailed carvings in wood or even stone, could be made.

Two other practices could also have lead to the disappearance of Samoan artefacts. As has already been stated, war was a major part of Samoan life and it was not uncommon for the villages of the defeated side to be totally destroyed. The death of a Samoan chief was a major tragedy for a Samoan village and the significance of it was sometimes manifested in the wholesale destruction of a village by its inhabitants. Churchward, reports passing through what he thought was the scene of a battle, only to find out that it was how the villagers exhibited their dismay at losing such an important member of their community.