Samoan society is based on the extended family system with several generations living together. Meetings are regularly held in special houses where the matai decide the future of the village and the fate of villagers themselves. Although there are police and a government court, justice is chiefly carried out according to traditional laws. The buildings in the villages reflect the traditional way of life. Household items such as mats, baskets and ceremonial clothing are woven from natural materials decorated with patterns handed down through the generations.
Carvings decorate the buildings, canoes and household wooden ware.
Tapa cloth, made from beaten tree bark and printed with natural dyes, is still made and is highly prized. The island of Upolo is lush and green with hundreds of species of flowering plants, herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables. Plant life grows abundantly due to the high rainfall and warm climate and it comes as no surprise to learn that agriculture is the main industry. However, agriculture is the main cause of one of Upolo's biggest environmental problems - the loss of much of its forest cover. Today, the protection of the remaining forests is an important issue in government planning.