The word "documentary" was first applied to films of this nature in an anonymous review of this movie written by John Grierson, aka "The Moviegoer", in New York Sun, 8 February 1926.
The tattoo ritual that appears in the film had all but died out. It was staged especially for the film.
After his success with Nanook of the North (1922), director Robert J. Flaherty was asked by studio chief Jesse L. Lasky (who would soon head Paramount) to make the same kind of film he had in the Arctic, except this time in the South Seas. Thus was this "sequel" conceived. The film was a commercial success in Europe, but not in the US.
Director Robert J. Flaherty took both a regular motion picture camera and a Prizma Color camera to Samoa, expecting to shoot some of the film in that color process. However, the color camera malfunctioned, forcing Flaherty to film using only panchromatic B&W film.
Director Robert J. Flaherty arrived in Samoa in April 1923 and stayed until December 1924. The film wasn't finished until early 1926.