Fagamalo
Encyclopedia
Fagamalo is a village situated on the central north coast of Savai'i
in Samoa
. It is a sub-village or pito nu'u of the larger traditional village enclave of Matautu
in the political district of Gaga'emauga
.
Fagamalo is by the sea at the northern most point of Savai'i. There is a small post office and next door to it is a police station which services the local district. The Tutaga Primary School is at the east end of the village near where a hospital was situated. Cyclone Ofa (1990) and Cyclone Valerie (1991)caused a lot of damage on the north and west coast of Savai'i and destroyed the seaside Itu-o-Tane College in the village. The school was rebuilt inland in a neighbouring village. Five to ten minutes to the east of Fagamalo are the villages of Saleaula
and Sato'alepai
. Towards the west are the villages of Safotu
and Safune
.
, Fagamalo is the home of Tui Fiti
, a spirit deity who resides in the sacred forest, vao sa, an area that is tapu in the village.
Fagamalo is in the traditional sub-district of Matautu, an area which took the lead in the attack during war. Matautu is also said to have been settled by Fijians or people from a place called Fiti.
The name Matautu is traced back to a figure called Utu, whose father was called Lautalatoa from Fiti. Utu had a brother called Taua and a sister called Lenga. Taua went and settled further west at what is now called Sataua
, and the sister Lega went to the south-west of the island to the place that is known today as Salega
.
In 1978, the Governor-General of Fiji, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, arrived in Fagamalo during a state visit to Samoa. The High Chief of Fiji had requested a visit to Tui Fiti's sacred ground. An ancient kava ceremony was carried out in the village and Cakobau was given a chiefly title by the matai
in recognition of the ancient connection with Fiji.
, Fagamalo, which had a wharf and anchorage, was the main village and administrative centre on Savai'i and home for a resident commissioner of Allied forces defending the South Pacific against Japan.The government administration centre was later moved from Fagamalo to Tuasivi
village on the north coast towards Salelologa
township and ferry terminal.
O faiva 'aulelei translates as Only a handsome man can do a thing well.
Some three generations ago the tulafale (orator chief) Nafo'i of Matautu, Savai'i, had guests. His young men prepared the food. When Nafo'i went into the cook-house to see how they were progressing, he noticed that they had not sufficiently pressed out the shredded coconut. So he applied himself to the job and did it right thoroughly. The others said, “Only a handsome man like Nafo'i is able to do a thing competently.”
when the chiefs declared Fagamalo smokefree and imposed fines on people who broke the local law. Le Lagoto Resort is a local hotel on the beach in Fagamalo. The office for scuba diving company 'Dive Savai'i' is located across the road from the resort.
Savai'i
Savaii is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is also the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose...
in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. It is a sub-village or pito nu'u of the larger traditional village enclave of Matautu
Matautu
Matautu is the name of different villages in Samoa. Places named Matautu are found on the two largest islands, Upolu and Savai'i.-Matautu, Upolu Island:On Upolu island;...
in the political district of Gaga'emauga
Gaga'emauga
Gaga'emauga is an electoral district on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. The district is situated on the central north side of Savai'i. The name Gaga'emauga literally means: “near side of the mountain” meaning the eastern side of the mountain chain running through the centre of ...
.
Fagamalo is by the sea at the northern most point of Savai'i. There is a small post office and next door to it is a police station which services the local district. The Tutaga Primary School is at the east end of the village near where a hospital was situated. Cyclone Ofa (1990) and Cyclone Valerie (1991)caused a lot of damage on the north and west coast of Savai'i and destroyed the seaside Itu-o-Tane College in the village. The school was rebuilt inland in a neighbouring village. Five to ten minutes to the east of Fagamalo are the villages of Saleaula
Saleaula
Sale'aula is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa and is the traditional center of the Gaga'emauga political district...
and Sato'alepai
Sato'alepai
Sato'alepai is a village situated on the central north coast of the island of Savai'i in Samoa. Sato'alepai is in the political district of Gaga'emauga....
. Towards the west are the villages of Safotu
Safotu
Safotu is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. Safotu is in the district Gagaifomauga. Traditionally, it attained the status of 'Pule,' customary political authority, and has been the main centre of the Gagaifomauga district....
and Safune
Safune
Safune is a traditional village district on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It lies within the electoral constituency of Gaga'ifomauga. Safune is the birthplace of Mau leader Olaf Frederick Nelson and the filming location of Moana , one of the first documentaries made in the world...
.
Mythology
In Samoan mythologySamoan mythology
Samoan mythology tell stories of many different gods. There were gods of the forest, the seas, rain, harvest, villages and war. There were two types of gods, atua who had non-human origins and aitu who were of human origin. Tagaloa was a supreme god who made the islands and the people. Mafui'e was...
, Fagamalo is the home of Tui Fiti
Tui Fiti
Tui Fiti or Tuifiti is the name of a figure referred to in different legends in Samoan mythology and in other parts of Polynesia. In other stories,'Tui Fiti' means 'high chief of Fiti.'-Savai'i:...
, a spirit deity who resides in the sacred forest, vao sa, an area that is tapu in the village.
Fagamalo is in the traditional sub-district of Matautu, an area which took the lead in the attack during war. Matautu is also said to have been settled by Fijians or people from a place called Fiti.
The name Matautu is traced back to a figure called Utu, whose father was called Lautalatoa from Fiti. Utu had a brother called Taua and a sister called Lenga. Taua went and settled further west at what is now called Sataua
Sataua
Sataua is a village on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. It is situated at the northwestern end of the island in the district of Vaisigano.The population is 874 ....
, and the sister Lega went to the south-west of the island to the place that is known today as Salega
Salega
Salega is a traditional district on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. It is situated on the south side of the island.The population is 3,461 .-Electoral constituency :...
.
In 1978, the Governor-General of Fiji, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, arrived in Fagamalo during a state visit to Samoa. The High Chief of Fiji had requested a visit to Tui Fiti's sacred ground. An ancient kava ceremony was carried out in the village and Cakobau was given a chiefly title by the matai
Fa'amatai
Fa'amatai is the chiefly system of Samoa, central to the organization of Samoan society.It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in the Samoa Islands, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa...
in recognition of the ancient connection with Fiji.
Colonial era
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Fagamalo, which had a wharf and anchorage, was the main village and administrative centre on Savai'i and home for a resident commissioner of Allied forces defending the South Pacific against Japan.The government administration centre was later moved from Fagamalo to Tuasivi
Tuasivi
Tuasivi is a village situated on the north east coast of Savai'i island in Samoa.The village is in the electoral political district of Fa'asaleleaga.Tuasivi is the main centre for government administration on Savai'i...
village on the north coast towards Salelologa
Salelologa
Salelologa is a village district at the east end of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is the main entry point into the island with the only ferry terminal on Savai'i...
township and ferry terminal.
Proverbial Expressions
Samoan proverb originating from Matautu.O faiva 'aulelei translates as Only a handsome man can do a thing well.
Some three generations ago the tulafale (orator chief) Nafo'i of Matautu, Savai'i, had guests. His young men prepared the food. When Nafo'i went into the cook-house to see how they were progressing, he noticed that they had not sufficiently pressed out the shredded coconut. So he applied himself to the job and did it right thoroughly. The others said, “Only a handsome man like Nafo'i is able to do a thing competently.”
Recent era
More recently, in 2002, the small village made the headlines in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
when the chiefs declared Fagamalo smokefree and imposed fines on people who broke the local law. Le Lagoto Resort is a local hotel on the beach in Fagamalo. The office for scuba diving company 'Dive Savai'i' is located across the road from the resort.