Gaga'ifomauga
Encyclopedia
Gaga'ifomauga is a political district
on the island of Savai'i
in Samoa
. The district is situated on the northern side of the island with a population of 4,770 (2001 Census).
Gaga'ifomauga district include the village communities of Aopo
, Lefagaoali'i
, Manase
, Safune
, Safotu
, Samauga
and Sasina
. The main village in the district was traditionally Aopo. Manase, Safotu, Sasina and Safune are situated by the sea. Samauga is upon a rocky foothill between Safotu and Safune while the Aopo settlement is inland.
The village of Manase is a popular destination for visitors and tourists with beach fale
accommodation.
The main road circling Savai'i passes through the northern coastline, where most of the settlements are situated. Heading west, the road turns inland at Sasina village. There are forest conservation areas at Aopo where a local guide can be found for a hike up to Mount Silisili
, the highest peak in Samoa.
The Safune traditional village district was the location for Moana
(1926), one of the earliest documentaries directed by Robert J. Flaherty
. A fresh spring pool called Mata o le Alelo
in the village of Matavai in Safune is associated with the legend Sina and the Eel
. A leader of Samoa's independence movement during the early 1900s, Olaf Frederick Nelson
was born in Safune.
In pre-history, the village of Safotu
was settled by Tonga
n chiefs.
There is a district hospital at the west end of Safotu village.
island.
Districts of Samoa
Samoa is made up of eleven itūmālō . These are the traditional eleven districts that were established well before European arrival...
on the island of Savai'i
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...
. The district is situated on the northern side of the island with a population of 4,770 (2001 Census).
Gaga'ifomauga district include the village communities of Aopo
Aopo
Aopo is a village on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. It is in the political district of Gaga'ifomauga.The village is located inland from the north coast of Savai'i, close to the main lava field from the island's volcanic cones....
, Lefagaoali'i
Lefagaoali'i
Lefagaoali'i is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. The village is in the electoral district of Gagaifomauga.The settlement is situated on a thin spit of land with the ocean on the north side and an inland lake with mangroves on the south side which flows out to the...
, Manase
Manase
Manase is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa in the political district of Gagaifomauga.Situated by the sea with a white sandy beach, Manase has become a popular tourist destination since the 1990s with low budget and locally owned beach fale accommodation.There is a...
, 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...
, 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....
, Samauga
Samauga
Samauga is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. The village is in the electoral district of Gagaifomauga.The village population is about 330 ....
and Sasina
Sasina
Sasina is a village on the north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is located in the political district of Gagaifomauga. The population is 550 .The village is part of a conservation area which includes the village of Aopo...
. The main village in the district was traditionally Aopo. Manase, Safotu, Sasina and Safune are situated by the sea. Samauga is upon a rocky foothill between Safotu and Safune while the Aopo settlement is inland.
The village of Manase is a popular destination for visitors and tourists with beach fale
Beach fale
Beach fale is a modern term for a simple thatched hut in Samoa. They are also common in other parts of Polynesia. They have become popular in tourism as low budget accommodation situated by the coast, built with a few posts, no walls and a thatched roof with a round or oval shape.The word fale is...
accommodation.
The main road circling Savai'i passes through the northern coastline, where most of the settlements are situated. Heading west, the road turns inland at Sasina village. There are forest conservation areas at Aopo where a local guide can be found for a hike up to Mount Silisili
Silisili
Mount Silisili is the highest peak in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is located in the centre of a mountain chain running the length of Savai'i island.Mount Silisili rises to a height of 1,858 m...
, the highest peak in Samoa.
The Safune traditional village district was the location for Moana
Moana
Moana is a documentary film, the first docufiction in the history of cinema, directed by Robert J. Flaherty, the creator of Nanook of the North . Moana was filmed in Samoa in the villages of Safune on the island of Savai'i...
(1926), one of the earliest documentaries directed by Robert J. Flaherty
Robert J. Flaherty
Robert Joseph Flaherty, F.R.G.S. was an American filmmaker who directed and produced the first commercially successful feature length documentary film, Nanook of the North...
. A fresh spring pool called Mata o le Alelo
Mata o le Alelo
Mata o le Alelo is a village pool in Samoa associated with the Polynesian legend Sina and the Eel.Mata o le Alelo is in the small village of Matavai, in the village district Safune on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa....
in the village of Matavai in Safune is associated with the legend Sina and the Eel
Sina and the Eel
Sina and the Eel is a myth of origins in Samoan mythology which explains the origins of the first coconut tree.In the Samoan language the legend is called Sina ma le Tuna. Tuna is the Samoan word for 'eel'....
. A leader of Samoa's independence movement during the early 1900s, Olaf Frederick Nelson
Olaf Frederick Nelson
Taisi Olaf Frederick Nelson, , also known as Taisi Olaf, was a successful businessman and one of the founding leaders of the Mau movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule....
was born in Safune.
In pre-history, the village 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....
was settled by Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n chiefs.
There is a district hospital at the west end of Safotu village.
Gaga'ifomauga electoral constituencies
There are 3 electoral constituencies in Gaga'ifomauga District on Savai'iSavai'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...
island.
- Gaga'ifomauga No. 1 includes;
- SafotuSafotuSafotu 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....
- ManaseManaseManase is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa in the political district of Gagaifomauga.Situated by the sea with a white sandy beach, Manase has become a popular tourist destination since the 1990s with low budget and locally owned beach fale accommodation.There is a...
- Safotu
- Gaga'ifomauga No. 2 includes;
- SamaugaSamaugaSamauga is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. The village is in the electoral district of Gagaifomauga.The village population is about 330 ....
- Lefagaoali'iLefagaoali'iLefagaoali'i is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. The village is in the electoral district of Gagaifomauga.The settlement is situated on a thin spit of land with the ocean on the north side and an inland lake with mangroves on the south side which flows out to the...
- FaletagaloaFaletagaloaFaletagaloa is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa.The village is in the traditional sub-district of Safune in the Gagaifomauga electoral division.-References:...
(SafuneSafuneSafune 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...
) - And the villages of Paia, Saletele, Lolua, Si'ufaga and Matavai.
- Samauga
- Gaga'ifomauga No. 3 includes;
- AopoAopoAopo is a village on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. It is in the political district of Gaga'ifomauga.The village is located inland from the north coast of Savai'i, close to the main lava field from the island's volcanic cones....
- SasinaSasinaSasina is a village on the north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is located in the political district of Gagaifomauga. The population is 550 .The village is part of a conservation area which includes the village of Aopo...
- And the villages of Fagae'e and Letui.
- Aopo
Politicians
- Representing Gagaifomauga No. 2 electoral constituency is mataiFa'amataiFa'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...
and politician Safuneitu'uga Pa'aga NeriSafuneitu'uga Pa'aga NeriSafuneitu'uga Pa'aga Neri is a Samoan matai, politician and the current Minister of Communication and Technology in Samoa. Her matai chief title is Safuneitu'uga....
, the current Minister of Communication and Technology in the Parliament of Samoa.
- Polataivao Fosi SchmidtPolataivao FosiPolataivao Fosi Schmidt is the former Minister of Labor for Samoa. He was a member of the Human Rights Protection Party. His mother was from Safune and his father from Safotu village on the island of Savai'i....
(1933–2005), former Minister of Labour and father of current Member of Parliament, Laauli Leuatea PolataivaoLaauli Leuatea PolataivaoLaauli Leuatea Polataivao is a Samoan politician and Deputy Speaker of the Samoan Parliament. He is the Member of Parliament for the Gagaifomauga No. 3 constituency and a member of the Human Rights Protection Party...
, representing Gaga'ifomauga No. 3 constituency.