Safotu
Encyclopedia
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.
Safotu is also associated with the chiefly matai
Ao title of Lilomaiava.
The village is situated by the sea with a district hospital and school at the west end. The hospital sits upon a small rocky rise of black volcanic rock. The main island road passes through the village and there are several churches and local stores. A turnoff from the main road leads to the inland village settlement of Paia. Safotu is about 46 km from Salelologa
and the ferry terminal. The popular tourist destination Manase
village is the neighbouring village to the east. Heading west past the village is Samauga
followed by Lefagaoali'i
and Safune
.
approximately 50 m high that runs down to the coast. The coastal strip extends inland rising steadily towards Mt Matavanu
. Atuimo Point is a rocky headland forming one end of Safotu beach. The lagoon varies from 300m - 400m in width along the coast with small reef breaks off the shore.
There are small freshwater springs surfacing along the shore and some of these are contained as village pools at the western end of Safotu beach.
ns when they were victorious for a time. Talaaifeii was the name of one of the Tongan chiefs.
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...
island 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...
. 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.
Safotu is also associated with the chiefly 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...
Ao title of Lilomaiava.
The village is situated by the sea with a district hospital and school at the west end. The hospital sits upon a small rocky rise of black volcanic rock. The main island road passes through the village and there are several churches and local stores. A turnoff from the main road leads to the inland village settlement of Paia. Safotu is about 46 km from 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...
and the ferry terminal. The popular tourist destination 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...
village is the neighbouring village to the east. Heading west past the village is 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 ....
followed by 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...
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...
.
Geography
Safotu is situated on a coastal strip at the west end of a volcanic escarpmentEscarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
approximately 50 m high that runs down to the coast. The coastal strip extends inland rising steadily towards Mt Matavanu
Mt Matavanu
Mt Matavanu is an active volcano on the island of Savai'i in Samoa.The most recent eruptions from Matavanu occurred between 1905 - 1911 with lava flows on its northern side flowing towards the island's coastline and into the sea in the district of Gaga'emauga....
. Atuimo Point is a rocky headland forming one end of Safotu beach. The lagoon varies from 300m - 400m in width along the coast with small reef breaks off the shore.
There are small freshwater springs surfacing along the shore and some of these are contained as village pools at the western end of Safotu beach.
Pre-History
In pre-history, Safotu was a settlement for TongaTonga
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...
ns when they were victorious for a time. Talaaifeii was the name of one of the Tongan chiefs.
Mythology
There are different stories about the origin of the name Safotu.- In Samoan mythologySamoan mythologySamoan 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...
Safotu and 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...
were named after Fotu and Fune, the children of Lafai. - The name Safotu goes back to the name of a girl Fotuisamoa, a sister of Ututauaofiti.
- Safotu and other villages in Savai'i (Matautu, Sataua, Salega) were founded by the children of Laufafaitoga who was the daughter of the Tui Tonga. Laufafaitoga's husbands were Tupa'imataua of Samoa and Lautala of Fiji.
- Laufafaetoga went to Samoa and became pregnant to Tupaimatuna. They sailed for Tonga but were blown off course and landed in Fiji. Their child was born and given the name Vaasilifiti. At this time, Fiji was in continual warfare and Lautala was the most famous warrior. Laufafaetoga and Lautala had three children. The first was named Ututauofiti who established the village of Matautu (where FagamaloFagamaloFagamalo 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....
is situated). The second child was named Tauaofiti and he founded the village of SatauaSatauaSataua 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 ....
. The third child, a girl named Lelegaotuitoga founded the village of SalegaSalegaSalega 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 :...
. Laufafaetoga ran away and returned to Tupaimatuna. She became pregnant again. The child was born before landing and was given the name Fotusamoa, hence the beginning of Safotu.
See also
- Archaeology in SamoaArchaeology in SamoaArchaeology of Samoa began with the first systematic survey of archaeological remains on Savai'i island by Jack Golson in 1957. Since then, surveys and studies in the rest of Samoa have uncovered major findings of settlements, stone and earth mounds including star mounds, Lapita pottery remains and...
- Architecture of SamoaArchitecture of SamoaThe architecture of Samoa is characterised by openness, with the design mirroring the culture and life of the Samoan people who inhabit the Samoa Islands. Architectural concepts are incorporated into Samoan proverbs, oratory and metaphors, as well as linking to other art forms in Samoa, such as...
- Fa'amataiFa'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...
, chiefly system of governance in the Samoa Islands - Samoan languageSamoan languageSamoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
- Culture of SamoaCulture of SamoaThe traditional culture of Samoa is a communal way of life based on Fa'a Samoa, the unique socio-political culture of Samoa. In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. There are 3 main parts in the Samoan culture, that is faith, family and music.The traditional living quarters, or fale ,...
- History of SamoaHistory of Samoa-Myths:According to legend, Samoa shares the common Polynesian ancestor of Tagaloa; according to many legends, Samoa was Tagaloa's first creation...