Saleaula
Encyclopedia
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. Chief council meetings are held at Vaitu’utu’u malae in the village.
(1905 - 1911) in central Savai'i swept northwards towards the coast and destroyed villages in its path.
The lava flowed over 40 square miles (103.6 km²) of countryside to the sea and also destroyed another village Salago. The depth of the lava flow in some parts was 400 feet. A Catholic church and a meetinghouse of the LDS Church were also buried.
Sale'aula land was covered by lava that reached other villages to the east including Mauga
and Samalae'ulu
.
The colonial German administration acquired land on the main island Upolu
and resettled villagers at Salamumu
and Leauva'a. Today, those villagers are still part of the Gaga'emauga electoral district on Savai'i.
Today, a few families have re-built homes upon the lava fields where there is sparse volcanic vegetation. There are some church ruins and the grave of a nun which was encircled by the lava flow. Local families provide fale
accommodation for visitors and tourists by the lava and the coast.
For the origin of Sale'aula village, one version tells of two brothers, Le'aula and Letufuga. Le'aula founded the village of Saleaula (Sa Le'aula, family of Le'aula), and Letufuga founded Safotulafai
.
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...
and is the traditional center of the 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 ...
political district. Chief council meetings are held at Vaitu’utu’u malae in the village.
Volcanic eruptions
Volcanic eruptions of Mt MatavanuMt 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....
(1905 - 1911) in central Savai'i swept northwards towards the coast and destroyed villages in its path.
The lava flowed over 40 square miles (103.6 km²) of countryside to the sea and also destroyed another village Salago. The depth of the lava flow in some parts was 400 feet. A Catholic church and a meetinghouse of the LDS Church were also buried.
Sale'aula land was covered by lava that reached other villages to the east including Mauga
Mauga
Mauga is a village in Savai'i island in Samoa. The word mauga means mountain in the Samoan language. The settlement is built around the crater of a small volcano.Mauga is in the Gaga'emauga political district near the central north coast of the island...
and Samalae'ulu
Samalae'ulu
Samalae'ulu is a village on the northeast side of Savai'i island in Samoa.The village is part of the electoral constituency Gaga'emauga I which includes the neighbouring villages of Patamea and the smaller settlement of Mauga which is built around a volcanic crater.The population of Samalae'ulu is...
.
The colonial German administration acquired land on the main island Upolu
Upolu
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest in geographic area as well as the most populated of the Samoan Islands. Upolu is situated to the east of...
and resettled villagers at Salamumu
Salamumu
Salamumu is a village on the south west coast of Upolu island in Samoa. The village has two settlements, Salamumu Uta and Salamumu Tai ....
and Leauva'a. Today, those villagers are still part of the Gaga'emauga electoral district on Savai'i.
Today, a few families have re-built homes upon the lava fields where there is sparse volcanic vegetation. There are some church ruins and the grave of a nun which was encircled by the lava flow. Local families provide 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 for visitors and tourists by the lava and the coast.
Origins
Samoa has different stories about the origins of different names and villages.For the origin of Sale'aula village, one version tells of two brothers, Le'aula and Letufuga. Le'aula founded the village of Saleaula (Sa Le'aula, family of Le'aula), and Letufuga founded Safotulafai
Safotulafai
Safotulafai is a traditional sub-district at the east end of Savai'i island with historical and political significance in Samoa's history. It is the traditional centre of Fa'asaleleaga political district....
.