Saveasi'uleo
Encyclopedia
Saveasi'uleo is the God of Pulotu
, the underworld of spirits or Hades in Samoan mythology
.
He is the father of Nafanua
the Goddess of War in Samoa
. Nafanua's mother is Tilafaiga
, the sister of Taema
another figure of Samoan mythology.
Saveasi'uleo is sometimes referred to as Elo.
The spirits of gods were able to take the form of animals and human beings and Saveasi'uleo is believed to take the form of an eel or appear as half man and half eel. His ancestors were rocks. One story says that his mother was Taufa and his father, Aloa. His brothers were Salevao and Ulufanuase'ese'e. The brothers agreed that Saveasi'uleo would go and become king in Pulotu.Saveasi'uleo would come up from his kingdom and wander the earth. There are different versions of stories told about him. He is referred to as a god and sometimes as a demon. One day Saveasi'uleo met his twin nieces Tilafaiga and Taema swimming back to Samoa from Fiti where they had learned the art of tattooing. Saveasi'uleo abducted Tilafaiga and she later gave birth to Nafanua, the goddess of war. The story of the sisters bringing a basket of tattoo tools for the pe'a
to Samoa is another well known legend.
, at the western end of the island of Savai'i
.
Pulotu
In the mythology of parts of western Polynesia , Pulotu is the underworld, the world of darkness ....
, the underworld of spirits or Hades in Samoan mythology
Samoan 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...
.
He is the father of Nafanua
Nafanua
Nafanua is the name of the revered Goddess of War in Samoa and a deity in Polynesian Mythology.According to Samoan mythology, Nafanua was the daughter of Saveasi'uleo, the God of Pulotu, Samoa's spirit world. In one legend, Nafanua's mother was Tilafaiga the sister of Taema.-Background:Nafanua is a...
the Goddess of War 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...
. Nafanua's mother is Tilafaiga
Tilafaiga
According to a legend in Samoan mythology Tilafaiga was one of the siamese twin sisters who brought the art of tatau to Samoa from Fiti...
, the sister of Taema
Taema
Taema is the name of a female figure referred to in different legends in Samoan mythology.-Different Legends:*One well known legend relates that Taema and her sister Tila faiga were the goddesses of tattooers. The sisters brought the art of tattooing to Samoa from Fiti. As they swam, the sisters...
another figure of Samoan mythology.
Saveasi'uleo is sometimes referred to as Elo.
The spirits of gods were able to take the form of animals and human beings and Saveasi'uleo is believed to take the form of an eel or appear as half man and half eel. His ancestors were rocks. One story says that his mother was Taufa and his father, Aloa. His brothers were Salevao and Ulufanuase'ese'e. The brothers agreed that Saveasi'uleo would go and become king in Pulotu.Saveasi'uleo would come up from his kingdom and wander the earth. There are different versions of stories told about him. He is referred to as a god and sometimes as a demon. One day Saveasi'uleo met his twin nieces Tilafaiga and Taema swimming back to Samoa from Fiti where they had learned the art of tattooing. Saveasi'uleo abducted Tilafaiga and she later gave birth to Nafanua, the goddess of war. The story of the sisters bringing a basket of tattoo tools for the pe'a
Pe'a
The Pe'a is the popular name of the traditional male tattoo of Samoa, which was originally called the malofie, a term used in the Samoan language chiefly vocabulary and 'respect' register .-Description:...
to Samoa is another well known legend.
Pulotu
According to Samoan beliefs, the entrance into the spiritworld Pulotu is at the village of FalealupoFalealupo
Falealupo is a village in Samoa situated at the west end of Savai'i island from the dateline. The village has two main settlements, Falealupo-Uta, situated inland by the main island highway and Falealupo-Tai, situated by the sea...
, at the western end of 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...
.