Vailele
Encyclopedia
Vailele is a village situated on the central north coast of Upolu
island in Samoa
.
Vailele is in the electoral constituency (faipule district) of Vaimauga East in the larger political district of Tuamasaga
.
The village is less than ten minutes east of the country's capital, Apia. The settlement is north facing and situated in Vailele Bay.
became bankrupt.
Much of the village land lost during colonialism
is now owned by the government operated Western Samoa Trust Estate Corporation (WSTEC). Financial difficulties by WSTEC in the late 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the sale of land in Vailele. However, the government returned some of the land to villagers in Vailele and neighbouring villages Lauli'i
and Letogo.
The studies of the mounds during the early 1940s were carried out by New Zealand anthropologist Derek Freeman
(referred to as J.D. Freeman in literature) who was a schoolteacher in Samoa from April 1940 to November 1943. Freeman also excavated the Falemauga Caves
in Upolu's interior. Plainware pottery sherds were found in 1957 by archaeologist Jack Golson
.
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...
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...
.
Vailele is in the electoral constituency (faipule district) of Vaimauga East in the larger political district of Tuamasaga
Tuamasaga
Tuamasaga is a district of Samoa, with a population of 83,191. The geographic area of Tuamasaga covers the central part of Upolu island....
.
The village is less than ten minutes east of the country's capital, Apia. The settlement is north facing and situated in Vailele Bay.
Historical
In the 1800s, the large Vailele Plantation inland was owned by the German company, Deutsche Handels und Plantagen Gesellschaft (DHPG) which employed workers from the Melanesian islands. DHPG was a major plantation owner in Samoa. It had formerly traded in the Pacific as Godeffroys but changed its name and expanded operations in Samoa when the family's parent company in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
became bankrupt.
Much of the village land lost during colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
is now owned by the government operated Western Samoa Trust Estate Corporation (WSTEC). Financial difficulties by WSTEC in the late 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the sale of land in Vailele. However, the government returned some of the land to villagers in Vailele and neighbouring villages Lauli'i
Laulii
Lauli'i is a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. It is located on the central north coast of the island to the east of the capital Apia. Lauli'i is part of Vaimauga East Electoral Constituency which forms part of the larger political district of Tuamasaga. The population of Lauli'i is 1,964...
and Letogo.
Archaeology
Archaeological field work in Samoa uncovered earth mounds at Vailele, including a large mound Laupule, associated with a figure called Tupuivao in oral history and another mound Tapuitea (evening star).The studies of the mounds during the early 1940s were carried out by New Zealand anthropologist Derek Freeman
Derek Freeman
John Derek Freeman was a New Zealand anthropologist best known for his criticism of Margaret Mead's work in Samoan society, as described in her 1928 ethnography Coming of Age in Samoa...
(referred to as J.D. Freeman in literature) who was a schoolteacher in Samoa from April 1940 to November 1943. Freeman also excavated the Falemauga Caves
Falemauga Caves
The Falemauga Caves are large natural caverns in a series of lava-tunnels situated in the Tuamasaga district along the central ridge of Upolu island in Samoa. The caves have been studied by archaeologists in Samoa with evidence of human occupation in pre-history...
in Upolu's interior. Plainware pottery sherds were found in 1957 by archaeologist Jack Golson
Jack Golson
Jack Golson is an archaeologist who has done extensive field work in Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia. He has made important and pioneering contributions to the world of archaeology....
.
Notable people
- Mikaele PesaminoMikaele PesaminoMikaele Pesamino is a rugby union player in the Samoa Sevens team. He is one of the highest point scorers in the 2009–2010 IRB Sevens World Series.Pesamino was born in Vailele on the island of Upolu in Samoa....
, a rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player in the Samoa SevensSamoa national rugby union team (sevens)The Samoa national rugby union team represent Samoa internationally in rugby sevens, a competitive sports tournament titled the IRB Sevens World Series which takes place annually in seven countries; United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, England and...
team which represents SamoaSamoaSamoa , 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...
internationally in rugby sevensRugby sevensRugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
. - Simaika MikaeleSimaika MikaeleSimaika Mikaele is a rugby union player in the Samoa Sevens team. He is one of the world's best Seven's rugby players and has represented Samoa since 2001.Mikaele is from Vailele on the island of Upolu in Samoa...
, also a rugby union player in the Samoa SevensSamoa national rugby union team (sevens)The Samoa national rugby union team represent Samoa internationally in rugby sevens, a competitive sports tournament titled the IRB Sevens World Series which takes place annually in seven countries; United Arab Emirates, South Africa, New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Australia, England and...
team