Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

An Account of Samoan History up to 1918

Chapter I. — The ancestors of Samoa— Tumua and pule and their King

page break

Chapter I.
The ancestors of Samoa— Tumua and pule and their King.

1.

Papatu married papafoaiga and their child, a girl was named Papaele.

2.

Maataanoa married Papaele and begot a boy, Palapala.

3.

Palapala married Puleiluga and begot Puleilalonei.

4.

Maatogia married Puleilalonei and their son was named Tupufua.

5.

Tupufua married Fogataitailua and begot Masinaauele.

6.

Tagaloalagi married Masinaauele and begot Tagaloaaui. Tagaloaaui held his chiefly circle at Manu'a and it was at this circle for the first time that children were forbidden to enter. Kava was also used for the first time at this circle. This meeting was the first round table conference of chiefs ever held in Samoa.

7.

Tuiopapatea sailed to Manu'a to take part in the chiefly circle and partake of Kava. The son of a chief named Pava amused himself at this conference by stirring the kava in the bowl and Tagaloaaui said “send the boy away.” The child continued to stir the kava whereupon Tagaloaaui jumped and cut the boy's body in half with the stem of a cocoanut frond. He said to Tuiopapatea, “this is your half and this is mine.”

8.

This chief then sang a song as follows:- We two went to sea fishing-we struck the sea but only one fish named Manini was caught. Oh! Maia and Mamaifai: you two go up to heaven and look at my latasi and at the kava tree which grows in a hidden place. Foolishness has departed and the sun often shines strongly: this is the head and this is the tail: kava has only been known since you arrived from Papatea: Oh! Oh! here we have a kava bowl, a strainer and a kava cup brought from heaven. When the kava is prepared let it all be consumed.”

Tagaloaaui took hold of the boy and preparing to cut him in half said “you eat one half and I will eat the other.” Pava refused on account of his love for the boy whose life was thus spared.

9.

Tagaloaaui married Sinapapatea the daughter of Tuiopapatea. Their child was named Tagaloanimonimo.

10.

Tagaloanimonimo married Sauoleola and their two children were page 2 named Uilalamoe and Sinalagilagi, the latter was a girl.

11.

Mulumagagae married Sinalagilagi and their child was named Luaufafafua.

12.

Luaufafafua married Malamagagaifo and their son was named Lumasatagaloa.

13.

This Lu married Alofavalevale and their son was named Lutala.

14.

Lutala married Sinapulapula and their son was named Lufasiaitu. Lufasiaitu declared fowls to be sacred and from this proscription arose the name “Sa-moa.”

It is said that the family of Tagaloalagi stole the sacred fowl of Lu. Lu was angry and chased them from the first to the ninth heaven. Tagaloalagi then said to Lu, “Oh Lu! come here - you have chased us from the first to the ninth heaven - bring your anger to the Malaeoletotoa. (the spot where peace reigns.) I will give to you my daughter Lagituaiva as the price of our freedom, but spare the people.” Lu was pleased and acquiesced.

15.

Lufasiaitu married Lagituaiva and their child was named Lupoto.

16.

Lupoto married Sinamalaeloa and their children were named Lunofo, Lutaoto and Luatausilinuu.

17.

Luatausilinuu married Lagiaunoa. They named their child, a girl, Lagimafola.

18.

Tagaloalagiapuapumoea married Lagimafola and begot Pilipau.

19.

Pilipau married Sinalesaee the daughter of Tuimanua and begot Piliaau.

20.

Piliaau married Sinaletavae the daughter of Tuiaanaletavaetele and their children founded Tua and Ana and Saga and Tolufale. These districts were named Atau, Aana, Tuamasaga and Manono. Piliiau made a fishing net. There is a Samoan saying “The net of Piliaau hangs up to dry but is still available for fishing.” (an exhortation not to be discouraged if the first attempt is unsuccesful.) So many fish were caught that many were returned to the sea. Piliaau appointed his sons to undertake various work. Tua was appointed to take charge of the taro stick and the business of work; Ana was appointed to the spear and the war club and the business of fighting; Saga was appointed to the Fue (fly whisk) of the orator and the stick used when talking and to the business of speech-making. Tolufale was put in charge of boats and fishing nets.

page 3
21.

Ana married Sinalemana and their children were named Lematofaaana and Moaoaana.

22.

Lematofaaana married Sinaletula and their child was called Veta.

23.

Veta married Afulilo and they had one child named Toso.

24.

Toso married Titilagipupula the daughter of Tuimanua and begot Siutoso.

25.

Siutoso married Iatapalemalama and begot Siutaulalovasa.

26.

Siutaulalovasa married Lulai and Lulana. The first woman bore him Too and the second, Ata.

27.

Ata married Faaluaumi of Moamoa and their son was named Siufeai.

28.

Siufeai married Polatele of Utapola. Their son was named Siulefuaolelaumalo.

29.

Siulefaolelaumalo married Aigmasitele and begot Feepo.

30.

Feepo married Leipalatele the daughter of Niu of Ofalau and begot Leatiogie. This was the boy who caused Feepo to clap his hands when he saw him skilfully playing the game of Aigofie. (fighting with sticks.)

31.

Atiogie married Tauaiupolu the daughter of Ale of Toamua and their first child was named Lealaili. The other children were named Savea, Tuna, Fata, Veatauia, Leimuli (boys) and a girl named Lealaiaolo. These brothers were likened to a yam and its tubers. During a time of famine Atiogie found a yam with six tubers. He took these tubers one at a time to his father during the scarcity of food. The father was pleased with his son. The father subsequently had six sons which he likened to the tubers of the yam. In view of what had happened it was only fitting that his daughter should be named Ofuofumoe. Her other name was Alaiolo.

32.

The Tongans were in authority in Samoa at this time and the King of Tonga ordered these sons to roll away a stone which blocked the road round the cape at Matauea, Safotu and caused the road to be diverted. He said that if the brothers failed in their efforts to remove the stone they would be killed. The efforts of the brothers failed. Lealali then said “let someone go to Upolu to the son of our sister called Ulumasiu.” Ulumasiu was found in the house of his father, Tagaloa in Falelatai. He went to Savai'i and after examining the stone discovered that it was hollow. He went to the page 4 stream at Manase and caught some eels. He then went to the sea and procured some cuttlefish and seasnakes. On his way back he collected some mud. This mud he put inside the stone with the fish and poking a stick in the hole in the stone he called his brothers and said to them “go and roll away the stone whilst you sing this song.” “Oh eels and snakes and cuttlefish, you must roll this stone away.” The brothers did so and the stone was removed. They were thus saved when their lives were in imminent danger of being taken.

33.

The Tongan fleet again came to Samoa and anchored at Mulifanua. Ulumasui stole the stick of the King of Tonga from his boat. The stick was made from the Toa tree. He took the stick to Falelatai and dropped it on the Malae. The people of Samoa stood and looked at the stone. Ulumasui said to them, “dont stand and look at the stick - sit down and do so.” As a result of this incident there is a spot called Matanofo in Falelatai. The stick was taken from Matanofo and divided in the mountains of Falelatai. Later on the cleanly fashioned parts (clubs) were taken and buried in the malae in Pue Mutiatele. The war to drive out the Tongans was then planned. Tuna and Fata were appointed to operate in the back country and Ulumasui and Tupuloa were put in charge of the Aana district. A dance was given on the malae by the Samoans for the Tongans. That day was called Matamatame. A song was sung whilst the dance was in progress - “Matamatame, Matamatame, let down your foot but catch hold of your war stick and let the blow against Tonga be a might one.” Clubs were thereupon raised and the Tongans pursued. All districts alike chased the Tongans. Tuna and Fata kept to the back country and Ulumasui and Tupuola to the Aana district. The Samoans met at Mulifanua and drove the Tongans into the sea where their fleet was anchored. At this juncture Talaaifei'i, the King of Tonga, made the following speech: Malietoa, Malietau - (well fought) let us give over this business of war and remember this - I will not again come to Samoa except to pay a friendly visit.” This agreement has been kept down to the present time. This incident was the commencement of the Malietoa page 5 line and the agreement was called the agreement of Tulatala.

34.

The brothers gathered while the King of Tonga was making his speech and wrangled over the title “Malietoa.” They fought with clubs until they were both prostrate. Saven went to them and putting one foot on Fata and the other on Tuna said “Live Fata and live Tuna” and thus originated the proverb “Savea stands on both feet and one prayer for Fata and one for Tuna” (one prayer for both.) Savea then said to Tuna and Fata “let both of you agree that I, Savea, shall hold the title.” Savea thus became the first of this name, Malietoa, and his descendants have held the title down to the present day.

35.

The brothers deliberated on the question as to who should have the authority in Samoa and it was agreed that the pule should be divided between Savea and Lealali. Savea lived in Tuamasaga with his Tumua and Alataua and Lealali resided in Aana with his Tumua and Alataua.

36.

Paepule and Suga went to Savea and said “reconsider your decision and stop the appointments as Suga was absent.” Savea replied that the appointments had been made and that Lealali had departed with his Tumua and Alataua. The Tumua and Alataua which I hold I give to you. I will remain here with my title Laumua. This was done and the incident is known as the division of Faleali'i.