Stories were told, generation to generation
By: Ete Alalamua Savini

And God Created Samoa

Samoans accept the scientific theory that Polynesian originally migrated to the islands from Southeast Asia by way of Indonesia. However, they believe this applies to Maoris, Hawaiians, Tongans, Rarotongans, Easter Islanders and Tahitians but not to themselves. Their land is the "cradle of Polynesia."

The god Tagaloa, they say, created Samoa, and their story is remarkably similar to the account given in the Bible in the book of Genesis.

Before the sea, earth, sky, plants or people existed, Tagaloa lived in the expanse of empty space. He created a rock, commanding it to split into clay, coral, cliffs and stones. As the rock broke apart, the earth, sea and sky came into being. From a bit of the rock emerged a spring of fresh water.

Next, Tagaloa created man and woman, whom he named Fatu and 'Ele'ele ('heart and 'earth'), He sent them to the region of fresh water and commanded them to people the area. The sky, which was called Tu'ite'elagi, he ordered to prop itself up on the earth. Using starch and teve, a bitterroot plant and the only vegetation then available, he made a post for it to rest upon.

The god then then created Po and Ao ('nigh' and 'day'), which bore the "eyes of the sky" - the sun and the moon. At the same time Tagaloa made the nine regions of heaven, inhabited by various gods.

In the meantime, Fatu and 'Ele'ele were adding men and women to the area of fresh water. Tagaloa, reckoning that all these earthlings needed some form of government, sent Manu'a, another son of Po and Ao, to be the chief of the people.

From that time on, Samoan tupu (kings), were called Tu'i Manu'a tele ma Samoa atoa, or "king of Manu'a and all Samoa".

Next, the countries were divided into islands or groups of islands. The world now consisted of Manu'a, Fiji, Tonga, Savai'i. Up popped Upolu and then Tutuila.

Tagaloa's final command, before he returned to the expanse, was: "Always respect Manu'a; anyone who fails to do so will be overtaken by catastrophe, but men are free to do as they please in their own lands". Thus, Manu'a became the spiritual center of the Samoan islands and, to some extent, of all Polynesia.
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