17:
155:
own territory. One tradition holds that she forgot her father's order, and it was only when the wind blew strong enough to lift her tiputa (coverings) that she remembered. The enemy warriors surrendered in shame when they realised that they had been outclassed by a woman. There are a few different interpretations of some of the events, but
Nafanua is widely accepted in Polynesia as one of the greatest warriors.
202:
from his boat into the hands of
Malietoa Vainuʻupo, the son of Malietoa Fitisemanu. Thus, Malietoa Vainuʻupo became known as "the King whom Samoa listens to". King Malietoa became one of the kings of Samoa and he was instrumental in uniting all of Samoa. These events were considered by many to have
154:
Before leaving for battle
Saveasiʻuleo ordered Nafanua, "A paʻia le pa i Fuʻalaga, aʻe le tuli auʻa le Aliʻi o Aiga". This translates to Nafanua being ordered to stop the killing when she reached the village of Fualaga. Over the course of battle, Nafanua forced the enemy back to the border of their
111:
During
Nafanua's time, the eastern and western sides of Savaiʻi were engaged in a war for the land and title of the entire island. In Samoan culture, a family is more prestigious if they own a lot of land; and family members (especially males) receive greater titles and a bigger share of the land.
150:
Immediately
Nafanua cut down the Toa tree and left it there to dry. A few days later, she returned to the area where the Toa tree was cut and discovered that the tree had attracted many Pule (seashells). "E gase toa ae ola pule". Literally this means that the shells are living but the Toa tree is
115:
One of the villagers that
Lilomaiava caught was Taʻiʻi, the uncle of Nafanua and the older brother of Saveasiʻuleo. Taʻiʻi was punished and was forced to climb the coconut tree feet first. As he was climbing the coconut tree, the pain and humiliation caused him to sigh loudly. Taʻiʻi's sighs were
189:
It was in
Falealupo, one tradition holds, that Nafanua foretold the coming of Christianity. After years of war, Malietoa Fitisemanu wanted to unite Samoa and end the bloodshed, so he came to Nafanua. After many days, Nafanua prophesied onto Malietoa Fitisemanu, "Faʻatali i lagi se ao o lou malo"
143:
The war ended because
Nafanua's apana (shirt) was blown upward by the wind revealing her breasts. Up to this time the men did not know she was a woman. When they discovered that she was a woman, they decided to end the war. They felt humiliated because there was only one woman among several men
135:
Faʻamategataua - This weapon is a second reserve weapon and is considered to be the most dangerous weapon of them all. In fact, according to the late
Silivelio Suafoʻa (orator of this legend), this war club was never meant to be used. It was fortunate that Nafanua did not need to use the fourth
127:
Faʻauliʻulito - This is the weapon that
Nafanua had made and given to Matuna and Matuna to use while fighting. She asked them to attack the enemy from the side, so that she could meet the enemy in the middle and try to reach a compromise of peace and harmony. She warned Matuna and Matuna to be
123:
Ta Fesilafaʻi - This was her first and primary weapon and she used it most of the time during the battle. It is shaped like a wide hook facing side out and has three to four pointed sharp teeth facing side ways. During wartime, this weapon is plain and not painted or
116:
overheard by Saveasiʻuleo and Nafanua. This made Savesiʻuleo angry; consequently he told Nafanua to prepare for war and to cut down the Toa tree. The wood from the tree was to be used to make weapons to drive away Lilomaiava and his army.
136:
weapon called “Weapon of Death”. Legend has it that it is so powerful that if used it would kill everyone including her family. This weapon is shaped like a spear but has teeth on both sides. The number of teeth varies from five to seven.
182:. Often chiefs from distant villages and islands would come to Falealupo to seek Nafanua's blessings before beginning any military adventure. In 1989, the Chiefs and Orators of Falealupo bestowed the title of Nafanua on ethnobotanist
107:
Nafanua was bestowed the title of Toa/Toa Tamaʻitaʻi (or Warrior Princess) for avenging her uncle and bringing peace to Savaiʻi through military victories. Her village was located on the western side of the island of Savaiʻi.
131:
Ulimasao - This weapon is considered a stand-by weapon to be used to end war and bring peace. The word "Ulimasao" also means driving safely. It is shaped like a canoe paddle with round, smooth sides and one pointed
151:
dead. But metaphorically speaking, although we have great strength and power as human beings, we do not succeed if we do not have wisdom to make a good, solid decision. It takes courage to make wise decisions.
112:
According to oral tradition, when High Chief Lilomaiava caught anyone from the east side on the west side of the island, he would force them to climb a coconut tree upside-down as a public punishment
58:
There are historical and mythological traditions about Nafanua's family and life. She reportedly played a crucial role in the civil wars between the districts of eastern and western
347:
351:
158:
After her victory, Nafanua took possession of the four major chiefly titles of the district: Tui Atua, Tui Aʻana, Gatoʻaitele, and Tamasoaliʻi, reconstituting the
477:
128:
careful as it was difficult for her to spot the enemy. As for the shape of the weapon, it looks like a plain stick but has a rounded, thick, heavy and wide edge.
413:
517:
186:
for his conservation efforts in protecting the Samoan rainforest. The title was formally registered with the Samoan Lands and Title Court.
532:
446:
331:
300:
87:. Pulotu was both a historical place, and a place of the afterlife for the warriors of Samoa (comparable to the Viking concept of
542:
321:
522:
436:
231:
191:
140:
These weapons are now considered the traditional Samoan weapons, and are used today more so as decorative objects.
421:
512:
226:
16:
537:
527:
370:
Lesuma (2019). "Sā Nafanuā: Reconstituting Nafanua as Female Empowerment in Samoan Diasporic Literature".
239:
52:
471:
395:
341:
246:
119:
She made the following four weapons from the Toa (also known as Koa) wood. They are as follows:
442:
387:
327:
296:
259:
379:
264:
76:
212:
178:
is the home of Nafanua. Falealupo is also the site of the entryway into the spirit world
80:
220:
506:
399:
235:
216:
195:
183:
383:
159:
290:
269:
175:
59:
391:
171:
92:
88:
190:("Wait upon heaven, a crown for your kingdom"). In 1830, the missionary
99:, the legendary conjoined twins, whom brought the malu tattoo to Samoa.
292:
O Tama a ʻāiga:The Politics of Succession to Sāmoa's Paramount Titles
179:
84:
245:
Nafanua, the name of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa -
234:
operated by the Western Samoa Police Department. It was provided to
323:
Coming of Age in American Anthropology: Margaret Mead and Paradise
199:
96:
40:
15:
162:(chiefly system of government) that continues in Samoa today.
24:(shirt), similar to the one worn by Nafanua during the wars
51:
titles of Samoa. After her death she became a goddess in
495:. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 58.
491:Calder, Alex; Lamb, Jonathan; Orr, Bridget (1999).
493:Voyages and Beaches: Pacific Encounters, 1769-1840
194:arrived on the shores (mataniʻu feagaimaleata) of
414:"Samoa: Cure aids conservation by Michael Field"
43:from the Sā Tonumaipeʻa clan, who took the four
8:
346:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
242:as part of the Pacific Patrol Boat Program.
476:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
438:Samoa, a Hundred Years Ago and Long Before
350:) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
91:). In one tradition, Nafanua's mother was
83:, also considered a demigod, the Aliʻi of
295:. Suva: University of the South Pacific.
281:
469:
464:Nafanua: Saving the Samoan Rain Forest
339:
7:
365:
363:
361:
462:Cox, P. A.; Freeman, W.H. (1997).
14:
372:The Journal of American Folklore
289:Tuimalealiifano, Morgan (2006).
435:Turner, George (October 2006).
203:fulfilled Nafanua's prophecy.
47:(district) titles, the leading
384:10.5406/jamerfolk.132.525.0260
1:
518:Legendary Polynesian people
232:Pacific Forum patrol vessel
559:
79:, she was the daughter of
533:16th-century women rulers
170:In Samoa, the village of
326:. Universal-Publishers.
249:, Auckland, New Zealand.
543:Women in war in Oceania
215:, an active underwater
174:on the western side of
25:
240:Australian Government
19:
523:Polynesian goddesses
418:New Zealand Listener
320:upo, Isaia (1999).
53:Polynesian religion
144:fighting the war.
35:(chief/queen) and
26:
260:Military of Samoa
230:is the name of a
31:was a historical
550:
497:
496:
488:
482:
481:
475:
467:
459:
453:
452:
441:. Echo Library.
432:
426:
425:
420:. Archived from
410:
404:
403:
367:
356:
355:
345:
337:
319:
313:
307:
306:
286:
265:History of Samoa
207:Other references
198:and brought the
147:Suafoa – Tauaʻi
77:Samoan mythology
558:
557:
553:
552:
551:
549:
548:
547:
503:
502:
501:
500:
490:
489:
485:
468:
461:
460:
456:
449:
434:
433:
429:
412:
411:
407:
369:
368:
359:
338:
334:
317:
315:
314:
310:
303:
288:
287:
283:
278:
256:
213:Nafanua Volcano
209:
168:
105:
73:
68:
12:
11:
5:
556:
554:
546:
545:
540:
535:
530:
525:
520:
515:
513:Samoan deities
505:
504:
499:
498:
483:
454:
447:
427:
424:on 2008-10-21.
405:
378:(525): 265–6.
357:
332:
308:
301:
280:
279:
277:
274:
273:
272:
267:
262:
255:
252:
251:
250:
243:
223:
221:American Samoa
208:
205:
167:
164:
138:
137:
133:
129:
125:
104:
101:
95:the sister of
72:
69:
67:
64:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
555:
544:
541:
539:
538:War goddesses
536:
534:
531:
529:
528:Samoan chiefs
526:
524:
521:
519:
516:
514:
511:
510:
508:
494:
487:
484:
479:
473:
465:
458:
455:
450:
448:9781406833713
444:
440:
439:
431:
428:
423:
419:
415:
409:
406:
401:
397:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
366:
364:
362:
358:
353:
349:
343:
335:
333:9781581128451
329:
325:
324:
312:
309:
304:
302:9789820203778
298:
294:
293:
285:
282:
275:
271:
268:
266:
263:
261:
258:
257:
253:
248:
244:
241:
237:
236:Western Samoa
233:
229:
228:
224:
222:
218:
217:volcanic cone
214:
211:
210:
206:
204:
201:
197:
193:
192:John Williams
187:
185:
184:Paul Alan Cox
181:
177:
173:
165:
163:
161:
156:
152:
148:
145:
141:
134:
130:
126:
122:
121:
120:
117:
113:
109:
102:
100:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
78:
75:According to
70:
65:
63:
61:
56:
54:
50:
46:
42:
39:(warrior) of
38:
34:
30:
23:
18:
492:
486:
463:
457:
437:
430:
422:the original
417:
408:
375:
371:
322:
311:
291:
284:
225:
188:
169:
157:
153:
149:
146:
142:
139:
118:
114:
110:
106:
81:Saveasiʻuleo
74:
57:
48:
44:
36:
32:
28:
27:
21:
466:. New York.
20:Example of
507:Categories
276:References
270:Salamasina
196:Sapapaliʻi
124:decorated.
472:cite book
400:199274411
392:0021-8715
342:cite book
172:Falealupo
166:Falealupo
160:faʻamatai
103:Adulthood
93:Tilafaiga
254:See also
247:Avondale
89:Valhalla
238:by the
227:Nafanua
176:Savaiʻi
60:Savaiʻi
29:Nafanua
445:
398:
390:
330:
316:Malopa
299:
180:Pulotu
85:Pulotu
71:Family
22:tiputa
396:S2CID
318:'
200:Bible
132:edge.
97:Taema
49:aliʻi
41:Samoa
33:aliʻi
478:link
443:ISBN
388:ISSN
352:link
348:link
328:ISBN
297:ISBN
66:Life
45:pāpā
380:doi
376:132
219:in
37:toa
509::
474:}}
470:{{
416:.
394:.
386:.
374:.
360:^
344:}}
340:{{
62:.
55:.
480:)
451:.
402:.
382::
354:)
336:.
305:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
