The Birth of Nafanua When Tilafaiga reached Pulotu, she married her father’s brother, Saveasiuleo. They had a child who was born so prematurely, it resembled a blood clot. So Tilafaiga took the blood clot and buried it in the earth. Later Saveasiuleo asked where it was, and Tilafaiga answered that it was hidden in the earth. From the blood clot grew a magnificent girl, who was named Nanaifanua (hidden in the earth), or Nafanua for short. Her parents later had a second daughter, Sualefanua.6 Meanwhile, back east in Tutuila, Seali’i had grown up and decided to visit his mother’s people in Savai’i. Travelling west, he alighted at Vaipua village in Salega district on the west coast, and set up a village there. In those days, the people of Falealupo were living as slaves of two other powerful tribes.7 Whenever a Falealupo man was sent to fetch fresh coconuts, he had to climb up the tree with his feet first. Besides being very difficult, it was also humiliating. Even the chiefs of Falealupo had to do this degrading task, and one day it was Tai’i the orator’s turn. While struggling up the coconut tree, at the command of their masters, Tai’i sighed out loud. Nafanua heard the melancholy sign all the way over in Pulotu, and this is how she learned that her parents’ village was in bondage.8 Nafanua appealed to her father Saveasiuleo, “How can I avenge the defeat of my people? I can hear them suffering up there, and I must go and help them.” Saveasiuleo replied, “very well, my dear. I shall give you war clubs which will help you to avenge the defeat of our people.” He then brought forth four war clubs. “The first club is called the Ulimasao. Use it as your boat to take you to Samoa. The second club is the Faauliulito. Use this one as your weapon in the battle. The third club is the Tafesilafai. Use this one in the battle, but only against your enemies. Be warned that you do not use it against your allies. The last club is called Faamategatau. Use this one in victory on the day you set up your malo (government) after overcoming your enemies. On that day, you will finally decide on the destiny of all Samoa. And one last thing, a major precaution, my daughter When you’re in battle, you’ll be chasing your enemies back to their land. However as soon as you reach the Pa o Fualaga at Salega (a stone wall marking a particular part of the village), you must stop and turn back, in deference to the district chief. So Nafanua bade farewell to her father and started on the long voyage back to Samoa. When Nafanua finally reached the cape at Falealupo, called Taliifiti, she was wet and tired from her long journey, so she slept right there on the beach. As she slept, two people from the village–a couple called Matuna and Matuna, walked by and saw the unfamiliar lady. So they decided to wake her up to find out whether she was a human or a ghost. So they shouted, and Nafanua immediately sat up. Matuna and Matuna were so impressed with awesome lady, that they sat down and said in wonder, “Greetings But you are all wet ”9 So Nafanua explained to the couple why she had made the long trip to Samoa, and she immediately ordered them to spread the word that a leader had arrived to help avenge Falealupo’s defeat. Hmmm. The dubious couple replied, “But where will the warriors come from? We have no able-bodied men left to form an army.” Nafanua reassured them, “That is not your worry. On the day of battle, there will be a host of spirits who will change into dragonflies and cicadas and fight the war.” So the next morning Matuna and Matuna went into the village to spread the word. “Tomorrow we will fight the Aea’i Sasae and the Aea I Sisifo (the oppressors). Everyone, make preparations now ” But the villagers just looked at the couple and had a good laugh. When the couple reported back to Nafanua, she said, “Nevermind them. Listen carefully. Tomorrow you two take the far side of the road, and I will stay here on this side. You fight over there, and I’ll fight here. If any opponents from your side break free and run across to this side, do not try to pursue them, and I will not pursue anyone who escapes to your side. You must under all circumstances keep to your side of the battle. Mark well my words ” The next afternoon, the battle began. Nafanua and the couple–Matuna and Matuna, were joined by a huge host of spirits in the form of dragonflies and cicadas, just as Nafanua had promised. Together they killed untold numbers of their opponents from Aia I Sasae and Aea I Sisifo, and drove the remaining enemy force east to Salega. Then, behind Falelima, Matuna and Matuna forgot Nafanua’s warning, and they stepped over the boundaries between their fighting spaces. Thus they came within range of the war club Tafesilafai and were killed instantly. Matuna and Matuna immediately turned to stones which are still there to this day.10 Then Nafanua continued in pursuit of the enemy. She remembered her father’s “last will”and instructions to her about turning back at the boundary of Faulaga, in deference to the chief there. It turns out that a certain chief Seali’itumatafaga, her mother’s sister’s son, was living there. So, when Nafanua reached the Pa o Fualaga, she stopped on a rise above the village and looked down at the remnants of the enemy forces, which she would not pursue any further.11 As the Salega people were resting up and catching their breath on their malae, they looked up at Nafanua and shocked at what they saw. A gust of wind had lifted her coconut-leaf breast plate and exposed her breasts for all to see. A woman, yikes The enemy folks were totally shocked and mortified. The fierce warrior who had defeated and driven them back into their own district turned out to be a woman. They were so totally shamed by this, that their malae came to be known as the Malae o le Ma (Male of Shame). After her victory Nafanua returned to Falealupo. She lived at Analega, near the mountain ridge behind Falealupo. The villagers paid homage by sending her food, and word spread to the rest of Samoa that Nafanua had established herself as a ruling chief. From all Samoa, chiefs travelled to Falealupo to pay homage to her. When the orators and chiefs from Leulumoega arrived, they immediately lifted Nafanua’s house and took it from Analega to the malae (meeting green) of Falealupo.12 One day, in a playful mood Nafanua asked the chiefs of Falealupo to go to the swimming pool with her. She dared anyone to stay underwater with her, to see who could last the longest. One by one the chiefs had to surface, while the lady warrior stayed and stayed and stayed under water. Some of the chiefs began to grumble, “We though she was a human, but now we find that she’s a ghost.” When Nafanua finally surfaced, she remarked, “I heard the grumbling, and I also know that the only ones who didn’t complain were Aiono, Misa, Vaili and Tanuvasa. Since they were the only loyal ones, I will reward them by making them the main pillars of the new government.” The Leulumoega chiefs prepared to depart for Upolu island. Before they left Nafanua spoke to them, “You will return to Upolu with the new head of state there, but one day I will come and set up the first post of the Malo (government) at Maauga and Nuuausala. Be prepared for my arrival, or you will not achieve the Malo for which you came to me. I will stay here but will pray for the successful establishment of the malo in days to come.” Whereupon, the Leulumoega chiefs departed for their island. Malietoa Fitisemanu heard that Nafanua had established her malo, so he and Su’a, another chief, travelled to Falealupo to seek positions in the new malo. When they arrived, Nafanua said, “Malietoa, you have come, but I have already given away the ‘head’ and ‘body’ of the malo. Only the ‘tail’ of the Malo is left. You shall take it with you and await a Head for your malo from Heaven.” Malietoa was satisfied, so he returned to his land. It was Malietoa’s son, Malietoa Vainupo, who was to be the catalyst for Nafanua’s prophecy to manifest, when he accepted Christianity into Samoa, that is, receiving a ‘Head’ to his Malo from heaven. Nafanua stayed on in Falealupo and proceeded to allocate status, positions and responsibilities to the people. The Le Alataua of Tufutafoe, Neiafu and Falelima went to Nafanua who told them, “Le Alataua, you will be my fighting forces who will act as peacemakers among warring factions.” The people of Sataua went to Nafanua who told them, “Sataua of the Four Houses, you will be my caretakers of the forests, so that all people will have sustenance always.” All of Falealujpo gathered together for Nafanua’s blessings, and she told them, “Falealupo, you will be my Auvaa Tapuai (reserve forces). You Fuiono, will look after the village. You Taofinuu will be the repository of knowledge for the people. You Soifua will be the peacemaker for the village. you ‘I’, will be given the name Auvaa Tapuai and will be the fourth house for the village when it meets. And lastly, you Lilialei, you have come but lately. I have given away many posts, but you shall be named Silialei, and you will dress differently when the force is in session.” Thus Nafanua gave to Samoa the governing structure that’s still in place today. #owner
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 11:25:20 +0000
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