Alafua is an
urban village
In urban planning and design, an urban village is an urban development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianization and public space. Contemporary urban village ide ...
in the
Faleata District in the
Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
n capital of
Apia
Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō ...
.
Alafua had 1,347 residents according to the 2016 census. The village is home to the Samoan campus of the
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public university, public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and ...
. It is also near the
Robert Louis Stevenson School, which is a private school in the neighboring village of
Lotopa Lotopa is a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. It is situated on the north central side of the island near the country's capital Apia. The village is in the political district of Tuamasaga
Tuamāsaga is a district of Samoa, with a population ...
located about one minute away from the village.
Many European families that migrated to Samoa are living in Alafua such as the Huffnagel, Arp, Wendt and Stünzner families. Alafua also has two high schools, which are
St. Joseph's College run by the
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers of the Schools, commonly known as simply the Marist Brothers, is an international community of Catholic religious institute of brothers. In 1817, St. Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest from France, founded the Marist Brother ...
and
Don Bosco Tech run by the
Salesian Fathers.
Also known to be an upper class
suburban
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
area because of the area not being like other Samoan villages having curfews and village leaders called ''
Matais''.
Religion in Alafua is mostly Christian at 98%, with 1% atheism and 1% other religions. Alafua only has one church meetinghouse, which belongs to
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church).
References
Populated places in Samoa
{{Samoa-geo-stub