Auala is a small village on the northwest coast of
Savai'i island in
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 ...
. The village is in the electoral constituency of Vaisigano East which forms part of the larger political district of
Vaisigano
Vaisigano is a Districts of Samoa, political district at the western tip of Savai'i island in Samoa. The capital of the district is Asau (Samoa), Asau.
This area is also referred to as 'Itu Asau' (Asau district) in the Samoan language.
The po ...
. The village's population was 507 in 2016, a decrease from 573 in 2011.
The village has a semi-subsistence economy
and the people rely mainly on fishing, farming and remittances from family members working overseas or in
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 ...
, the country's capital on the island of
Upolu
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long and in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximatel ...
.
Like most villages in Samoa, the people live in extended family groups with all land and natural resources belonging to the village as a whole under the government of the Village Council of Chiefs (''fono'').
[ All the families are represented in the ''fono'' as well as the Women's Committee.
There are extended families made up of five families with ''tulafale'' oratory chiefly status and one of High Chief status. Auala's high chief title Tapu (''matai ali'i'').Tapu which have been passed down by many generations. The (Toalima ) five family chiefly titles that are of 2 sub families.) 1)Ta'avaomaletagaloa, 2)Moe, 3)Paiali'i are called Sa Tapu. 4)Sululoto, 5)Matamea are called Le Ati Manutai.
Auala is also known as Safune Taufa'asala the four families of Tagaloa Safune. (Fale Fa Gafua o Safune).
Auala has one malae (open area serving as the village main ceremonial commons), Falefa'aea.
The main Taupou name (Sa'oTama'ita'i) in Auala is Filiamata which is the name given to the daughter of the high chief and they perform the ]Samoa 'ava ceremony
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 and Apolima); a ...
and Taualuga.
The main Aumaga name (Sa'oAumaga) is Leota.
There are two churches in the village which has a fairly small coastal frontage fringed by a reef.[
The neighbouring villages are ]Vaisala
Vaisala Oyj () is a Finnish company that develops, manufactures and markets products and services for environmental and industrial measurement.
Their major customer groups and markets are national meteorological and hydrological services, aviat ...
and Asau.
Marine Park
Auala bay is a conservation area with a turtle habitat
Communications
The committee also run a ''feso'ota'i'' centre (telecentre/ICT centre). This makes ICT available for people to keep in touch and up-to-date with the latest technologies in the world. Fair prices and a variety of services including, internet, passport photos, family and group photos, colour printing, copying, scanning, phone, fax, webcam, projector hire and CD burning give people access to a variety of services they previously would have had to travel to the capital for.
References
{{Vaisigano
Populated places in Vaisigano