Lefaga is a village district on the south west coast of 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 approximate ...
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 and Apolima); ...
. The American movie
Return to Paradise (1953), starring
Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...
was filmed at
Matautu
Matautu is the name of different villages in Samoa. Places named Matautu are found on the two largest islands, Upolu and Savaiʻi.
Matautu, Upolu Island
On Upolu island;
*Matautu, a village located on the central north coast of the island to th ...
village in Lefaga.
The 50th anniversary celebrations of the making of the movie took place in Lefaga in November 2003.
A number of villages and districts in Samoa are called 'Matautu.'
There are seven sub-villages, ''pito nu'u'' in Lefaga;
*
Safa'atoa
*
Matafa'a
*
Falese'ela
*
Tafagamanu
*
Savaia
*
Gagaifo o le Vao
*
Matautu (Lefaga)
Lefaga was one of the areas hit by the
2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
The 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami took place on 29 September 2009 in the southern Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone. The submarine earthquake occurred in an extensional environment and had a moment magnitude of ...
with fatalities and extensive damage.
References
Populated places in A'ana
{{Samoa-geo-stub