Samoan culture tells stories of many different deities. There were deities of the forest, the seas, rain, harvest, villages, and war.
There were two types of deities, ''atua'', who had non-human origins, and ''aitu'', who were of human origin.
Tagaloa was a supreme god who made the islands and the people.
Mafuiʻe In Samoan mythology, Mafuie is the god of earthquakes. He dwells in the volcanic regions below the Earth, and has only one arm.
Mafuie was also the keeper of fire. Tiitii, a demigod, won the fire from him in a battle; thus, fire was brought to the ...
was the god of
earthquakes
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...
. There were also a number of war deities.
Nafanua, Samoa's warrior goddess hails from the village of
Falealupo at the western end of
Savai'i island, which is also the site of the entry into
Pulotu, the spirit world. She also is regarded as a peace bringer, having brought peace to Savai'i through winning the wars between the two regions of the island.
Tilafaiga is the mother of Nafanua. Nafanua's father,
Saveasi'uleo, was the god of Pulotu.
Another well-known legend tells of two sisters, Tilafaiga, the mother of Nafanua, and
Taema, bringing the art of tattooing to Samoa from Fiti.
A figure of another legend is
Tui Fiti, who resides at
Fagamalo village in the village district of
Matautu. The village of
Falelima is associated with a dreaded spirit deity called, ''Nifoloa''. The
Mata o le Alelo
Mata o le Alelo is a village pool in Samoa associated with the Polynesian legend Sina and the Eel.
Mata o le Alelo is in the small village of Matavai, in the village district Safune on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa.
The po ...
'Eyes of the Demon' freshwater pool from the Polynesian legend
Sina and the Eel is situated in the village of Matavai on the northern coast in the village district of
Safune.
Fetu ("star") is the god of the night. His wife is
Ele'ele.
Samoan mythology is a variant of a more general
Polynesian mythology in the
Samoa Islands.
Prominent entries on Samoan mythology
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Afa
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Atonga
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Atu
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Faʻatiu
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Fisaga
Fisaga in Samoan mythology is a light and the gentle breeze. In one Samoan legend, Tiʻitiʻi
In Samoan legend, the mythological figure Tiitii Atalaga appears in legends very similar to those recounting the tales of the demigod Māui, found in ot ...
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Ila
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Losi
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Mafuiʻe In Samoan mythology, Mafuie is the god of earthquakes. He dwells in the volcanic regions below the Earth, and has only one arm.
Mafuie was also the keeper of fire. Tiitii, a demigod, won the fire from him in a battle; thus, fire was brought to the ...
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Moso's Footprint
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Nafanua
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Pulotu
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Sava
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Savali
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Saveasiʻuleo
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Sina and the Eel
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Taema
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Tagaloa
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Tinilau
In Polynesian mythology, stories about Tinirau are found throughout the islands of Polynesia. He is a guardian of fish. Many themes recur in the various versions. Often he travels to another land in search of his wife, or his wife travels to ...
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Tiʻitiʻi
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Tui Fiti
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Upolu
See also
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Culture of Samoa
The traditional culture of Samoa is a communal way of life based on Fa'a Samoa, the unique socio-political culture. In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. The traditional living quarters, or '' fale'' (houses), contain no walls and ...
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Polynesian mythology
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Hawaiian religion
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Samoan proverbs
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Religion in Samoa
References
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