Mata o le Alelo is a village pool 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); ...
associated with the
Polynesian legend
Sina and the Eel
Sina and the Eel is a myth of origins in Samoan mythology, which explains the origins of the first coconut tree.
In the Samoan language the legend is called ''Sina ma le Tuna.'' ''Tuna'' is the Samoan word for 'eel'.
The story is also well kno ...
.
Mata o le Alelo is in the small village of Matavai, in the village district
Safune
Safune is a traditional village district on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It lies within the electoral constituency of Gaga'ifomauga. Safune is the birthplace of Mau leader Olaf Frederick Nelson and the filming location o ...
on the central north coast of
Savai'i island in Samoa.
The pool is fed by a freshwater spring which flows out towards the sea. The underground spring discharges into a pool that is about 500mm above sea level. Water can be seen boiling up to the surface at one end of the pool.
Preliminary Water Resource Investigations, Savai'i, Samoa by Ed Burke and David Scott, 1998, funded by SOPAC & CFTC. Retrieved 31 October 2009
The natural spring water flows out to a small body of water which flows out to the open ocean towards the west. Towards the north, from the far end of the pool and across the water is the southern side of the small village of Lefagaoali'i situated on a spit of land. The small house beside the pool is looked after by the women of the village who look after the pool and visitors. Overnight stay in the house can be arranged with the village.
The pool is used for drinking water where it bubbles up at the nearer south end. Until recently, the pool was the main source of fresh water for the village. Water is now piped from a larger catchment inland. The far end of the pool which flows out to sea is where children bathe.
See also
*Piula Cave Pool
Piula Cave Pool (also known as Fatumea Pool) is a natural freshwater pool by the sea beneath the historic Methodist Chapel at Piula on the north coast of Upolu island in Samoa. It is situated at Lufilufi in the political district of Atua, 26 ...
References
Tourism in Samoa
Bodies of water of Samoa
Natural pools
Gaga'ifomauga
Bodies of water of Oceania
{{Samoa-geo-stub