ʻAmanave, American Samoa

Amanave () is a village on the coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is located close to the island's western tip, Cape Taputapu, and to the south of the village of Poloa. It is located in Lealataua County.

Amanave was severely damaged by the 2009 tsunami. However, of a population of about 500 residents, no deaths were recorded. When the tsunami approached, emergency information was sent by radio and a bell rang in the village. After the tsunami, some residents followed the advice of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and moved into houses on a higher elevation.

Its mayor Aveao Faausu Fonoti received the Community Resiliency Leadership Award at the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center in 2010, due to his handling of the 2009 tsunami. The executive director of the center told reporters: "In spite of the fact that something like eighty percent of his village was destroyed, there were no casualties. And based on our research we found that many lives were saved because of his bravery, his leadership, his knowledge."

The village is in an area which is renowned for its rugged volcanic coastline. After its confluence with its tributaries near central parts of the village, Laloafu Stream discharges into the Pacific from Amanave Bay.

History

The first formal school established on the island was Atauloma Girls School in Amanave, which opened in 1900–1901. Although originally located in the village of Amanave, it was later relocated to Afao. Remains from the historic site can still be viewed on the top of the hill in the Atauloma area of Afao village.

During World War II, the single-lane roads which for long had been connecting Alofau in the east to Amanave in the west proved inadequate for military requirements. They were therefore replaced by a two-lane, coral-rock-surface road, which could handle the heavy military vehicles.

In 2009, ʻAmanave was one of the earliest hit and hardest hit villages in American Sāmoa during the 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami. Located at sea level, the tsunami waves destroyed or caused major damage
to every building in the village.

Landmarks

* Cape Taputapu National Natural Landmark is an exhibit of offshore volcanic rocks, shoreline, and blowholes sculpted by waves. Large sculptures of erosion-resistant volcanic rock dot the water shore, and one of these islets is a volcanic vent through which lava poured during the major episode of volcanism that made Tutuila. The total area designated as a U.S. National Natural Landmark is . It is the westernmost point on Tutuila Island, located just beyond Amanave.
* Amanave Village Marine Protected Area
* Palagi Beach, a beach on Loa inlet, just past Amanave and east of Cape Taputapu. It can only be reached by boat or hiking when low tide from the very west end of Amanave. The trailhead begins just before the road turns to go over the mountain to the north side. The beach is a long stretch of white sand beach lined with coconut trees.

Demographics

The 1990 U.S. census reported 53 houses in Amanave. The proportion of Amanave inhabitants born outside of American Samoa was 17% in the early 1980s and 29% in the late 1980s. In 1990, 43 percent of village residents were born outside of American Samoa.

Economy

As of 1995, business license records from the government show eleven commercial enterprises based in the village. Businesses included five grocery stores, a retail shop, a gas station, and several bus companies. There is also banana production on the western side of the village, upslope from the shoreline road near Malama Point. Coconut production occurred east of Amanave on the south side of Leafu Stream.

Flora

Utusiva Island is located in ʻAmanave Bay and is known for its diverse vegetation. The islet is home to various species of shrubs and trees, including Desmodium umbellatum, Morinda citrifolia, Premna obtusifolia, Ficus scabra, Gardenia taitensis, and Barringtonia asiatica. Additionally, tree species such as Cocos nucifera (coconut palm), Thespesia populnea, Pisonia grandis, Grewia crenata, Diospyros elliptica, and Ficus tinctoria are found on the island. This rich assortment of plant life contributes to the ecological significance of Utusiva Island.Whistler, W. Arthur (April 1980): “The Vegetation of Eastern Samoa”. Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden. Page 89. Retrieved on November 30, 2024, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349619846_The_Vegetation_of_Eastern_Samoa

References

{{American Samoa

Amanave
Amanave