Faasaleleaga is a

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

situated on the eastern side of Savaii island. It has a population of 13,566 (2016 Census). The traditional capital is

Safotulafai Safotulafai is a traditional village at the east end of Savai'i island with historical and political significance in Samoa's history. It is the traditional center of the island of Savaii, now became the center of Fa'asaleleaga political distr ...

where district chiefs and orators meet at Fuifatu malae. Safotulafai was the main base of the 'Mau a Pule' resistance movement against colonial rule,
International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania by Trudy Ring, Robert M. Salkin, Paul E Schellinger, Sharon La Boda, p. 726 which grew into the national

Mau movement The Mau was a nonviolence, non-violent movement for Samoan independence from colony, colonial rule during the first half of the 20th century. ''Mau'' means 'resolute' or 'resolved' in the sense of 'opinion', 'unwavering', 'to be decided', o ...

and eventually Samoa's political independence in 1962. Safotulafai also has close traditional links with

Saleaula Sale'aula is a village on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa and is the traditional center of the Gaga'emauga political district. Chief council meetings are held at Vaitu’utu’u malae in the village. The village has a populati ...

, the main village of the Gaga'emauga district. Samoan bus savaii

Faasaleleaga is a major

Malietoa Mālietoa ( ''Mālietoa'') is a state dynasty and one of the four paramount chiefly titles of Samoa. It is the titular head of one of the two great royal families of Samoa: Sā Malietoa. Literally translated as "great warrior", the title's orig ...

area with close political ties to the

Tuamasaga Tuamāsaga is a district of Samoa, with a population (2016 census) of 95,907. This makes it the most populous district in Samoa. The geographic area of Tuamasaga covers the central part of Upolu island, and includes the capital, Apia. History an ...

district on

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 ...

island. Safotulafai is always consulted by Malie village (Tuamasaga) in conjunction with Manono (

Aiga-i-le-Tai Aiga-i-le-Tai is a districts of Samoa, district of Samoa which includes the small islands of Manono Island, Manono, Apolima and tiny uninhabited Nu'ulopa lying in the Apolima Strait between the country's two main islands of Upolu and Savai'i. The ...

) in the election of Malietoa title-holders. Historically, another important village in this district is Sapapalii, where

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

, the first missionary to bring

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

to Samoa, landed in 1830. It was here that Malietoa Vaiinupo received Williams. Sapapali'i had become the second Malietoa base in the district in 1750 when Malietoa Ti'a moved here. In the 20th century,

Salelologa Salelologa () is a village district at the east end of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is the main entry point into the island with the only ferry terminal on Savai'i. It also serves as the main township for shopping and public amenities with a marke ...

has become the main township for shopping and public amenities on the island. Salelologa wharf is the main ferry terminal for inter-island passenger and vehicle boats between Savaii and Mulifanua wharf on Upolu. Maota Airport is the main airfield on the island, located 10 minutes south of Salelologa. The village of Tuasivi, 10 minutes north of Salelologa, is the main government (Malo) administration centre on the island with a district hospital, courthouses, police station and post office. Geographically, Faasaleleaga district is located at latitude (-13.67 degrees) 13° 40' 11" south of the equator and longitude (-172.12 degrees) 172° 7' 12" west of the prime meridian on the world map.

References

{{Authority control Districts of Samoa

See also

References