History
According to one legend, Tagaloa-a-lagi (the Samoan supreme god), entered Upolu, Savai'i and Tonga from Manu'a island on the eastern tip of the Samoan archipelago. The political divisions of Upolu are said to be traced to his son, Pili. Pili had three sons - Tua, 'Ana (who were twins) and Saga, after whom the political divisions of Upolu are named. Tua founded the political district of Ātua (literally, 'that of Tua'), which comprised the eastern third of Upolu island. 'Ana founded Ā'ana ('that of Ana), a political district on the western third of the island. The third son, Saga, was born after the twins and so the district he founded was called Tuamasaga ('after the twin'). This was the geographical region between Ā'ana and Ātua districts. Since then, the three political districts of Upolu have been called Ātua, Ā'ana and Tuamasaga.Geography
Located on the eastern third of Upolu, the geography of Atua comprises the mountainous interior separating the northern and southern coasts, the long sandy beaches of the southern coast from Aleipata to Poutasi, and the rocky coastline of Anoama'a in the north. Within Atua is the small itumalo of Va'a o Fonoti, a separate political district surrounded by Atua. The island of Tutuila is a traditional exclave of Atua and is its easternmost point located in what is nowGovernance
The Tui Atua title is bestowed at Mulinu'ū ma Sepolata'emo, in Lufilufi, the capital of Ātua by the ''Faleono'' (House of six) orator group of Lufilufi, who are vested with the authority to appoint the Tui Atua and whose authority is reflected by its title as ''Matua o Ātua'', (the elder of Ātua). These six tulafale also summon the Fale Atua (what can be called the 'parliament' of Ātua), to ascertain its members views on a prospective holder of their papa title when the title is vacant. This 'parliament' comprises the six tulafale of Lufilufi and 13 other senior matai from throughout Ātua. Of those 13 matai, nine are tulafale and four are ali'i. The members of Ātua's governing parliament form an exclusive group, as only the most senior matai in Ātua can sit in it. The Fale Atua (''The Tui Atua
The line of Tui Atua extends far back into the early history of Samoa, beyond that of Queen Salamasina's reign, to the sons of Pili, descendant of the Tui Manu'a (sovereign of Manu'a). According to legend, Tagaloa-a-lagi (Samoa's supreme god), entered Upolu, Savai'i and Tonga from Manu'a island on the eastern tip of the Samoan archipelago. The political divisions of Upolu are said to be traced to his son, Pili. Pili had three sons - Tua, 'Ana (who were twins) and Saga, after whom the political divisions of Upolu are named. Tua founded the political district of Ātua (literally, 'that of Tua'), which comprised the eastern third of Upolu island. 'Ana founded Ā'ana ('that of Ana), a political district on the western third of the island. The third son, Saga, was born after the twins and so the district he founded was called Tuamasaga ('after the twin'). This was the geographical region between Ā'ana and Ātua districts. Since then, the three political districts of Upolu have been called Ātua, Ā'ana and Tuamasaga. Prior to the reign of Queen Salamasina, the Tui Atua was held at different times by the ranking ''alii'' of Atua, including Lufasiaitu and Mua'iteleloa of Fagaloa, Leutele of Falefa (known as Tui Atua Leuteleleiite), and the tulafale-alii polities of Fuataga and Tafua in Aleipata. From the first Tui Atua to Queen Salamasina and then from her to her descendants, the title has passed down along these lineages according to the prevalent power of the time. Since the rise of the ''tama-a-aiga'' Tupua Tamasese and later, Mata'afa in the late 1700s, the Tui Atua mantle has remained exclusively between these two, with the exception of Malietoa Vainuupo, Malietoa Moli and Sualauvi I holding it in the aftermath of multiple conflicts.Tui Atua from Salamasina to Tupua Tamasese Efi
Tui Atua from the time of Tafa'ifā Salamasina onwards: *Tui Atua Salamasina* * Tui Atua Taufau* * Tui Atua Faumuina * Tui Atua Fonoti* * Tui Atua Muagututi'a* * Tui Atua Tupua Fuiavailili* * Tui Atua Afoafouvale* * Tui Atua Galumalemana* * Tui Atua Paitomaleifi * Tui Atua Mataafa Faasuamale’aui * Tui Atua Nofoasaefā* * Tui Atua I'amafana* *Tui Atua Safeofafine* *Tui Atua Malietoa Vainu'upō* *Tui Atua Malietoa Molī *Tui Atua Mata'afa Fagamanu *Tui Atua Sualauvi* * Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea * Tui Atua Mata'afa Lauifi * Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-a'ana I * Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-a'ana II * Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-a'ana IV *Fa'alupega o Atua: The Charter and Salutations of Atua
'O le ao tetele o Atua (The Great Honours of Atua)
Tulouna 'oe Lufilufi tulouna 'oe le Tumua tulouna lo outou Faleono tulouna le afio o le Tui Atua ma Tupa'i ma Ta'inau tulouna 'Togia'i, 'o le Tui Atua ave au malaga ia te oe, Lufilufi pe a lafalafatūga tulouna Leausa ne itu'au ai e alataua ai tulouna ao o Atua tulouna uso o Atua tulouna i'u o Atua tulouna le fetalaiga a Tuu'u na itu fā ai Atua tulouna le āiga Sā Levalasi tulouna le āiga Sā Fenunuivao tulouna a tulaniu o Atua.Population
The district has a population (2016 Census) of 22,769.References
{{Coord, 13, 57, S, 171, 38, W, display=title, region:WS_type:adm1st_scale:10000_source:GNS-enwiki Districts of Samoa