Turtle and Shark (Laumei ma Malie in
Samoan) is a place with association to an important legend in the
culture of Samoa. It is located on the southern shore of
Tutuila
Tutuila is the main island of American Samoa (and its largest), and is part of the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific. It is located roughly northeast of Brisbane, A ...
, the largest island of
American Samoa
American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the Internationa ...
, a short way south of the village of
Vaitogi
Vaitogi is a village in American Samoa. It has many missionaries and tourists who are attracted by shopping for local products. Vaitogi might be most famous of its legends about the Turtle and Shark (Laumei ma Malie). It is said that once, at a t ...
. The feature known as Turtle and Shark is a U-shaped cove, set between Vaitogi Beach to the north and a basalt cliff to the south. The cove is about measured from east to west and measured from north to south. The topography of the cove is such that it is frequently subjected to high-energy wave action, with spray thrown high into the air. The cove is believed by the Samoan populace to be the location of the climactic scene of the Turtle and Shark legend, one of the island's best-known and popular tales.
The earliest documented form of the Turtle and Shark legend was published in 1884 by a missionary:
[
]
A story is told of a woman and her child, who in a time of great scarcity were
neglected by the family. One day they cooked some wild yams, but never offered
her a share. She was vexed, asked the child to follow her, and when they reached
a precipice on the rocky coast, seized the child and jumped over. It is said they
were changed into turtles, and afterwards came in that form at the call of the
people of the village.
By the early 20th century, the tale had been altered to involve a ritual for avoiding famine, and had become strongly attached to the cove at Vaitogi. The village was described by anthropologist Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead (December 16, 1901 – November 15, 1978) was an American cultural anthropologist who featured frequently as an author and speaker in the mass media during the 1960s and the 1970s.
She earned her bachelor's degree at Barnard C ...
as the site of the "famous" legend.[
The site was listed on the ]National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 2014.
See also
*
References
National Register of Historic Places in American Samoa
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