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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 district. Safotulafai is the original 'Pule', which is why Savaii is called 'Pule' of Samoa. Years later, Safotulafai chose to divide the 'Pule' into six while reserving the right to be the 'Matua' of 'Pule'. Today, Safotulafai remains to be one of the traditional 'Pule' (customary authority) ruling districts of Savai'i. Chief ( ''matai'') council meetings are held at Fuifatu malae. Safotulafai is the village name with its sub-villages: Tuasivi, Fogapoa, Fatausi, Fuifatu, Fusi, and Eveeve.


History

In the early 1900s, during the time when the country was called German Samoa (1900 - 1914), this is also the place which saw the beginnings of the Mau, Samoa's independence movement. This initial resistance movement against German colonial rule was called the ''Mau a Pule''. It was led by well known orator
Lauaki Namulauulu Mamoe Lauaki Namulau'ulu Mamoe (died 14 December 1915) (also known as Lauati) was a renowned orator chief and the first leader of the Mau movement, Mau, a resistance movement in Samoa during colonialism. Mamoe was exiled to Saipan in 1909. He died in 19 ...
from Satotulafai. In 1909, Lauaki and other ''Mau a Pule'' supporters, including his younger brother who was also the holder of the 'Namulauulu' family chief title, bestowed by Namulauulu Lauaki at Falelatai, were trialed and exiled to
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
by German Governor Wilhelm Solf. Some of the ''Mau a Pule'' died in exile. By the late 1920s, the Mau movement had gathered widespread national support under the
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
administration which followed from colonial rule by
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. In 1962, the country became the first Pacific nation to gain political independence, under its former name
Western 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, inhabit ...
which formally changed to
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 ...
in 1997.


''Matai'' chief titles

Safotulafai has strong traditional connections with Saleaula on the central north coast, through the paramount chiefly title ( ''matai'') of Letufuga. Safotulafai is always consulted by the village of Malie ( Tuamasaga district) in conjunction with Manono Island ( Aiga-i-le-Tai district), in the election of Malietoa title-holders.


See also

*
Samoan language Samoan ( or , ) is a Polynesian languages, Polynesian language spoken by Samoans of the Samoan Islands. Administratively, the islands are split between the sovereign country of Samoa and the Unincorporated territories of the United States, Unit ...
* History of Samoa *
Politics of Samoa Politics of Samoa takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic state whereby the Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government. Existing alongside the country's Western-styled political system is the '' faʻamata ...


References

{{Fa'asaleleaga Populated places in Fa'asaleleaga