Taputimu is a village in southwestern

Tutuila Tutuila is the largest and most populous island of American Samoa and is part of the archipelago of the Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific. It is located roughly northeast of Brisba ...

Island in

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

. It is the nearest village to the

Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (formerly the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuaryhttp://americansamoa.noaa.gov ''National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.'' NOAA.gov. Retrieved 1 January 2018.) is a federally-designated unde ...

, although the main access is from the neighboring village of Futiga. It is home to Leala Shoreline National Natural Landmark and Leala Sliding Rock. Leala Sliding Rock is a natural rock formation between Vailoatai and Taputimu, which is a scenic landmark as well as a natural playground or slide. It was created by the ebb and flow of the ocean; the erosion has created a smooth shoreline site. It is located in

Tualatai County Tuālā-tai County is one of the five Administrative divisions of American Samoa, counties that make up the Western District (''le Falelima i Sisifo'') of American Samoa. The other four are Ālātaua, Fofō, Leāsina (Aitūlagi) and Tuālā-uta ...

in the Western District of Tutuila.

Leʻala Shoreline Leala Shoreline is located near Taputimu, just west of Fagatele Point, on Tutuila Island in American Samoa. It is a U.S. National Natural Landmark. The coast is marked by rocky outcroppings, deep and shallow surge channels, as well as tide pools ...

National Natural Landmark is and was designated in 1972. Leala Sliding Rock is accessible from Taputimu. Taputimu Tide Pools are located nearby and are accessible for swimming at low tide. The name of the village, ''Taputimu'', is derived from the Samoan language and translates into English as “Sacred Rain".

History

In 1932, Governor

George Landenberger George Bertram Landenberger (May 12, 1879 – January 15, 1936) was a United States Navy Captain and the governor of American Samoa, from May 12, 1932, to April 10, 1934. Landenberger commanded many ships during his naval career, as well as two na ...

founded the American Samoa Department of Agriculture. The department initiated an experimental farm in Taputimu; however, the project saw limited success due to inexperienced management. In the early 1930s, Samoan craftsmen built traditional fales on an oval-shaped plot at Taputimu, situated close to the ocean. Alongside these, a wooden schoolhouse and a residence for the teacher were constructed under the initiative of the Barstow Foundation. The Taputimu school was designed to accommodate only 18 boys, who were selected by the Governor based on recommendations from the matai, with an aim to include representatives from all counties whenever possible. Emphasizing quality, the selection process ensured that no boy was excluded due to having a part-Samoan heritage. The curriculum offered a blend of Samoan history, culture, and arts, alongside English language studies, Western legal principles, concepts of private property and personal rights, as well as lessons on the government, history, geography, and social structures of Europe and the United States. The school was given a five-year period to demonstrate its effectiveness. When it commenced operations in September 1935, it marked the first instance of private

philanthropy Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

in American Sāmoa, aside from the

Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...

, and quickly proved its value.

Demographics

From 1980 to 1990, Taputimu's population grew from 434 to 520 persons, which represented an annual growth rate of 1.98%. The proportion of inhabitants who were born abroad nearly tripled between 1985 and 1990. About 105 homes were located in the village in 1995. As of 1995, Taputimu was home to five commercial businesses which included four grocery stores.http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/basch/uhnpscesu/pdfs/sam/Pedersen2000vol2AS.pdf (Pages 30-23, 30-25 and 30-26)

References

Villages in American Samoa Tutuila {{AmericanSamoa-geo-stub