A'ana

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A'ana
Basic data
Country Samoa
Capital Leulumoega
Residents 20,167 (2001)
ISO 3166-2 WS-AA
ISS012-E-23601 NASA Upolu west end, Maono, Apolima.jpg

Coordinates: 13 ° 53 ′  S , 171 ° 59 ′  W

Aana District on a map from 1924.

Aʻana is a political district (itūmālō) of the island state of Samoa on the island of Upolu . It is located on the western tip of Upolu and has a small exclave (Satuimalufilufi village) which is surrounded by Aiga-i-le-Tai . The area covers 193 km² and in 2016 had 20,167 inhabitants. The main town is Leulumoega .

geography

Lefaga beach, 'Return to Paradise' beach, south coast of Upolu 2009.

The district is located in the west of Upolu and borders in the far west on the district Aiga-i-le-Tai, which includes the western tip of Samoa. The district includes about 18 villages from Faleasiu in the north to Matautu in the south. Traditionally, the northern part of the district was called Itu Alofi , (eng. Side of the assembly), as the northern villages held the main part of political power, while the southern part was considered uncivilized and therefore also known as Itu Tufanua , (back / uncivilized side) has been. Overall, the areas of the north coast of Samoa, both in Upolu and in Savai'i, are politically more powerful and also more populated. The main town is Leulumoega, where the meeting place for the entire district used to be. The settlements are by and large on the coast, only a few enclaves and plantation estates are exceptions. The coastal plain has fertile, volcanic soil. The district's main artery is the main road that runs along the coast, and Faleolo Airport is also in the district. There is no industry, but there are many shops and a gas station in Fasitoouta . Inland, the chain of volcanic mountains stretches from east to west with Mount Tafua Upolu as the highest in the center ( 536  m , ⊙ ). Other mountains are Mount Mariota ( 451  m , ⊙ ), Mount Tafatafao ( 345  m , ⊙ ), Mount Lauti ( 339  m , ⊙ ) and Mount Olomanu ( 204  m , ⊙ ), as well as Mount Afolau ( 276  m , ⊙ ). Around the island there is a barrier reef that forms a lagoon off the coast. This reef is broken only in the south, where younger lava flows have formed the headland of Cape Mulitapuʻili (Fagaiofu & Fagalei, ⊙ ).

history

A'ana used to be one of the most powerful districts in Samoa. The chief title is Tuiaana , the chief seat is in Nuuausala in Leulumoega. As one of the main centers of the ancient Tumua ( Tongan Empire ), A'ana was also one of the most important speakers groups in Samoa. After becoming independent, the speakers (chiefs) expanded their power. Tutuila and Ape (from Fasitootai & Fasitoouta ) kidnapped the prince Tamalelagi . Tamalelagi was using the war goddess Nafanua as Tuiaana proclaimed and go to him many high-ranking chiefs of Samoa back, among others, the four tama at Aiga title. His daughter, Salamasina is considered one of the most revered rulers of Samoa, she was the first person to combine the papa titles, Tuiaana, Tuiatua , Gatoaitele , Vaetamasoalii . With that she became Tafaifa , the supreme chief of Samoa and especially in Upolu. Many old royal family lines can also be traced back to them. Her residence was in Nuuausala in Leulumoega and through her connections she made A'ana powerful. A'ana's prestige and power disappeared, however, as no one had followed instructions from Nafanua, who had ordered that they be ready for the day when she would arrive to establish the government in Leulumoega. Nafanua was badly received in Leulumoega and returned to Savaiʻi via Manono , instead handing power to Leiataua of Manono, who passed his rule on to his son, the famous Tamafaiga . Tamafaiga's murder by the men of Fasitoouta led to the Great Aana War (1828-1830), in which Aiga-i-le-Tai, the northern district of Savaii and Tuamasaga was included, since the Malietoa was related to Tamafaiga, and was obliged To take revenge. A'ana was devastated, especially Itu Alofi. During this time John Williams reached Sapapalii in Savai'i and saw the cruel end of the war. The prisoners of A'ana were cremated in a great fire near Maota in Fasitootai, and with that the supremacy of A'ana in Samoa ended.

Even today is one of the four Tama-a-Aiga titles that belong to the group of Tuimalealiifano titles that sit in the falelatai . Aʻana is otherwise divided into 5 Electoral Constituencies.

During the colonial era , many Germans founded their plantations on the fertile soil of A'ana, some of which still exist today.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ geonames.org .
  2. ↑ Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese: Tamafaigā: Shaman, King or Maniac? The Emergence of Manono. In: The Journal of Pacific History. (Taylor & Francis, Abingdon) Vol. 30, No. 1, Jun 1995, pp. 3-21. (jstor.org)

literature

  • Augustin Krämer: The Samoa Islands: An Outline of a Monograph With Particular Consideration of German Samoa: Constitution, Pedigrees and Traditions. (= Samoa Islands Series. Volume 1). Trans. V. Theodore Verhaaren, University of Hawaii Press, 2000, ISBN 0-8248-2219-6 , p. 196. (books.google.de)

Web links