Falefa

Falefa

Falefā is located on the north eastern coast of Upolu island in Samoa. It was the ancient capital during the Malo ('government') of Tupu Tafaʻifa (King) Fonoti after defeating his kin Vaʻafusuaga Toleafoa and Samalaulu for control of Samoa. King Fonoti chose to rule from his new seat in Falefa, an honour remembered in its faalupega (Charter and Salutations) to this day. Falefa is headed by the descendants of its two founders – Moeono Falealoga (tulafale-alii or 'matua) and Leutele Leutogatui (matua-alii), the sons of Tui Atua Lemuaʻiteleloloa and his wife, Leateafaiga. It is situated in the Anoamaʻa 1 electoral constituency which itself is situated within the larger ancient political 'district' of Anoamaʻa, a province of Atua. Atua is headed by the Tui Atua (sovereign of Atua), a title once held by the seer Tui Ātua Leutele (called Tui Atua Leuteleleiʻite) in the 10th century, during Samoa's period of antiquity. Since the 17th century, this mantle has been occupied mainly by one of the two…