The legend of Tagaloa is a central story in Samoan mythology. It tells of the creation of the islands of Samoa and the creatures that inhabit them, as well as the gift of fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way of life. This legend is not only an important part of Samoan culture but is also a reflection of the deep spiritual beliefs of the Samoan people.
According to the legend, Tagaloa was a powerful deity who emerged from the darkness and water of the universe. He possessed the ability to bring light to the darkness and shape the world as he saw fit. With his divine powers, he set about creating the islands of Samoa.
Tagaloa raised the islands up from the depths of the ocean, molding and shaping them with his magic. He created each island to be unique, with its own distinct features and characteristics. He then filled the islands with an abundance of life, including birds, fish, and animals.
But Tagaloa’s creation was not limited to the physical world. He also wanted to give the people of Samoa something special, something that would help them navigate the challenges and struggles of life. And so he gave them the gift of fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way of life.
Fa’a Samoa emphasizes respect, tradition, and community. It encourages people to work together and support one another, and to value their connections to their ancestors and their land. It is a way of living that is deeply rooted in Samoan culture and has been passed down through generations.
The legend of Tagaloa is a testament to the Samoan people’s belief in the power of creation and the importance of living in harmony with the natural world. It is a story that has shaped Samoan culture and identity for centuries, and continues to be an integral part of the Samoan way of life today.
The Samoan Creation Legend
The version of the “creation story” recorded by the anthropologists, Lyell and Ellen Holmes study, “Samoan Village: Then and Now (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology)“
The Samoans explain their islands’ colonization differently from anthropologists. The Samoan myth of creation, still passed on from generation to generation, is as follows:
In the beginning, there were only the heavens and the waters covering the earth. The god Tagaloa looked down from his place in the sky and considered creating a place on the earth where he could stand. So he made a resting place by creating the rock called Manu’atele [Greater Manu’a]. Tagaloa was pleased with his work and said, “It would be – well to have still another resting place.” He divided the rock Manu’atele so he would have other places in the sea that would serve as stepping stones. From these pieces of rock, he created Savai’i, Upolu, Tonga, Fiji, and the other islands that lie scattered about the wide ocean.
When Tagaloa had finished fashioning all of these islands, he returned to Samoa. He measured the distance between the islands of Savai’i and Manu’a and found it to be too great. So he placed a rock halfway between and designated it as a place of repose for the chiefs. He called this last island Tutuila.
Tagaloa then sent a sacred vine to spread over the rocks. The leaves of the sacred creeper fell off and decayed and things like worms grew from them. Tagaloa saw that the creeper had given birth to worms that had neither heads, nor legs, nor breath of life. So the god came down and provided these worms with heads, legs, arms, and a beating heart. Thus the worms became men. Tagaloa took a male and a female and placed them on each of the islands that he had created. The man, Sa, and the woman, Vai’i, were placed on one island and the place was called Savai’i. U and Polu were placed on another and it became known as Upolu. The couple Tutu and Ila were the first inhabitants of Tutuila. To and Ga went to a place that Tagaloa named Toga [Tonga], and Fi and Ti were taken to the place to be called Fiti [Fiji].
Then, Tagaloa decided that men should be appointed to rule the different islands and so he created the title of Tui [king]. He created the titles Tuiaga’e, Tuita’u, Tuiofu, Tuiolosega, Tuiatua, Tuia’ana, Tuitoga, and Tuifiti, and thus established lords of the islands.
Then, Tagaloa looked upon all he had created and decided that there should be a king greater than all the others and that he should reside in Manu’atele, his first creation. He selected the son of Po [night] and Ao [day] to be the king of kings. When this boy was to be born it was found that his abdomen was firmly attached to his mother’s womb. Because of this, he was given the name Satia i Ie Moaatoa [attached by the abdomen], and the whole island group that would be his domain received the name Samoa [sacred abdomen]. When the child was born, he sustained a great wound as he was ripped from his mother’s body. From this came the name of the place of his birth, Manu’atele [the great wound]. When this boy grew to manhood, he became king of all the Tui [kings] and carried the title Tuimanu’a Moaatoa.
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Fa’afetai lava,
Samoa Newshub Team
