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An Account of Samoan History up to 1918

Chapter II. — The ancestry of Lealali

Chapter II.
The ancestry of Lealali.

1.

Lealali married Vaeotuu and they had two children named Ogoogo and Usi.

2.

Lealali later on married Maalelegaletoelau and they had three children, Tupailelei, Tupaimatuna and Tupaisiva.

3.

Lealali made the following decisions in Folaulau:- Ogoogo and Usi will live in Upolu with their Tumua and Pule and Alataua, and Tupailelei, Tupaituna and Tupaisiva will be appointed leading chiefs in Salafai, Savai'i.

4.

Laufafaetoga, the daughter of the King of Tongs desired to marry Tupailelei. Stories had been told in Tonga that he was a handsome man. She came to Samoa and discovered that Tupailelei page 6 was an ugly man. She then coveted Tupaimatuna. She became pregnant and told Tupaimatuna that the King of Tonga had ordered that should she become pregnant she must return to Tonga to be delivered of her child. Tupaimatuna and Laufafaetoga therefore set sail for Tonga but their boat was driven off her course and they landed in Fiji. The child was born and named Vaasilifiti.

5.

At this time Fiji was in a state of continual warfare. The foremost warrior was a man named Lautala and tales were told of his prowess. Laufafaetoga desired Lautala and they lived together. A child was born to them and it was named Ututauofiti. Ututauofiti established the village of Matautu. The second child was named Tauaofiti and he founded the village of Sataua. The third child, a girl named Lelegaotuitoga founded the village of Salega.

6.

Lufafaetoga ran away and returned to Tupaimatuna. The two sailed to Tonga where Laufafaetoga again became pregnant. They continued their journey to Samoa and as the mountains came into view they loomed high. The child was born before land was reached and it was named Fotusamoa. From this time was dated the beginning of Safotu.

7.

Vaasilifiti married Malelegasavai'i. They had one child which was named Vaasiliuli.

8.

Vaasiliulu married Feegana a woman from Sagaga and also a woman from Saleimoa named Feeasoa. The woman from Sagaga gave birth to a boy who was given no name. The woman from Baleimoa also bore a boy who was nameless. The boys were growing up and the one born of the wife from Saleimoa sailed to visit his father. He was returning in his boat to Upolu in the early morn when he met the boy by the wife from Sagaga. The sail of the boat of the boy from Saleimoa was made from the skin of the stingray. When the boy from Sagaga perceived the other boat he hastened to adjust his loin cloth which was disarranged. He then grasped his spear and prepared to fight the occupant of the other boat. As the darkness grew less he recognised as his brother, the boy in the other boat. The boy from Sagaga said, “I nearly fought with you, and as you use the skin of the stingray for a sail, you must take the name “Lafai”. I will be named Funeleuma because my loincloth was not in order.”

9.

Lafai married Matauiatali, a woman from Falelatai. Their first child was named Talalafai and he founded Iva. The second was page 7 named Tuapiloa and he founded Falealupo and safe'e; the third was named Tupaifaaulu and he founded Aopo; the fourth was named Tupailefau and he founded Asau; the fifth was named Muliagalafai and he founded Gatavai, Salailua, Amoa and Lealatele.

10.

Lafai took another wife, Matauiafatu, the sister of Matauitali and their child was called Vaasilitamaolepo or Vaasiliena.

11.

Vaasilitamaolepo married Sinaletuna and Sinaleimoa the daughters of Poluuli of Saleimoa. One of their children, Lafailetaua, established Palauli. The second child, Lafaitupaitea, established Satupaitea.

12.

Lafaitupaitea married Tua, the daughter of Flame Niupai and their child was named Muliagatupaitea.

13.

Muliagatupaitea married Pilipilimatualima the daughter of Lautialii of Asaga and their children were named Muliagalapaitagata and Muliagalapaiaitu.

14.

Muliagalapaitagata married Pouliofats the daughter of Tuiasau of Vaisala. They begot a boy named Lafaitaulupoo and a girl named Leutogitupaitea.

15.

Leutogi married the King of Tonga and lived with his other wife who was a Tongan. The Tongan wife had one child but the Samoan wife failed to conceive. Leutogi said to the Tongan wife “bring your child to me, I will care for it whilst you bathe. This was done and the Tongan wife went for a bathe. Leutogi took the comb from her hair and breaking off a tooth drove it into the skull of the child which died. The mother at first thought that the child had died of a sickness, but she later on discovered the tooth of the comb in the child's head. The King of Tonga on being told of the happening ordered the people to gather and bring firewood to burn the woman who had killed his child. He ordered her to be taken to the place where stood the Fetau tree. This was done and she was placed in the fork of the tree. The malae was full of firewood; the fire was lighted and the flames ascended. At this moment a number of flying foxes flew over the fire and urinating on it extinguished the flames. The life of Leutogi was thus saved. The King then said “this is the fork of life (the fetau tree) which saved the women; let the woman live; take her and throw her page 8 on a desert Island where she will starve to death. She was taken to the Island of Nuutuufua. Whilst Leutogi slept one night on this Island she heard the noise made by falling fruit and small branches of trees. These were dropped by flying foxes. Leutogi made an oven and covered it with small pebbles. Tuieua paid a visit to this Island and took Leutogi to wife. She gave birth to a child which was named Faasega. When this boy grew up Leutogi told him to go and look for her brothers in Samoa; you will be called by these two names - Tonumaipea and Tauiliili.

16.

Faasega married Logonatui the daughter of Folasaleiite of Falelima and their child, a girl, was named Finetele.

17.

Amuamuia of Saleaula married Finetele and their children were named Uluifuga and Tologauvale.

18.

Tagaloalagi married Uluifuga and begot Fatulatele and Fulisiailagitele. These girls were called Fatuolaolatagaloalagisailumafale.

19.

Tagaloalagi and Uluifuga lived in heaven. Amuamuia and Finatele said to Vaea'i “go up to Heaven and ask the woman and her husband to give us the tools of Pule and Government and also some water; we are tired and wish to bathe.” The boy did as ordered and Uluifuga said to him “why do you come; what is your business.” The boy explained why he had come. Uluifuga told him to remain silent and not to speak to Tagaloalagi should he return from his plantation. She would speak for him. Tagaloalagi returned and asked the reason of the boy's visit. Uluifuga explained that the boy had come on his parent's business. Tagaloalagi asked what the business was and Uluifuga told him that the boy's parents wished some taro heads for planting purposes. Tagaloalagi told the boy to return to earth and he promised to send some of his boys later on with the taro heads. Vaea'i returned to earth. Tagaloalagi remarked to his wife that he doubted that the boy had come up to heaven to get taro tops and that he now realist that the parents had sent the boy to get the authority to govern on earth. Uluifuga then asked Tagaloalagi whether he would do as the boy asked and he answered that he would send the things asked for. He ordered some boys of his own family to bring some taro heads and hide them between their legs. He said that he had a great fear that what he page 9 was about to do would become known by members of his family. He told the boys that Tagaloatea would go down first to earth and be followed by Moefano and Imoa. He ordered them to be strong and lower the water. It was so done. This was the beginning of Vaituutuu. The authority of Government was later taken to earth. Tagaloatea and Imoa were stopped by Amuamuia and Finatele. Amuamuia said to Tagaloatea “you must go with the tools of Government and serve Letufuga and Imoa must serve Leaula.

20.

Niutili married Fatulatele and their child was called Ialetomole.

21.

Pauga married Ialetomole and their child was named Filisoaina.

22.

Puluseu married Filisoaina and their child was named Lavaoita.

23.

Fotulafai married Lavaoita and their children were named Letufuga, Leaula and Lupulele, the last a girl. Letufuga and Leaulu came with their pigeons from Savai'i. The perch of the pigeon of the one chief was made from the Soga tree and the stand of the pigeon of the other chief was made from the Asage tree. They went first to Tuisamau who did not realise the object of their visit. He told them to go to the other side and explain their wishes to Lio who would show them how to get what they wanted. They wento to Siumu and Lio told them he understood very well what they wanted. He explained that there was no harm in discussing the matter but what would be done in Palalaua would be made known in Malie. Letufuga and Leaulu departed for Malie. Lio slept on the Malae.

(Of the original in Samoan, pages 17 to 24 inclusive were missing when handed to me. E.R.)