Itūʻau | |
Etymology: | Samoan "War Side" |
Settlement Type: | Village |
Pushpin Map: | American Samoa |
Pushpin Label Position: | right |
Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | United States |
Subdivision Type1: | Territory |
Subdivision Name1: | American Samoa |
Subdivision Type2: | Island |
Subdivision Name2: | Tutuila Island |
Named For: | Samoan Mythology |
Unit Pref: | Imperial |
Area Land Sq Mi: | .23 |
Population As Of: | 2020 |
Population Total: | 424 |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Timezone: | Samoa Time Zone |
Utc Offset: | -11 |
Coordinates: | -14.3514°N -170.7819°W |
Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
Postal Code: | 96799 |
Area Code: | +1 684 |
Itūʻau, together with Aitūlagi, make up the village of Malaeloa (long ceremonial-green).
Aitūlagi is the name of the famed family of high orator chiefs (tama matua)[1] from the Leāsina county.
Itūʻau along with the villages of Fūtiga, Taputimu and Vailoatai form the itūmalo (county/district) o Tuālātai.
Although Itūʻau and Aitūlagi align themselves with different counties, today they operate together in many respects as one village under the name of Malaeloa.
Amituanaʻi of Itūʻau was a signatory to the Tutuila Deed of Cession of 1900.[2]
Itūʻau can literally be translated as "war side".[3] The itūʻau and the alātaua (war path) were roles assumed by allied villages or districts during times of conflict. This was a common practice throughout pre-contact Samoa,[4] [5] with its roots in the first Mālietoa government.[6] The function of the itūʻau role can be described as a "controller of troops",[6] whereas the alātaua role can be described as a "director of wars".[6] These functions were carried out by the tulafale (talking chiefs) of the villages or districts designated with these respective roles.[3]
The Malaeloa Itūʻau Olo Site (or defensive fortification), which was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 2015,[7] is supported by Samoan cultural histories and oral traditions relating to interregional conflicts and defenses against cannibalism during pre-contact periods. It was built to protect villagers from Tuifeʻai, the legendary cannibal king of Tutuila, and his aumaga (army).[8]
Year | Population[9] | |
---|---|---|
424 | ||
550 | ||
627 | ||
523 | ||
467 |