BEFORE THE PALAGI

Briefly speaking, Manu'a is related to the rest of the islands of the Samoa archipelago and it's affairs were woven with the rest of it's sister islands. Because of its close proximity to the other Samoan islands, it's association with them was more involved compared to other Pacific islands.

Nevertheless, it appears that Manu'a had an influence that extended well beyond Samoa. According to legends, the islands of Manu'a were considered sacred to many people of the surrounding islands. In the Solo ole Va, according to recorded findings by outsiders, Manu'a was once a place of refuge and considered in their pagan religion as the place where their pagan god Tagaloa formed man and all the surrounding islands.

"Being from Manu'a, I have always been proud of my heritage - because it is here where it all began for Samoa's history. Sometimes I wonder why the sun rises in Saua (Fiti'uta) and sets in Falealupo (Savai'i). Mauiao Galea'i

We have certainly come a long way to distinguish the truth of these claims, but the notion that at one time our primitive ancestors held such great regard for these islands makes us wonder about what exactly occurred there in those early days. As Derek Freeman wrote in his book Margret Mead and Samoa, "Fraser, who in the late nineteenth century edited various of the traditions collected by Powell, has likened Ta'u, the principle island of Manu'a, to Delos, the island birthplace of Apollo in the ancient Aegean."

He went on to saying that. "In the Solo 'o Va," which recounts the creation of Samoa, Manu'a is described as the first of lands and the high peak of the island of Ta'u as the abode of Tagaloa. According to their most sacred traditions then, the ali'i of pagan Samoa were descended from the gods, with the title of Tui Manu'a, as we have seen, being the highest in rank and sanctity of all the chiefly titles of Samoa, as also of all the other islands of southwest Pacific known to the Samoans." (pg.133)

The caption reads: "The last Tu'i Manu'a contender, Chris Young, with his guards in this rare photo taken circa 1910. The Tu'i Manu'a was believed by Samoans to be the ruler of the entire Pacific. Note his unusually pale complexion, possibly an ancient hereditary trait. Because of his title's legendary magical powers he might be considered the Dalai Lama of Polynesia." (David Hatcher Childress, Ancient Tonga & The Lost City of Mu'a, Adventures Unlimited Press, 1996)

The US Navy rejected Chris Young to be Tui Manu'a because it recognized the title to be more than just a matai. According to the Navy and other American Samoan authorities, it was a monarchy which doesn't fit very well within the premise of the United State's Constitution. Besides, the last Tui Manu'a who died in 1909, Tui Manu'a Elisara, decreed that the title would die with him.

Concerning the caption above, I got this message from a Moana JO, "Great site about Manu'a though disappointed with reproduced b[---]t about my Great-uncle Chris Young. His pale complextion is due to the fact his grandfather was an Englishmen!" Also, Bert Tufele wrote: "...Chris Young was a great man and died with the title King Tuimanu'a - he was the last true King of a long line of King Tuimanu'a's - read what is written on his grave on the island of Ta'u where he rests - I knew this man personally, he was my Grandfather and he decreed that the title die with him - information is knowledge"