Day 194: Tui Manu'a Graves Monument, Manu’a, American Samoa
📌APIA Every Day (194) - The Tui Manu'a Graves Monument is a historical site on Ta'u Island, the largest island of the Manu'a group in American Samoa. Located northwest of the junction of Ta'u Village and Ta'u Island Roads on the island's west side, the monument features a stone platform about 3 feet high. The graves of several Tui Manu'a (kings of Manu'a) are marked here, including Tui Manu'a Matelita and Tui Manu'a Elisala. The graves are distinguished by sections of smoothed stones and a marble column, with a possible unmarked grave in the projection.
The formation of the Tui Manu’a title is rooted in ancient Samoan tradition, believed to be descended from the supreme god Tagaloa. The Manu’a Islands were considered sacred, and the chant "Tui Manu’a Lou Ali’i E" honored the Tui Manu’a title. The cultural and political influence of the Tui Manu’a extended across Tonga, parts of Fiji, and other Pacific islands. The Tui Manu’a kings commanded respect and tribute from these regions, as evidenced by oral traditions, cultural practices, and archaeological findings. Known as the Manuatele or the Faleselau, the empire had a broad reach, influencing Polynesia through trade and cultural exchange. Many Polynesian languages and dialects, such as those in Tikopia, Pukapuka, Uvea, and Tuvalu, have roots in or were heavily influenced by Samoa. The Tui Manu’a kings controlled and regulated interisland trade networks from Manu’a, distributing goods like basalt adzes and obsidian across the Pacific. Despite shifts in political power within Samoa, the Tui Manu’a title maintained its cultural significance. The decline of the Tui Manu’a empire led to increased autonomy for various islands, paving the way for the rise of the Tui Tonga dynasty and other regional powers.
Due to the historical significance of the Tui Manu’a title and the Tui Manu’a Graves Monument, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. It was recognized for being a gravesite of persons of transcendent importance and conveying significant symbolic information about the culture of the islands, fulfilling Criterion A and B.
LEARN MORE:
National Park Service: Tui Manu’a Graves Monument NRHP Form
National Park Service: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Motusa Word Press: Tui Manu’a Empire Of Samoa
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