Day 60: Laumei ma Malie Site (Turtle & Shark), VAITOGI, American Samoa
📌APIA Every Day (60) - Turtle and Shark (Laumei ma Malie), situated near the village of Vaitogi, holds significant cultural importance in Samoan culture. It features a U-shaped cove believed to be the backdrop of a well-known legend. First documented in 1884 by a missionary, the Samoan legend recounts the story of Fonueau, an old blind woman from Salega, Savaii, and her daughter Salofa. During a severe famine, unable to find food due to her blindness, they smelled the aroma of soi baking in a nearby village. Despite waiting, no food arrived, prompting them to jump off a cliff and transform into a turtle and a shark. Swimming to Vaitogi in American Samoa, they regained human form and were welcomed by Chief Letuli and his people. Grateful, they vowed to live just beyond the cliffs, returning to entertain the villagers when called upon and leaving behind a song. Villagers today sing this melody, believing that a turtle and a shark appear in response.
Laumei ma Malie (Turtle and Shark) was listed on the National Register in 2014 as a natural feature significant to the people of American Samoa and for the preservation of their cultural and historical identity. The designation of the beach prompts reflection on the importance of cultural preservation in Pacific Islander culture, symbolized by physical places.
LEARN MORE:
National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
Polynesian Cultural Center: The Tale of the Turtle and the Shark – a Samoan Legend
History Pin: Turtle and Shark in American Samoa
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