Itūʻau | |
|---|---|
Village | |
| Etymology:Samoan: "War Side" | |
  Itūʻau | |
| Coordinates:14°21′05″S170°46′55″W / 14.35139°S 170.78194°W /-14.35139; -170.78194 | |
| Country |  United States |
| Territory |  American Samoa |
| Island | Tutuila Island |
| Named after | Samoan Mythology |
| Area | |
| • Land | .23 sq mi (0.60 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 424 |
| Time zone | UTC−11 (Samoa Time Zone) |
| ZIP Code | 96799 |
| Area code | +1 684 |
Itūʻau, together withAitūlagi, make up the village ofMalaeloa (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) oTuālātai.
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 name of the village,Malaeloa, is derived from the Samoan language and translates into English as “Long malae".[7]
TheMalaeloa Itūʻau Olo Site (or defensive fortification), which was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 2015,[8] 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).[9]
| Year | Population[10] |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 424 |
| 2010 | 550 |
| 2000 | 627 |
| 1990 | 523 |
| 1980 | 467 |
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