Saʻilele, American Samoa
Village in American Samoa, United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Saʻilele is a village on the north shore in the Eastern District of Tutuila Island in American Samoa. It is reached from a cross-island road which leads north from the village of Fagaʻitua. On a track east of the village is a burial ground where some aliʻi (high chiefs) were buried.[1][2]
Saʻilele | |
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Village | |
Etymology: Samoan: "forbidden grounds" | |
Coordinates: 14°15′26″S 170°35′50″W | |
Country | United States |
Territory | American Samoa |
County | Sua County |
Named for | Samoan mythology |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 75 |
Time zone | Samoa Time Zone |
ZIP code | 96799 |
Area code | +1 684 |
Saʻilele was home to the only pre-Christian temple ever documented on Tutuila Island: Saʻilele Mālumālu. The temple consisted of a small fale about ten feet in length, covered by a low roof. The structure was set in a thick and sacred grove of coconut trees. Rocks discovered inside the temple were referred to as The Immovable Rock, The Enduring Power and The Rock Fixed in the Kingdom.[3]
In 2002, Saʻilele's highest chief, Matua, Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono, became Governor of American Samoa.[4]: 79