Atua (district)

 

Atua
—  District  —
Satellite image of eastern side of Upolu island with tiny islands off the coast. (NASA photo, 2006)
Map of Samoa showing Atua district
Country	Samoa
District
Time zone	-11

Atua is the most ancient district of Samoa, now consisting of most of the eastern half of Upolu but also traditionally incorporates Tutuila and once all of Upolu and Savaii. The head of the district is the village of Lufilufi, in the western most part of Atua. The district has a population (2001 Census) of 21,168.

The paramount title is the TuiAtua which only the To'aono (Lufilufi's High Council of 6 tulafale) orator group in the village of Lufilufi (north-western Atua) have the authority to appoint. Traditionally, and from the formation of Atua all honours came from Leifi Ao o Atua (supreme head) who left his younger cousin Tui Atua Polailevao circa AD 1300 to care for Leifi's malae of Lalogafuafua.

It is timeless Atuan protocol for the Tui Atua title-holder to appointed by Lufilufi, who hold the honorific title of 'Matua o Atua', (the Head, or Elder of Atua) once correct lineage had been established, and a suitable candidate found. So was the way with Samoa's first monarch, Queen Salamasina. Salamasina's predecessor Tui Atua Faatulou Matautia had requested that to allow his reign to be continued through his niece Salamasina.

The TuiAtua is one of the most ancient titles in Samoa and are direct lineage heirs of the Tagaloalagi line of kings. The other ancient lines are the Tui A'ana and the TuiManu'a (brother of Lufasiaitu) It is testament to the ancient might of these districts.