Samoan Legends

Ofu South Shore Beach - NPS Photograph John Brooks

The Samoans tell a creation legend sometimes compared to that given in the Bible in the Book of Genesis.  The god Tagaloa lived in an expanse of empty space.  Tagaloa first created a rock, which he split into clay, coral, cliffs and stones.  The breaking of the rock caused the earth, sea and sky to be created.  A spring of fresh water came from a piece of the rock.  Tagaloa created man and woman and ordered them to people the region supplied with  fresh water.  Tagaloa propped up the sky, Tu'ite'elagi, with  teve, a bitter-root plant.   Then  Tagaloa created night and day, Po and  Ao, who gave birth to the sun and moon.  The god also created nine regions of heaven and various other gods.  Manu'a, a son of PO and AO, was sent down to rule the people.   The Manu'a islands became an important spiritual center of Polynesia