Fagamalo

Fagamalo
Village
Satellite image showing Fagamalo and neibouring villages with reefs off the coast and lava fields to the east in Saleaula, Mauga and Samalae'ulu. (NASA photo)
Fagamalo
Coordinates: 13°26′S 172°21′W / 13.433°S 172.350°W / -13.433; -172.350Coordinates: 13°26′S 172°21′W / 13.433°S 172.350°W / -13.433; -172.350
Country	Samoa
District	Gaga'emauga
Population (2006)
• Total	332
Time zone	-11
Climate	Af

Fagamalo is a village situated on the central north coast of Savai'i in Samoa. It is a sub-village or pito nu'u of the larger traditional village enclave of Matautu in the political district of Gaga'emauga.

Fagamalo is by the sea at the northernmost point of Savai'i. There is a small post office and next door to it is a police station which services the local district. The Tutaga Primary School is at the east end of the village near where a hospital was situated. Cyclone Ofa (1990) and Cyclone Valerie (1991) caused a lot of damage on the north and west coast of Savai'i and destroyed the seaside Itu-o-Tane College in the village. The school was rebuilt inland in a neighbouring village. Five to ten minutes to the east of Fagamalo are the villages of Saleaula and Sato'alepai. Towards the west are the villages of Safotu and Safune.

In Samoan mythology, Fagamalo is the home of Tui Fiti, a spirit deity who resides in the sacred forest, vao sa, an area that is tapu in the village.

Fagamalo is in the traditional sub-district of Matautu, an area which took the lead in the attack during war. Matautu is also said to have been settled by Fijians or people from a place called Fiti. The name Matautu is traced back to a figure called Utu, whose father was called Lautalatoa from Fiti. Utu had a brother called Taua and a sister called Lenga. Taua went and settled further west at what is now called Sataua, and the sister Lega went to the south-west of the island to the place that is known today as Salega.

In 1978, the Governor-General of Fiji, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, arrived in Fagamalo during a state visit to Samoa. The High Chief of Fiji had requested a visit to Tui Fiti's sacred ground. An ancient kava ceremony was carried out in the village and Cakobau was given a chiefly title by the matai in recognition of the ancient connection with Fiji.