Sina

This legend is the story of how the coconut tree came into existence. Behind Apia, there lived a couple with their daughter. One day, Sind went to draw water and a small eel (tuna) clung to her bowl. She took the eel home to look after.

Sina was happy to have such a nice pet. She put it in a wooden bowl and fed it every day. The eel grew and before long the bowl was too small for it. Sina then put it in a pool nearby, and the eel continued to grow. When it was full grown, it fell in love with Sina, but Sina did not love the eel. The eel persisted until finally the parents decided that something must be done. The man said to his wife, “You take Sina and try to escape while I stay behind and roll the mountains in the eel’s way.” This was done, but the fish climbed over the mountain.

The mother then said, “Keep running Sina, I will stay behind and hold off the eel.” The girl ran, but looking back she saw the eel following her. She then escaped to Savaii and reached Safune. She fled inland to a pool called Siliafai. She went to the spring where there was a tree growing. Climbing the tree, she hid there. When she looked down she saw the eel staring at her. The girl said, “Don’t stare at me you slimy thing.”

Then Sina escaped to the side of the pool where the chiefs lived. When she arrived there, the chiefs were just having a kava ceremony. They asked the girl what the trouble was and Sina replied, “Please won’t you kill that eel that is pursuing me?” Immediately the eel was killed by the villagers. Before it breathed it’s last breath, it took leave of Sina with these words:

”Sina, if you love me, plant me near a stone wall. A tree will grow and thrive and bear fruit. Single fruits, fruits in clusters. There will be leaves: weave them into white fanes And Mats, as a reminder to Sina of my return.”

when the eel was dead, it was eaten by the people. Sina took the head and buried it in front of her house. After a few days, a tree began to grow. When it bore fruit, the eel’s parting words were realized. When you husk the coconut, the two hard eyes in the coconut are the eel’s eyes. The eye that is pierced for the purpose of drinking the coconut juice is the mouth. In the middle of the eel’s eyes is the nose. When you watch a new coconut grow, the first leaves look like the tail of an eel.

The above information was taken (as written) from the MCKAY-FALE located in Sauniatu (on the island of Upolu) Western Samoa.