Tagaloa Lagi

There are many Samoan legends dealing with the creation of the earth. There is a tale of creation beginning with Leai (nothing) followed in succession by Nanamu (fragrance), Efuefu (dust), lloa (perceivable), Maua (obtainable), Ele’ele (earth)m , Ma’ata’anoa (small stones), Papatu (high stones), and Mauga (mountains).

There is a cosmic genealogy, taking the form of married couples, beginning with the marriage of rocks which produced the earth. The marriage of cloudless heavens with spread out heavens gave birth to Tagaloa, the creator of men.

The God, Tagaloa, dwelt in the Expanse; he made all things; he alone was there; not any sky, not any country; he only went to and fro in the Expanse; there was also no sea, and no earth.

Tagaloa looked down from the Expanse. He created the heavens, the earth and the sea. Tagaloa wanted a place to stand. So he made Fe’e, the cuttle fish, and told him to go down under the earth to the lower regions of sea called “Sa le Fe’e” or sacred to the cuttle fish. Fe’e took Tagaloa’s fish hook and line with him. Tagaloa pulled on the line and pulled up a rock. The first rock he pulled up he called Manu’atele. Manu’a was Tagaloa’s first creation. He made Manu’a his headquarters on earth. Tagaloa then pulled up Savaii, Fiji and Tonga. Finally, Tagaloa pulled up Upolu and Tutuila which were used as stepping stones by Tagaloa when he went from Manu’a to Savaii.

When Samoa was above the sea, Tagaloa created day and night. He took the sun and placed it where it would give light and warmth. He created the trees, flowers and plants. From the dust he also created the animals.

Tagaloa needed people to inhabit the islands he created. First he tried using creeping vine, then he used a worm and lastly he used the lizard (pili) to create man.

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