Aunuʻu, American Samoa
Aunuu is a small volcanic island off the southeastern shore of Tutuila in Saole County, American Samoa. It has a land area of, and a 2010 census population of 436 persons. Politically, it is a part of the Eastern District, one of the two primary political divisions of American Samoa.
The island of Aunu’u is home to three villages: Le’auuliuli, Saluavatia, and Alofasau. Politically, the island is divided into two sections, Saole and Saleaaumua. The entirety of Saluavatia and half of Le’auuliuli are part of Saole, while the remaining half of Le’auuliuli, along with Alofasau, constitute Saleaaumua. The names of the villages are derived from the Samoan language. Le’auuliuli translates to "the black stalk," whereas Saluavatia means "a second Vatia."
Since the 1960s, the Aunuu people's main economic activity has been growing taro and producing faausi.
Demographics
Geography
Aunuu is the only place in American Samoa where taro is cultivated in paddy fields, which occupies about 5 percent of the land. The remaining land is mostly wet and unsuitable for cultivation and is primarily covered by non-edible trees, bushes, shrubs and weeds. Agricultural runoff and erosion do not appear to threaten nearshore water quality, as these flow into Pala Lake and the wetlands areas. Aunuu is said to produce the best taro in American Samoa.Geology
Geologically, Aunuʻu Island is a volcanic cone. The island is less than in area, and around half of that area is a cultivated plain on which Aunuu's villages are located. There are several beaches consisting of coral rubble and sand, and sea cliffs. The eastern half of Aunuu is rimmed by a geologically recent volcanic cone. The highest point on the crater rim is above sea level. Within the crater is the Faimulivai Marsh, which contains a freshwater pond. The crater is one of the few places in American Samoa where evidence of the more recent episodes of volcanism can be observed. The eruptions at Aunuu occurred at approximately the same time as the volcanism at Leʻala Shoreline in Taputimu, while the eruptions that formed Rainmaker Mountain, Matafao Peak, and the ridges of Vaiava Strait are much older. Aunuu Island has the only quicksand area in American Samoa, and also the territory's only lakes: Pala Lake is just north of the village, and Red Lake is inside the crater. Maamaa Cove is on the far eastern edge of the crater.The volcanic island was formed by submarine volcanic activity, with a prominent tuff cone shaping its eastern half. This tuff cone is breached on the eastern margin, creating Maamaa Cove. The weathering of the tuff deposits has resulted in an impermeable layer at the base of the Aunuʻu Cone, allowing for the formation of a marsh and a lake within the cone. The Taufusitele Marsh occupies a portion of the coastal flat to the west of the cone. Beyond the marsh, the coastal flat is covered by significant deposits of calcareous sand and gravel, contributing to the island's unique geological and ecological landscape. Unlike Tutuila Island, Aunuʻu Island is home to a crater lake: Red Lake.
Lakes
Aunuʻu Island is home to the only freshwater lakes found in American Samoa. Aunu’u Crater Lake is among the most picturesque locations in American Samoa. Except for the outlet culvert, the area remains entirely untouched, supporting a vibrant marsh community and offering a unique habitat for fish and birds, including the rare Australian gray duck.Faimulivai Marsh is the largest herbaceous freshwater marsh in American Samoa. This area provides essential habitat for the Australian gray duck and is recognized as one of the most picturesque locations in American Samoa. Except for the outlet culvert, the marsh remains entirely undisturbed.
Aunuu Crater contains the freshwater Faamulivai Marsh, the largest such wetland in American Samoa. It was formed from the drainage of the low-lying crater. It is part of a protected National Natural Landmark on Aunuu that was designated in 1972. The Pacific black duck was seen in the marsh in 1976, but it may now be extinct in the region; another significant local bird is the purple swamphen. This marsh is the only place in American Samoa where the Chinese water chestnut grows.
Climate change
In August 2019, rising sea levels from global warming inundated parts of Aunuʻu Island, leaving residents without electricity for several hours, sending 55-gallon drums from the island’s electricity generator drifting seaward, and covering the roads with debris.History
- 1500-900 BCE – The earliest human settlement of the Samoan archipelago is estimated to be around 2900–3500 years before the present. This estimate is based on dating the ancient Lapita pottery shards that are found throughout the islands. The oldest shards found so far have been in Mulifanua and in Sasoaa, Falefa. The oldest archaeological evidence found on the islands of Polynesia, Samoa and Tonga all date from around that same period, suggesting that the first settlement occurred around the same time in the region as a whole to include Aunuu.
- 100-600AD – The first recorded settlers of the Marquesas were Polynesians who arrived from West Polynesia. Early attempts to carbon-date evidence from the site suggested they arrived before 100 AD, with other estimates proposing settlement from 600 AD, but several more recent independent studies suggest that they arrived more recently. In Te Henua Enana and Te Fenua Enata oral history – Aunuu is possibly mentioned in Moriori genealogy as Raunuku.6 Kahotu, King of Aunuu, coincides with Kopotu, sixth King of Tonga. Tona-Nui appears in the title of the eighteenth King of Tonga—Havea-Tui Tonga-Nui-i-buibui. This is their oral history of where their original settlers came from.
- 1835 – A whaling vessel set out from Aunuu for the Manua island and was lost at sea with all of its crew in the vicinity of Aunuu.
- 1863 – On January 24, 1863, the first Mormon Missionary, Kimo Belio and Samuela Manoa, of Hawai'i arrived in Aunuu and were accepted by the Aunuu Matai. They were the first to bring Mormonism to American Samoa. Aunuʻu is also where the LDS missionaries baptized the first church members in the Samoan Islands in 1866.
- 1877 – In this year war commenced in Tutuila. High Chief Mauga rebelled against the Government of Tutuila, the Taimua and Pule, where on December 8, 1877, Mauga escaped to Aunuu where he was defended by Aunuu island warriors from its natural fortress.
- 1887 – King David Kalākaua of Havaii sent his ship the Kaimiloa to Samoa to seek political alliance with another Polynesian nation. On June 15, 1887, the Kaimiloa arrived in Apia Harbor. With the German presence at Apia Harbor, the Kaimiloa trip was nothing more than a visit. Before returning to Hawaii a few Hawaiians left the Kaimiloa to reside on the Samoan Island Aunuu and marrying Samoans. Pa Taua, on the west coast of the village of Aunuu, is the site of ruins that were once towers used to hold the four cannons from the Kaimiloa, a Hawaiian Kingdom steamer. The cannons were used by the people of Aunuu to repel a canoe fleet invasion and are now on display at the Jean P. Haydon Museum in Pago Pago.
Kaimiloa
In 1887, the Kaimiloa, a 171-ton steamer commissioned by King Kalākaua of Hawai'i, stopped at Aunu'u Island during its mission to promote the creation of a Polynesian confederation. As part of its diplomatic and strategic outreach, the Kaimiloa aimed to foster alliances among Pacific islands and unify them against the encroachments of foreign empires like Germany, the United States, and Great Britain. During its stay on Aunu'u, two Hawaiian sailors, Aniani and Mahelona, deserted the ship, taking with them supplies, including rifles and cannons. These weapons, left behind from the Kaimiloa, would later play a pivotal role in fortifying Aunu'u and defending it from attackers.At the time, Tutuila and neighboring islands were embroiled in political strife, with rival Samoan factions vying for dominance. Refugees fleeing violence on Tutuila sought asylum on Aunu'u, prompting the island's leaders and residents to prepare for possible attacks from pursuers. The two Hawaiian deserters, alongside a Hawaiian-descended storekeeper named Manoa, collaborated with the Samoan villagers to create a defense. They fortified the island with cannons and rifles and set up ambush points along the coral reef. In a decisive confrontation, the defenders of Aunu'u repelled an invasion force from Tutuila, using their fortified positions and firepower. This victory ensured that Aunu'u remained secure from external threats and marked the island as a key site of resistance during a turbulent period in Samoan history.
The successful defense, aided by contributions from the Hawaiian sailors and their weapons, fostered a lasting bond between the island's residents and the descendants of the Hawaiian contributors. Oral histories on Aunu'u continue to honor the memory of this alliance, and artifacts from the Kaimiloa, such as cannons, remain as tangible reminders of this shared history. One of the cannons from the Kaimiloa now resides at the Jean P. Haydon Museum in Pago Pago.
Transportation
Aunuu has a few government cars, and a number of family owned/operated motorboats to shuttle people to and from its small boat harbor in Auasi. A lake, called "Vaisuakoko", or Blood Lake, is nestled in the island's sprawling crater. Hiking the island is difficult, as it is densely forested and full of thick bushes, with steep cliffs along the south coast. The island has a stretch of red quicksand at Pala Lake, fairly close to the village, and taro swamps behind the village. There is a cove, called "Maamaa Cove," on the east side of the island.Boats providing ferry service to and from Aunuu may be hired at the boat dock at Auasi on Tutuila. The American Samoa Department of Port Administration maintains facilities at Auasi and Aunuu but does not track vessel arrival or departure data in either location. Aunuu is popular for hiking and school tours. The coral reef surrounding Aunuu is considered low use for recreational snorkeling.