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About Manu'a_

Geography

Manu'a consists of three volcanic islands. It's part of the United States territory of American Samoa. Ta'u is the largest and the most populated island, followed by Ofu and Olosega. Rose Island is considered the forth island in the Manu'a group, but today it's a bird sanctuary under the protection of the United States government.

Facilities

The islands of Ofu and Ta'u have docking facilities. Depended on the weather, both islands are accessible by boat and air plane. There are two airports serving Manu'a located on the islands of Ta'u and Ofu. A bridge connecting Ofu and Olosega enables access to Olosega from the facilities in Ofu.

Connection

Telephone access is available in Manu'a. Also available are television and radio signals originating from Tutuila and from nearby Western Samoa.

Legal

Since Manu'a is part of the United States, US citizens do not require any special paper to visit Manu'a. Citizens of other countries, however, are required to go through Tutuila with the proper papers before visiting Manu'a. If you're looking for business laws in American Samoa, check out the American Samoa Bar Associations extensive library of legal references on American Samoa laws.

Banks

Several financial institutions serve American Samoa, with some maintaining branch offices in Manu'a.

• Amerika Samoa Bank - ANZ
  

  PO Box 3790
  Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
  Phone: +684 633 5053
  Fax: +684 633 5057
  Website

• Bank of Hawaii
  

  P. O. Box 69
  Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
  Phone: (684) 633-4226
  Fax: (684) 633-7197
  Website

• Development Bank of American Samoa
  
  

Person and Organizations

If you want to do business in Manu'a, the following people and organizations could be contacted for more information. Hopefully, these names will provide you with a good starting point in your search.

• Galea'i M. Tu'ufuli

  District Governor
  Manu'a District
  Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799

• Ali'imau H. Scanlan

  Director
  Department of Commerce
  American Samoa Government
  Executive Office Building
  P.O. Box 1147
  Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
  (684) 633-5155
  Website

• Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin

  Congressman, US House of Representative
  2422 Rayburn House Office Building
  Washington, DC 20515
  (202) 225-8577
  Website

Other Considerations

There are strict local rules about operating businesses on Sundays.

Language

Both the English and native Samoan languages are used in American Samoa. English is used extensively for instruction in the schools and in the work places. The native Samoan language is spoken more often in the homes and traditional settings.

• English-Samoan Words

History

Derek Freeman wrote in his book Margret Mead and Samoa, 'Fraser, who in the late nineteenth century edited various of the traditions collected by Powell, has likened Ta'u, the principle island of Manu'a, to Delos, the island birthplace of Apollo in the ancient Aegean. He went on to saying that in the "Solo 'o Va", which recounts the creation of Samoa, Manu'a is described as the first of lands and the high peak of the island of Ta'u as the abode of Tagaloa. According to their most sacred traditions then, the ali'i of pagan Samoa were descended from the gods, with the title of Tui Manu'a, as we have seen, being the highest in rank and sanctity of all the chiefly titles of Samoa, as also of all the other islands of southwest Pacific known to the Samoans.' (pg.133)

• The American Samoa Historic Preservation Office web site. CLICK HERE.
• For a side-by-side comparison of the Solo ole Va to the book of Genesis, CLICK HERE.
• Read a personal view about a connection between Polynesia and pre-Columbian America. CLICK HERE.

Map

Weather

Manu'a's tropical location affords a year round warm temperature. The ocean breezes help keep the humunity at a comfortable level.