The fortnight of visitors - Part one: Mt Vaea

The view from Mt Vaea

We have been very busy over the past week or two hosting family and friends, a state that will continue for another few weeks yet. This has included the Harte family and my sister, Sam. We have therefore been busy getting out and about to see those special sites we saved to share with others.  

So here is a multi-part snapshot of what we have been up to:

Climbing Mt Vaea

The Samoan Medical Association had a charity event on the first Saturday of the Harte’s visit. Grabbing a group of newly found friends from the expat group, we jumped at the chance to participate and climb Mt Vaea, a hill behind Apia with a 470 odd metre rise. Not so kindly, we prevailed on the Hartes to join us, ignoring the fact that they had only arrived that morning, were very tired, and had yet to acclimatise.

Mt Vaea is best known as the final resting place of the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, who had lived in Samoa for four years before passing away in 1894. Much loved by locals, he was called “tusitala” or storyteller. His body was carried up the mountain and buried beneath a monument with sweeping views of Apia and it’s harbour. 

We all chose to climb the “steep” path, taking 40 minutes up very steep steps and paths before making it to the monument. The reward at the end of the hot, muddy and difficult path was the cool breezes, amazing view and shady grassed areas where we stopped to recover. It was not difficult to see why he had chosen this spot for his burial.

The Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial on Mount Vaea and some exhausted hikers. 

When we had recovered enough to attempt the downward path, we sensibly opted for the less steep pathway, taking over an hour to make it down. We found a waterfall and rock pool at the bottom, and picnicked on the banks.  

The rockpool at the base of Mt Vaea- Apuala's tears (see below)

I am now somewhat foolishly contemplating running back up the slow path for exercise, though have not managed to turn this into action just yet.

When we got home, Jenny (the manager) told me there was an old Samoan legend about Vaea, who was a fierce warrior who was somehow turned to stone, with his wife Apaula’s tears forming the waterfall and pool we swam in. As she wasn’t sure of all the details, I googled the story……..(much of what follows is taken verbatim from the Samoan Sensation website- a person had posted their recollection of the story and I found I couldn’t do it justice if I shortened it).

Vaea’s parents saw a sail boat on day, and fearing it was another tribe coming to challenge their son, they ran to get Vaea. The crew were found to be sleeping, and Vaea lifted the boat including the crew into a tree. Upon waking the next day they were frightened, and offered up their sister to be Vaea’s wife in order to save their themselves.

Her name was Apaula.

These people were from Fiji and they stayed in the district for many years serving Vaea.  When pregnant with his child, Apaula managed to convince Vaea to let her brothers go back to their homeland. Upon agreeing, the brothers begged Vaea if they could take Apaula back to Fiji with them one more time before she makes Samoa her home for good. Vaea was afraid that Apaula might not come back refused, but after much persuation, he gave in finally to what his wife wanted. So he said his good-byes and bade his wife to return to him.

The story goes that as the boat sailed off into the horizon, Vaea stood by the seashore. He stood there until he couldn't see their boat and waited there for days on end waiting for his wife's return. Meanwhile, the brothers after years of planning vengeance on Vaea, finally had their way when Apaula gave birth on the way to Fiji. Ending Vaea's line before it started, the brothers killed the baby and threw his body to the sea. Apaula was devastated.

Upon reaching Fiji, the brothers stopped Apaula from returning. Apaula was however, determined to escape back to Samoa to avenge the death of her child. Meanwhile, years went by and Vaea realised that Apaula was not coming back to him. He refused to move from where he stood to say good-bye to Apaula and eventually, the story goes that he turned into a rock which slowly built up into a mountain from his feet. Still, his eyes focussed on the horizon for the return of Apaula.

Apaula did manage to escape and upon reaching Samoa, she found that all of Vaea has turned into a mountain except his head. Realising she came too late, she told Vaea of the death of their son and her plan to avenge his death. Vaea not having much time to live, told her that she go to Savaii to his brother Vaatausili and he will avenge the death of their son. After saying that, Vaea said his final goodbye to his wife and he turned into a mountain... Mt Vaea.

Apaula left without a husband and son, cried by his head as he turned into a mountain and legend has it that her tears found a path that became a river which is known as Loimata o Apaula.

Beautiful.

More to come.........