about pava’ia’i

Pavaʻiaʻi is a village in the Western District of Tutuila Island in American Samoa. It shares borders with Mapasagafou and Faleniu to the north, ʻIliʻili to the east, Futiga to the south, and Malaeloa to the west. Situated in Tuālāuta County, Pavaʻiaʻi houses several fales utilized by villagers for various activities such as dance practice, meetings, and events. Additionally, it accommodates Pavaʻiaʻi Elementary School, recognized as the largest elementary school in American Samoa.

HISTORY

In early 1942, the main body of the U.S. Marines arrived in American Samoa. The construction of quarters at Utulei was incomplete, as was Camp Samuel Nicholas in Fagaʻalu. Some of the Marines of the 2nd Division were therefore moved into the village of Pavaʻiaʻi. A soldier later wrote about his experience in the village: "We found the Samoan people to be exceptionally clean people... The residents... were gracious and attempted to do everything possible to make the presence of the Marines pleasant."

In 2005, government employees digging an area in Pavaiai village uncovered the remains of an ancient village 6.4 feet (2 m) below the surface. The senior archeologist for the American Samoa Power Authority, David Addison, told reporters that the artifacts are estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 year-old.