Nafanua is a mythological Samoan warrior, a
goddess born of a blood clot buried in the earth- her name translates literally
as of the earth (fanua). In the legend she is triumphant in battle and
her sex is only discovered when a breeze blows away her cloth to reveal her
breasts, cowing the mean she had already defeated.
My great, great grandmother’s name was Fanua, and her life would tread the trail of her namesake Nafanua.
Like her father of whom I have written, Seumanutafa, Fanua was adopted:
“Fanua’s father was Aisake Ainuu, a
chief closely allied to the Malietoa family. He was one of the chiefs deported
with King Malietoa Laupepa to Africa in the year 1887 by the Germans…when Fanua
was a few years old she was adopted (after the Samoan custom of exchange by adoption
of the children of chiefs) by Seumanutafa, chief of Apia in Upolu and from that
time has been recognized as his daughter”
The mention of Aisake Ainuu’s deportation is ironic and prescient- given that on December 21, 1926 Fanua would leave Samoa with her husband, Judge Edwin Gurr, deported from Samoa for five years, this time for supporting the Mau against NZ administration. I must admit to a rush of pride at the deportation of not one, but (at least) two forebears who displayed so openly- what my 10th grade English teacher would later describe as- “a problem with authority figures”.
Before then, in 1888 at the age of 16, Fanua was titled the Taupou of Apia.
Between 1887 and 1894 a complex bout of civil wars, centered in Apia, took place for leadership of Samoa and consolidation of the four major high chiefly titles with three contestants to the throne- each backed by the self-interested colonial powers of Germany, USA and Great Britain, with varying degrees of commitment to arbitrary destruction. (In fact there are and were five significant titles, but four titles were held amid the three prospects vying for rule).
Within this 7 year maelstrom- Seumanutafa fought on the side of the Malietoa (another title to which there were two claimants… I know, you could write a book about it- in fact, someone did, he’s coming up); anyway, Fanua enthusiastically engaged in the conflict, transporting supplies of food and weapons and attending the trenches, shelters and encampments littering the land around Apia; presenting a moving target amid the various battles, ambushes and raids; “she had on many occasions exhibited much coolness, presence of mind and bravery in danger and trouble.” In 1889 a natural event would stall the wars briefly, when a great hurricane destroyed 6 warships in Apia harbour and killed over 150 men. That storm would have killed many more if not for Samoan saviours including Fanua and her father. Fanua coordinated much of the recovery of the rescued soldiers and was presented a personal gift by Admiral Kimberly of the US Navy for her work.
In a later incident, toward the end of the wars, supporters of Mata'afa occupied the home of Fanua and Judge Gurr, because they advocated for the opposing claimant of the Malietoa title. The Judge possessed papers and items considered valuable to both sides. There were also a uniform and sword significant to the Malietoa. When these were unable to be recovered by other means, Fanua boldly approached the occupiers, led by Aliipia, and requested she be allowed to gather some of her things, including the Judge’s papers and typewriter. Aliipia graciously allowed her to, and Fanua then requested of the warriors there, “Will any of you young chiefs carry these things to town for me?” Only after the goods had been safely removed to the waterfront with the sword and uniform of the Malietoa secreted among them, and stowed in a boat waiting; did Fanua deign to tip-off her enemy-porters. “Do you know what you have brought down? You have carried the uniform and the sword of the Malietoa”. You can imagine the bunch of chagrinned warriors in their prime debating among themselves whether to run back up the hill to tell the boss the lady had duped them...
Fanua married Judge Gurr on December 31st, 1890. They had two children, their son Bernard and daughter, Teuila. The wedding was attended by anyone who was anyone- which at the time tended to include the available admiralty and occupiers, and renowned author and man-about-Vailima, Tusitala aka Robert Louis Stevenson... (if you want to know more about the civil wars- ‘A Footnote to History’ is RLS’s observational if biased interpretation as local papalagi fictional correspondent.)
As Judge Gurr recalled:
“Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanua Eleitino
Gurr were great friends from the time of their first meeting till his death,
and even unto the time of her death in December 1917 she frequently spoke most lovingly
of Mr Stevenson and all the members of his talented family.”
“She was a frequent guest of
Vailima. Sometimes for several months at a stretch Fanua and her husband were
favored guests of the family and occupied Tusitala's Library.”
Stephenson’s mother, Mrs Margaret Stephenson gave Fanua lessons in English and RLS also chose the name of Fanua’s daughter, my great grandmother, Teuila.
“I believe that Fanua played against
Tusitala in his last game of tennis. I had arrived at Vailima from my office in
Apia just before dusk of one of the days when we were stopping at Vailima.
Tusitala had been playing rather more vigorously than usual in order to extinguish
the 'Aitu.' The game was drawing to a close when Mr Stevenson was compelled to
cease playing owing to a hemorrhage starting. Mrs Stevenson then insisted that
he should not play tennis any more, and I believe this was his last game, a few
months before his death.”
In referring to ‘extinguishing the Aitu’- Gurr was using a pet name that RLS and his family used for Fanua: “Fanua was also styled on many other occasions by Mr Stevenson as ' Le Aitu ' which designates a visitor from the spirit world.“ It seems an appropriate term- aitu- for a warrior, a witch, and a wonder. Not other worldly, but of this place, fanua or whenua. They meant it with love.
This blog is dedicated to my first cousin, goddess and warrior- Richelle Kahui-McConnell, who carried and shared the spirit of Nafanua and Fanua, all the way to the whenua.
Amuia le masina, e alu ma toe sau... alofa tele.
https://www.rejectedprincesses.com/princesses/nafanua
https://samoanmythology.net/ts-nafanua-goddess-of-war/
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SAMZ19180209.2.18?query=Regent
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