Poloa, American Samoa
Poloa | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Poloa | |
| Coordinates: 14°19′18″S 170°49′58″W / 14.32167°S 170.83278°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| Territory |  American Samoa |
| County | Lealataua |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.33 sq mi (0.85 km2) |
| Population (2000) | |
• Total | 203 |
| • Density | 620/sq mi (240/km2) |
Poloa is a village in American Samoa. It is located at the west side of Tutuila in the Alataua District. The village has approximately 300 citizens. The main denominations in the area are Methodist and Christian. Poloa has one elementary school. It is located in Lealataua County.
According to history, Poloa was one of the poorest village in Samoa. Since American culture was introduced, many Poloa villagers worked at shipyards of Germans and Americans.
Poloa is the western terminus of American Samoa Highway 001.
Etymology
The name Poloa denotes that once the sun sets over the horizon, it will immediately become dark, or Po-loa. The name originated from a premodern account of the travels of the legendary twins Taema and Tilafaiga, in their search for Fututalie, a Samoan prince who lived in a village at Tutuila Island’s western tip. A unique characteristic of this village they looked for was that the darkness descends as soon as the sun sets.[1]
2009 tsunami
Almost every building in town was severely damaged by the 2009 tsunami, including most houses and a church. Reconstruction work was carried out under the command of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Two large tsunami waves struck the village. The first wave came from the north and the second wave from the northeast. The Matai saw the tsunami approaching and warned residents of the need to evacuate. Consequentially, almost all residents successfully escaped the tsunami. One victim was recorded in Poloa.[2]
Taputapu Elementary School and the Early Childhood Education Center were completely destroyed by the earthquake-triggered tsunami. Funding of $3 million from the Federal Emergency Management Administration was given the village to rebuild, but they refused to provide funding for the school to be rebuilt at its original site, due to the close proximity to the sea. The elementary school was therefore to be built to the north in Fagalii. It was the last to be rebuilt of five elementary schools in the territory destroyed by the tsunami.[3][4]
Demographics
| Population growth[5] | |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 193 |
| 2000 | 203 |
| 1990 | 176 |
| 1980 | 126 |
The population according to the 2010 U.S. Census was 193, compared to 203 at the 2000 U.S. Census. The reason for this recent drop has been overseas migration to the mainland United States and Samoa.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Fai’ivae, Alex Godinet (2018). Ole Manuō o Tala Tu’u Ma Fisaga o Tala Ave. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Page 178. ISBN 9781546229070.
- ^ Esteban, Miguel and Hiroshi Takagi (2015). Handbook of Coastal Disaster Mitigation for Engineers and Planners. Butterworth-Heinemann. Pages 80-81. ISBN 9780128012703.
- ^ http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/268043/american-samoa-school-destroyed-by-tsunami-to-finally-be-rebuilt
- ^ http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/303671/rebuild-for-american-samoa-schools-wrecked-by-tsunami
- ^ "American Samoa Statistical Yearbook 2016" (PDF). American Samoa Department of Commerce.
- ^ Fai’ivae, Alex Godinet (2018). Ole Manuō o Tala Tu’u Ma Fisaga o Tala Ave. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Page 178. ISBN 9781546229070.
14°19′18″S 170°49′58″W / 14.32167°S 170.83278°W
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