Vave is a god who was born in a stone in Tutuila, perhaps in the village of Amanave. “Vave” means swift or quickly. It is thought Vave first came as a spirit from Tonga, and since being a spirit Vave could take many forms. Since a spirit cannot be seen with the eyes, in this story, Vave is made manifest and incarnate as the Manualii, or the Bird of the Chiefs. This illustration is a representation of that bird as shown in South Pacific Birds, John E. Dupont, Delaware Museum of Natural History, 1976.

Vave, like many spirits, could change forms, mostly as an animal or perhaps a fish. Here Vave is said to appear and sound like the Manuali’i bird. Vave also carries the powers of prophecy, predicting the outcomes of war. Where the bird flew would be a sign of either grievous loss of great victory. If the bird flew in front or alongside the army, victory was predicted; if it flew behind the army, this predicted a disastrous end, and all of the fears and anxieties of the people would increase, weakening the forces even further. In other versions, Vave personally guided the battle; wherever Vave flew the warriors followed.

In this story, Samoa did not only worship gods of war, but had many unique to almost each and every circumstance of difficulty, had gods of refuge and safety. Here are mentioned Moso, who appears as scented flowers, shells, also as a bird, and even as a bowl; Lefanoga, the god of giants, Nifoloa, (Long Tooth) a god of taboo associated with diseases, and the legendary Nafanua, the afafine war goddess of Savai’i. The Falema’a of Fe’e, the stone house of the goddess of war Fe’e who takes the form of a giant octopus, is also mentioned.

The people of Tuamasaga worshipped the octopus (fe’e), where they built a temple for him out of rocks.  Some are still there inland next to Vaisigano.  This temple was called “The Fe’e’s House of Rocks.”  The large tanoa (kava bowl) was named the Lipi and was the symbol of this aitu.  In times of war, it was decorated with white cowrie shells around the tanoa to show respect for this sauali’i.  Accordingly, this was the taulaitu’s prayer:  

“Le Fe’e e, fa’afofoga mai ia, (“Oh octopus, hear me now,)  

‘O a’u o Pai o le’a tula’i atu nei. (I am Pai and will stand forward now) Se’i tau a’i le taua lenei.” (To fight in this battle.”) 

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Note:  The following explanatory comment about the Fe’e’s House of Rocks is taken from The Project Gutenberg EBook of “Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before,” by George Turner: 

“Another fragment makes out that a Savaii Fe’e married the daughter of a chief on Upolu, and for convenience in coming and going made a hole in the reef, and hence the harbour at Apia. He went up the river also at that place, and built a stone house inland, the “Stonehenge” relics of which are still pointed out, and named to this day “the house of the Fe’e.” In time of war he sent a branch drifting down the river as a good omen, and a sign to the people that they might go on with the war, sure of driving the enemy.”