Faga'itua

Faga'itua is a village in the east of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is located on the central coast of Faga'itua Bay. It is in Sua County,[1] a county also known as ‘o le falelima i sasa’e (“the house of the five in the east”). Fagaitua is located at a shallow bay on the south coast of the island, in-between Lauli'i and Alofau. It is home to Luafagā, Le’iato's house of chiefs, and the big malae Malotumau.[2]

Faga'itua
Village
Faga'itua
Coordinates: 14°16′03″S 170°36′50″W
Country	United States
Territory	American Samoa
County	Sua
Area
• Total	0.53 sq mi (1.37 km2)
Elevation	26 ft (8 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	433
• Density	820/sq mi (320/km2)
Time zone	UTC−11 (Samoa Time Zone)
ZIP code	96799
Area code(s)	+1 684

Coral reefs at Faga'itua suffered significant damage during the 2009 tsunami.[3]

Faga'itua is home to the smallest and most rural high school in American Samoa. Faga'itua High School, whose student body is around 500 as of 2018, practices football at the old rugby field by Pago Pago Bay. It has never had its own field but has utilized the uneven turf at Onesosopo Park, which is replete with volcanic stubble, water, toads, and sand traps. Rob Shaffer was hired as a teacher by Faga'itua in February 1972 and eventually also took over coaching of the high school's football team. Shaffer has played varsity as a quarterback for Oceanside High School under head coach Herb Meyer.[4]

In 2018, a monument was made for the Faga’itua High School Alumni Association in order to commemorate Faga’itua High School's 50th anniversary. The statue will eventually be mounted onto the pedestal which was designed and constructed by the American Samoa Department of Public Works. It is located in front of Faga’itua High School. The statue depicts a Viking warrior with his head tilted towards the east and the Eastern Star. The statue was made locally on Tutuila Island.[5]