Telematua

Telematua (also Telemaiatua) is the founding ancestor of Funafuti, and by extension of Vaitupu, in the legendary history of the islands recorded in 1896-97 by W. J. Sollas from the Funafuti chief Erivara through the trader Jack O'Brien. Tradition describes him as a giant who came by canoe from Samoa with two wives, Futi and Tupu. He left Futi on the first island, which he named Funafuti after her (from 'futi', banana, with the female prefix 'funa-'), and settled Tupu on a second island, Vaitupu, thereafter dividing his time between them; the name Vaitupu is explained from the phrase 'voai ia Tupu', 'to visit Tupu'. As the apical ancestor of Funafuti, Telematua stands at the head of the island's chiefly genealogies.

Domains

• founding and settlement
• ancestors and lineage

Powers

• to settle his wives on the islands and give the islands their names

Epithets

• TelemaiatuaSimati Faaniu et al., Tuvalu: A History, ed. Hugh Laracy (Suva: Institute of Pacific Studies, USP, 1983). (secondary)

Sources

• Telematua is the founding ancestor-giant of Funafuti and Vaitupu in Tuvaluan legendary history, a Samoan voyager whose wives Futi and Tupu give their names to the two islands.: W. J. Sollas, 'The Legendary History of Funafuti, Ellice Group,' Nature 55 (1897): 353-355. (secondary); Simati Faaniu et al., Tuvalu: A History, ed. Hugh Laracy (Suva: Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific; Funafuti: Ministry of Social Services, 1983). (secondary)