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.