Taʻū

In ancient times, the three islands of the Manuʻa Group existed as a unified polity. Taʻū served as the primary center of authority, hosting the Tui Manu'a paramount chieftaincy.Hunt, Terry L. and Patrick Vinton Kirch (1993). The To'aga Site: Three Millennia of Polynesian Occupation in the Manu'a Islands, American Samoa. Berkeley, CA: Archaeological Research Facility, University of California, Berkeley. Page 9. {{ISBN|978-1-882744-01-5}}. In 1986, researchers uncovered ceramic-bearing locations in Taʻū Village, including a surface find of a Polynesian Plain Ware sherd. Subsequent test excavations revealed deeper cultural layers linked to the Ancestral Polynesian period. This evidence indicated that the prehistoric developments in the Manuʻa Islands generally align with those documented in larger and more thoroughly studied areas of Western Sāmoa.Hunt, Terry L. and Patrick Vinton Kirch (1993). The To'aga Site: Three Millennia of Polynesian Occupation in the Manu'a Islands, American Samoa. Berkeley, CA: Archaeological Research Facility, University of California, Berkeley. Pages 5 and 43. {{ISBN|978-1-882744-01-5}}.

In early 1987, a major hurricane struck the Manuʻa Islands, severely impacting Taʻū. Nearly all homes on the island were destroyed, leading to a Federal disaster declaration.Hunt, Terry L. and Patrick Vinton Kirch (1993). The To'aga Site: Three Millennia of Polynesian Occupation in the Manu'a Islands, American Samoa. Berkeley, CA: Archaeological Research Facility, University of California, Berkeley. Page 14. {{ISBN|978-1-882744-01-5}}.

The island is the eroded remnant of a hotspot shield volcano with a caldera complex or collapse feature (Liu Bench) on the south face. The summit of the island, called Lata Mountain, is at an elevation of {{cvt|931|m}}, making it the highest point in American Samoa. The last known volcanic eruption in the Manu{{okina}}a Islands was in 1866, on the mid-ocean ridge that extends west-northwest towards nearby Ofu-Olosega.{{cite gvp|vn=244001|name=Ta'u}}

The largest airport in the Manu{{okina}}a Islands is on the northeast corner of Ta{{okina}}ū at Fiti{{okina}}uta. There is also a private airport. A boat harbor is located at Faleāsao at the northwestern corner of the island. A roadway along the north coast connects all of the several inhabited villages between Ta{{okina}}ū on the west and Fiti{{okina}}uta.

All of the southeastern half of Ta{{okina}}ū—including all of the rainforest on top of Lata Mountain and within the caldera—the southern shoreline, and associated coral reefs are part of the National Park of American Samoa. The park includes the ancient, sacred site of Saua, considered to be the birthplace of the Polynesian people.

File:Coral colony at Ta’u Island in American Samoa.jpg, it is one of the largest colonies in the world.{{cite web |title=NOAA researchers and partners find new record-sized coral colony in American Samoa {{!}} National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |url=https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/noaa-researchers-and-partners-find-new-record-sized-coral-colony-in-american-samoa |website=National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration |access-date=27 January 2021 |date=22 January 2021}}]]

Administratively, the island is divided into three counties: Faleāsao County, Fitiʻuta County, and Taʻū County. Along with the Ofu and Olosega Islands, Ta{{okina}}ū Island comprises the Manuʻa District of American Samoa. The land area of Ta{{okina}}ū Island is {{cvt|44.31|km2}} and it had a population of 873 persons as of the 2000 census and of 790 persons in the 2010 census.

In 2000, a subsea volcano {{cvt|30|mi|order=flip}} from Ta{{okina}}ū Island was discovered by scientists. Rockne Volcano has formed an undersea mountain which is {{cvt|14000|ft|order=flip}} tall. Its peak is {{cvt|18000|ft|order=flip}} below the ocean surface.Sunia, Fofo I.F. (2009). A History of American Samoa. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Page 355. {{ISBN|9781573062992}}.

In the southeastern part of the island are the 450-meter high Laufuti Falls waterfall. It is located a few kilometers southwest of Saua.Stanley, David (1996). South Pacific Handbook. David Stanley. Page 424. {{ISBN|978-1-56691-040-8}}.

The Taʻū unit of the American Samoa National Park spans approximately 2,025 hectares (over 5,000 acres) and constitutes the largest section of the park. It contains predominantly unaltered coastal, lowland, montane, and cloud rain forests. On the island’s southern shore, Laufuti Falls descends more than 300 meters (1,000 feet) toward the ocean.Goldin, Meryl Rose (2002). Field Guide to the Sāmoan Archipelago: Fish, Wildlife, and Protected Areas. Bess Press. Page 274. {{ISBN|978-1-57306-111-7}}.

File:Si%27u_Point_is_a_good_place_to_view_the_south_coast_of_Ta%27u._some_of_the_tallest_sea_cliffs_in_the_world_stairstep_over_3,000_(c16b5d2c-abdc-2079-10e2-57c922efb550).jpg. Page 134. {{ISBN|978-1-83905-292-7}}.]]

{{Main|Coming of Age in Samoa}}

Ta{{okina}}ū is where the 23-year-old anthropologist Margaret Mead conducted her dissertation research in Samoa in the 1920s, published in 1928 as Coming of Age in Samoa. In her work, she studied adolescent girls and compared their experience to those of Western societies. She concluded that adolescence was a smooth transition, not marked by the emotional or psychological distress, anxiety, or confusion seen in the United States.{{cite book |last1=Mead |first1=Margaret |title=Coming of Age in Samoa |date=1928 |publisher=William Morrow Paperbacks |isbn=978-0688050337 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/comingofageinsam0000mead/page/ XIII-XV] |url=https://archive.org/details/comingofageinsam0000mead/page/ |access-date=3 October 2014 }}

Until 2016, being a small and isolated island, the island relied on costly and polluting diesel generators to supply electricity. However, with the construction of a solar array, battery storage system, and microgrid, the island's power relies almost 100% from the sun.{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/22/tesla-runs-island-on-solar-power/|title=Tesla runs an entire island on solar power}}{{cite web |url=http://www.americansamoa.gov/aspa-solar |title=Manu'a now powered by Solar Energy |publisher=American Samoa Government |date=27 October 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812230213/https://www.americansamoa.gov/aspa-solar |archive-date=12 August 2020}} The solar array was built by SolarCity and now includes sixty Tesla Powerpacks. The system should be a more reliable source of energy and was designed to power the entire island for three days without sunlight and fully recharge in seven hours.{{cite magazine|last1=Heathman|first1=Amelia|title=This island is powered entirely by solar panels and batteries thanks to Solarcity|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/island-tau-solar-energy-solarcity|magazine=Wired|access-date=23 November 2016}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.census.gov/ Tau Island: Faleasao, Fitiuta, and Ta'u counties, Manu'a District, United States Census Bureau]

{{Commons category|Tau Island}}

{{American Samoa}}

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Category:Mountains of American Samoa

Category:Islands of American Samoa

Category:Volcanoes of American Samoa

Category:Polygenetic shield volcanoes

Category:Manu'a

Category:Eastern Samoan Volcanic Province