Mulifanua
village on the north-western tip of the island of Upolu, in Samoa
Mulifanua is a village on the north-western tip of the island of Upolu, in Samoa. In the modern era, it is the capital of Aiga-i-le-Tai district. Mulifanua wharf is the main ferry terminal for inter-island vehicle and passenger travel across the Apolima Strait between Upolu and the island of Savai'i.
Ferry terminal
The ferry terminal at Mulifanua wharf is five minutes west of Faleolo International Airport. The government's Samoa Shipping Corporation operates the ferry service, seven days a week, between Mulifanua and Salelologa at the east end of Savai'i island. A one-way trip between the two islands takes about 90 minutes. The ferry usually runs every two hours during the day. There are several small shops selling snacks, and there are always buses and taxis available at the terminal for departures and arrivals.
Archaeology
In 1973, archaeology in Samoa uncovered a Lapita site at Mulifanua where 4,288 pottery sherds and two Lapita type adzes have been recovered. The site has a true age of circa 3,000 BP based on C14 dating on a shell.
“Mulifanua” enters the record as village on the north-western tip of the island of Upolu, in Samoa. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Mulifanua, village and north-western can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Mulifanua” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Mulifanua, village and north-western provides the most credible route into that argument.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Mar 17, 2023. The linked authority identifier is Q2270858. Authority coordinates are -13.833, -171.983. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1973.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Mulifanua”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Mulifanua primary sources, Mulifanua archive and Mulifanua research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Mulifanua”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Mulifanua” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.