July 13, 1978 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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ETELEI, sister of Sekeli Menu, is shown with two of her three children.
Shelton Samoan families keep culture aliv
By JAN DANFORD
More than 30 years ago in
Western Samoa, Sale Manu and
his family were persecuted
because of their religion,
preferring death to a denial of
their faith. His descendants are
today residents of Shelton.
In the autumn of 1945 Sale
Manu and his family were called
as missionaries for the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints. From their home island
they traveled to Sataupaii,
Western Samoa, to establish a
branch of the church in that
village.
There the Mormons were
hated, and the family of Sale
Manu was constantly tormented
and harassed. Once while they
were visiting tile sick the local
minister threatened Sale with a
machete.
"Leave the village or die!"
the Mormon was told.
Sale Manu paddled all
outrigger canoe for two days and
two nights to seek advice from
John Adams, president of the
Samoan mission of Latter Day
Saints. According to instructions,
Sale then made his way across
the waters to return .to his
frightened family.
"It is the Lord's will," he
said to his wife and to his
children "that we remain here to
seal our testimonies with our
own blood if necessary."
They prayed for guidance.
On December 24, 1945, their
gardens and trees were
destroyed. The village high chief
warned the Manus that they
would be burned alive if they
did not leave by the following
day.
The Manu family knelt in
prayer on Christmas morning as
the crowd set fire to their home.
They retreated to the cookhouse.
This, too, was ignited, and a
huge bonfire burst into flame at
FA'ANA WILEY will coordinate the entertainment for the
Samoan luau to be held in Kneeland Park on July 22.
AT A FAMILY HOME EVENING, a spiritual lesson may be followed by a
class in Samoan song and dance.
NESA BLAKELY teaches her daughters to dance, and has
provided entertainment for many local luaus.
Page 10 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, July 13. 1978
tile order of the high chief.
Heat from the blaze forced
the murderous mob into the
background as the high chief
announced:
"Sale Manu, 1 give you a
chance to save your life and the
lives of your wife and children.
What do you say?"
"We are ready to die!
exclaimed Sale Manu, refusing to
fail his God.
Suddenly the high chief
relented.
"You are truly a man of
God," he said, "and I cannot do
this thing."
One by one the villagers
walked away, and the fires
burned into ashes. In the evening
police arrested the high chief,
the minister and approximately
40 other persons involved in the
incident.
Later, in a courtroom, a
judge decided to make examples
of the persecutors. He declared
to Sale Manu:
"There will be religious
freedom in these islands! I will
order whatever you deem to be
just punishment for these people
who have used violence against
you and your family!"
Sale Manu replied:
"I forgive them. Let them go
home to their families with the
understanding that they shall
never again persecute Latter Day
Saints."
The judge so decreed,
granting the Mormons the right
. to preach anywhere on the island
and to.erect a chapel. Hundreds
of villagers joined the church. A
chapel, today one of the largest
buildings in Western Samoa, was
constructed upon the site of the
fire that so nearly consumed the
Manu family.
Until the end of his days
Sale Manu traveled as a preacher
from village to village. To his
children he gave a blessing that
all who obeyed the teachings of
the Mormon Church might leave
Samoa to prosper in America.
The picture-postcard beauty
of Samoa is countered with a
scarcity of money, a lack of
opportunity, and primitive
facilities. Although sea and land
merge in vistas of unbelievable
loveliness, there is no electricity
and fresh water is at a premium.
Only two of the four
Samoan islands are inhabited, the
others being little more than
rocks protruding from the ocean.
On the island of Upolu is located
the only town, Apia. Here
American products are available
when brought in by ships, but
cost three times the price for
which they are sold in the
United States.
Schooling is expensive and
there is a charge even for
kindergarten. Medical care is
free, but limited. Difficult cases
are sent to Hawaii or to New
Zealand for treatment. Boils and
minor infections are rampant.
Sale Manu wished for his
offspring an opportunity for a
better life and a chance for
advancement. The children loved
their native islands, but followed
the wishes of their father.
Nesa, daughter of Sale,
attended the Latter Day Saints
college in Laie, Oahu where she
majored in education. She also
studied Polynesian culture and
was employed as an entertainer
for tourists.
In Hawaii she met Leo
Blakely, who was serving with
the U.S. Army. After his
discharge from the service Nesa
joined Leo Blakely in California
and they were married.
Sekeli, son of Sale, was ten
years old when he faced death in
Western Samoa. At the age of 17
years he was called as a labor
missionary, and after completion
of a two-year mission as a
carpenter in Samoa he obtained
a good position with the Samoan
government.
Six months later he was
again summoned as a labor
missionary and went to Hawaii
with a group of young Samoan
men.
There he learned the sheet
metal trade, and for five years
plied his skills as additions were
built to the q Hawaiian Mormon
Temple and while dormitories
were erected at Brigham Young
University in Hawaii. Sekeli
M anu also assisted in the
construction of the Polynesian
Cultural Center.
He then joined his sister and
her husband in California and
shortly thereafter met and
married a girl reared in
McCleary. In McCleary Connie
and Sekeli Manu made their
home, and there Sekeli opened a
sheet metal shop.
In 1973 he purchased a sheet
metal shop in Shelton, and was
joined in this business venture by
his brother-in-law, Leo Blakely,
who has since that time gone
into the plumbing business.
Nesa and Leo Blakely have
three children to whom Nesa has
taught the Polynesian arts of
singing and dancing. Nesa has
assisted with entertainment for
many annual luaus.
In 1976 Sekeli and Connie
Manu and their five children
returned to Samoa for one year.
A son was born there and
another child was adopted.
Another son was born recently.
Alapati Manu and his wife,
Losi, arrived in Shelton in 1972.
In January of 1978 Fa'ana Wily,
wife of Sekeli's nephew, came to
Shelton with her husband, Ueni,
and their seven children. Prior to
this time Fa'ana was a teacher of
English in the Mormon College
of Western Samoa. She had been
educated in New Zealand and
was graduated from Ardmore
Teachers' College.
The more recent arrival of
Sekeli's older sister, Etetei, and
her three children brings to a
total of five the related families,
descendants of Sale Manu, who,
live in Shelton and have formed
a group to continue the study of
Samoan culture which might
otherwise be lost to their include various Samoan
children, tasting and will feature
As members of the Church potatoes, corn and fruit
of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, these Samoan families
observe a weekly family home
evening. On certain of these
occasions when all are convened
under one roof the spiritual
lesson is followed by a class in
which the youngsters are taught
Samoan songs and dances.
Local Samoans under the
direction of Fa'ana Wily will
present, a 'tear f Samoa, irJY$ong
and dance and legend at the luau
scheduled for July 22 in
Kneeland Park. The menu will
Interested persons may
the pig placed in the pit at
a.m. on the morning of the
.and its removal at 7 p.m.
luau will begin at 6:30 in
evening.
Sale Manu sired 11
five of whom died in
Filesi resides in Hawaii
Tenari has not yet left
The others ar in Shelton
" The:'meon/ of Sale
burns brightly in the
his sons and daughters,
prosper according to his
/
LOSI, wife of Alapati Menu, poses with a son and a daughter. The coul)
has five children.
SAMOAN DANCERS, left to right, are Loaloa Wily, Nesa Manu, Elai
Blakely and Montez Wily.