Ātua is an ancient political district of Samoa, consisting of most of the eastern section of Upolu and the island Tutuila. Within Samoa’s traditional polity, Ātua is ruled by the Tui Ātua together with the group of six senior orators of Lufilufi and 13 senior matai from throughout Ātua, comprising the Fale Ātua (or parliament of Atua). The fono (meeting) of Atua's rulers takes place in Lufilufi on the great malae of Lalogafu'afu'a. The paramount pāpā title and sovereign of Ātua is the Tui Ātua. The title traces its lineage to Pili, son of Tagaloa-a-lagi. One of the first known Tui Atua was Tui Atua Leutelele'i'ite of Falefa, who according to oral tradition, is said to have been part aitu (god-like) and part tagata (human-like) and lived around 1170 A.D. It is from his lifetime that the known pre-European history of Samoa associated with the Tui Ātua and its holders began. The current Tui Ātua is former Prime Minister, Head of State and tama-a-aiga, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi. The two paramount matai titles of Ātua are the two Tama-a-aiga titles of Tupua Tamasese and Matā'afa, respectively belonging to the two main noble lineages of Ātua: Sā Fenunuivao (descendants of Salamasina through Fenunu’ivao, adoptive mother of Tupua) of Falefa and Salani; and Sā Levālasi (descendants of Levalasi, adoptive mother of Salamasina) of Amaile and Lotofaga. Both titles belong to Sā Tupua one of the two maximal lineages of Samoa. History According to one legend, Tagaloa-a-lagi (the Samoan supreme god), entered Upolu, Savai'i and Tonga from Manu'a island on the eastern tip of the Samoan archipelago. The political divisions of Upolu are said to be traced to his son, Pili. Pili had three sons - Tua, 'Ana (who were twins) and Saga, after whom the political divisions of Upolu are named. Tua founded the political district of Ātua (literally, 'that of Tua'), which comprised the eastern third of Upolu island. 'Ana founded Ā'ana ('that of Ana), a political district on the western third of the island. The third son, Saga, was born after the twins and so the district he founded was called Tuamasaga ('after the twin'). This was the geographical region between Ā'ana and Ātua districts. Since then, the three political districts of Upolu have been called Ātua, Ā'ana and Tuamasaga. Geography Located on the eastern third of Upolu, the geography of Atua comprises the mountainous interior separating the northern