Sātele Tapumanaia, son of Queen Salamāsina, born in the 16th century, is thought to be the first holder of the chiefly "Sātele" title (alternately spelt as LesāteleKrämer, A. (2000). The Samoa Islands: An Outline of a Monograph with Particular Consideration of German Samoa. Constitution, pedigrees and traditions--. United States: University of Hawaii Press., Page 252 or Tapusātele) of the village of Sālani in the Faleālili subdistrict of Ātua,'Upolu.Sunia, Fofo I.F. (2009). A History of American Samoa. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. Page 51.
The popular legend is that Tapumanaia was abducted by High Orators Talo and Tofuiofo'ia of Salani, Faleālili to establish a high chief for their village. However, other historians believe that the queen permitted her son to be raised by people of Faleālili in order to help strengthen alliances and for other political purposes.
Tapumanaia's leadership and lineage would lend to the title's migration and establishment of branches throughout the Samoan Islands in the following villages:
Sātele of Alao, TutuilaMethodist Church in Samoa (1985), O Le Tusi Fa'alupega o Samoa Atoa, Page 224Krämer, A. (2000). The Samoa Islands: An Outline of a Monograph with Particular Consideration of German Samoa. Constitution, pedigrees and traditions--. United States: University of Hawaii Press., Page 433
Sātele of Sālani, UpoluKrämer, A. (2000). The Samoa Islands: An Outline of a Monograph with Particular Consideration of German Samoa. Constitution, pedigrees and traditions--. United States: University of Hawaii Press., Page 393
Sātele of Salesatele, UpoluMethodist Church in Samoa (1985), O Le Tusi Fa'alupega o Samoa Atoa, Page 78
Sātele of Sataua, Savai'iMethodist Church in Samoa (1985), O Le Tusi Fa'alupega o Samoa Atoa, Page 181Krämer, A. (2000). The Samoa Islands: An Outline of a Monograph with Particular Consideration of German Samoa. Constitution, pedigrees and traditions--. United States: University of Hawaii Press., Page 101
Sātele of Vailoatai, TutuilaMethodist Church in Samoa (1985), O Le Tusi Fa'alupega o Samoa Atoa, Page 249Krämer, A. (2000). The Samoa Islands: An Outline of a Monograph with Particular Consideration of German Samoa. Constitution, pedigrees and traditions--. United States: University of Hawaii Press., Page 448
In Samoan culture, people can be related either through blood or through title. As such, all who carry the Sātele name today can trace their roots to its original titleholder, Tapumanaia, le alo o Salamāsina.
References
See also Tapumanaia Galu Satele Jr., American politician, educator, and government administrator