Black Horse

The Turtle and Shark of Vaitogi

In short: Find out why the coast of Vaitogi in American Samoa is associated with the Turtle and Shark story.

The Turtle and Shark of Vaitogi · Two people become sea creatures FAIRY TALE ATLAS · № 174 The Turtle and Shark of Vaitogi Find out why the coast of Vaitogi in American Samoa is associated with the Turtle and Shark story. Origin An oral tradition of the Samoan archipelago. These dates refer to accounts tied to Vaitogi in American Samoa. George Turner’s 1884 publication does not name a village or island. Atlas record 1922 First appearance Exact date unknown SIGNATURE MOTIF Two people become sea creatures Reach¹ 1/10 Suggested age² 8+ Member rating No votes yet 2 records · 1 countries or regions blackhorsestories.com

¹ Based on the number of Atlas countries, capped at 10. ² Editorial suggestion for reading this page. Discover Black Horse’s question

Origin and tradition

An oral tradition of the Samoan archipelago. These dates refer to accounts tied to Vaitogi in American Samoa. George Turner’s 1884 publication does not name a village or island.

In one account tied to Vaitogi, an older woman and a child neglected in a famine become a turtle and a shark at sea. The child’s identity varies across accounts. A call sung at the shore is the part of the story remembered through sound. I’m Black Horse. If you heard it on the coast, where would you look when the song began?

Dated records and sources

  1. 1922 · Vaitogi, Tutuila
    John Russell · Vaitogi account cited in the National Register nomination · section 8
  2. 2014 · Vaitogi, Tutuila
    Vaitogi oral accounts cited in the National Register nomination · section 8 · Field documentation

Country pages

Origin
Black Horse. The Turtle and Shark of Vaitogi. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/atlas-tale-vaitogi-turtle-shark/