villa vailima - the robert louis stevenson museum
after checking out the catholic cathedral we headed on up to the robert louis stevenson museum, in the village of vailima. what an incredible place! rls moved to samoa for a warmer climate when his health declined and purchased 400 acres of land 3km south of apia from the locals. he then set about building this grand mansion, employing many of the samoans as they built, earning the trust and respect of the locals. he became involved in politics as this trust deepened and was given a name by the samoan people, "tusitala" or teller of tales.
view from rls's library/bedroom
rls lived in his completed home, for just a few years (spending 5 in samoa all up) before he passed away (from a suspected cerebral hemorrhage) in 1894 and had his wish fulfilled, of being buried atop mount vaea, the hill overlooking his mansion. the samoan people took turns carrying his coffin to the top of the mount, which is a good hour long hike, sans coffin. this steep path is called "the road of loving hearts"
inscribed on rls's tomb, as per his request, is his requiem:
under the wide and starry sky,
dig the grave and let me die.
glad did i live and glady die
and i laid me down with a will.
this be the verse you grave for me:
here he lies where he longed to be;
home is the sailor, home from the sea,
and the hunter home from the hill.
rls's wifes room
we decided the hill climb was a little difficult with the children, although we would have loved to see the tomb and the view. maybe next time...
when his wife, fanny died, 20 years later in the u.s., her daughter took her ashes to buried alongside her husband, where her plaque bears her samoan name: aolele (flying cloud)
the kitchen for the mansion, situated in the rear of the grounds
the memorial on mount vaea and more than 100 acres of the estate are protected by samoan law, stating that the land has been entrusted to the people of samoa by the heir of fanny stevenson, as a memorial to the late rls. that the said land will be maintained by the government of samoa and remain a memory of the late rls and his love for the people of samoa.
the museum has two benefactors that reside in the u.s., former mormon missionaries who served in samoa years ago. it has been said that once you have lived in the islands that it remains a part of your soul and for these two men, it truly has. after footing the bill to have the museum restored, they also cover the gap between what the museum makes and the running costs, as unfortunately there is a gap. so the two cover all remaining costs, to ensure that the estate remains open and accessible to the people of samoa and those who visit the islands.
tours operate in the mansion each day, where you are escorted through by the local tour guides, who even sing the grave requiem as you reach the grand wooden staircase that runs through the back of the house down to the dining room. they share the story of rls and his life in samoa with such love, it is obvious that he will forever be remembered by the people of samoa.
robert louis stevenson was quite the celebrity in his time, writing many works of fiction, including treasure island and "strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde", the latter which is depicted in this portrait of stevenson, (where he changes between the two characters jekyll and hyde, when viewed from one side, with the other covered, down the centre of his face) which hangs in the large dining room on the lower floor of the mansion.
there is even a statue displayed on the verandah area, a carving dedicated to the story of the end of cannibalism in samoa (which you can read here...)
i felt very educated by the end of the tour and was certainly glad we went. rls certainly was loved by the people of samoa, and they will continue to proudly guard his memory forever.
