[2] In the late 1960s, Senator Mata’utia Tautunu championed the construction of a road over the mountains between Aūa and Āfono.

The subsequent addition of the Āfono-Vatia section transformed it into the longest and most expensive secondary road in American Sāmoa.

The road from Aua includes several steep switchbacks up to Rainmaker Pass, and continues equally steeply down to the village of Afono.

The stands of endemic broadleaf forest located between Fagasā and Afono provide habitat for large numbers of native bird species.

[7]: 129, 131 Lands within the Tutuila unit presently under cultivation for substance agriculture are confined to areas above Afono and Vatia villages.