Fa'amatai
Encyclopedia
Fa'amatai is the chiefly system of Samoa, central to the organization of Samoan society.
It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in the Samoa Islands
, comprising American Samoa
and the Independent State of Samoa
. The term comprises the prefix fa'a (Samoan
for "in the way of") and the word matai (family name or title).
Of central importance in the system are the matai, the holders of family chief titles, and their role in looking after their family. Fa'amatai is the key socio-political system of governance and way of life (fa'a Samoa
) in Samoan culture. Inherent in the fa'amatai system is the welfare and well-being of the extended family ('aiga) and the protection of family property, consisting most importantly of customary land
.
In the 49-seat parliament of independent Samoa
, all 47 Samoan Members of Parliament are also matai, performing dual roles as chiefs and modern politicians, with the exception of the two seats reserved for non-Samoans.
The fa'amatai system is significant in modern Samoa where most of the land, about 81% (567,000 acres), is under customary ownership with the rest under the national government (malo) as public lands with another 4% freehold.
The 2006 official census
of independent Samoa
identified a total of 15,783 matai (8.7%) living in the country from a total population of 180,741. Of the total number of matai, 12,589 (79.8%) were male and 3,194 (20.2%) were female.
The Fa'amatai system has been greatly impacted upon by colonialism
as well as Samoa's modern politics which came into effect when the country gained independence in 1962.
At the local level, much of the country's civil and criminal matters are dealt with by some 360 village chief councils, Fono o Matai, according to traditional law, a practice further strengthened by the 1990 Village Fono Law.
Most Samoans live in villages consisting of groups of families with close ties and history. The influence of the matai is felt not only in the village but also in the district and even beyond. The active factor in the life of the village is the village council or fono o matai and its members are the matai. The fono of matai is the executive and judicial authority of every village in Samoa. If a matter is of importance the assembly is held on the malae, the open space in front of the village.
The speakers address the assembly and stand to do so. The listeners are comfortably seated on mats. Those not taking part in these assemblies are described as tagatanu'u (people of the village) and include untitled men, women and children. Democratic ideas do not prevail at these fonos and decisions are independent of majority or minority rule. The decision of one or more matai sili (senior matai) is decisive. The remainder who are merely at the fono to listen, agree with the decisions given. It is permissible for the minor matai to discuss the matter with and endeavour to try to influence the matai sili before the fono commences.
Before the fono commences preliminary councils are held (taupulega) by the different groups and at these councils the single family heads exchange opinions and endeavour to convince each other and to create harmony in order that when the actual fono eventuates everything will move smoothly. Some matai are permitted to speak at these fono without having any right to make a decision.
The 2006 census of Samoa
also revealed that 96% of the country's matai were actively involved in village activities as part of their matai responsibilities. The 4% 'not active' was explained as possibly due to the matai holding more than one title or living away from the village where their title belonged.
and the right to vote for adults aged 21-years and over. However, the right to stand for elections remains with matai, who are themselves selected by consensus of their families, including non-matai family members. Therefore, every Samoan Member of Parliament is also a matai, performing dual roles as a 'chief' as well as duties in the Samoan parliament. This applies to most Samoans in positions of public responsibility from the Prime Minister of Samoa
to the country's Head of State, who is referred to as O le Ao o le Malo
(the chieftain of the government).
politics with the advent of western powers and rivalry from the 19th century.
The colonial era saw Britain
, Germany
and the United States
supporting different matai such as Mata'afa Iosefo
and the youthful Malietoa Tanumafili I
to gain political territory over Samoa. This led to the colonial powers bestowing the European title of king
upon their own candidate during the tumultous years of the late 19th century, leading to warring among competing high ranking matai in different districts.
The Samoan term tupu, referring to paramount status over a particular region or the entire island group, has sometimes been translated incorrectly to the English language as 'king' in the European sense. The relatively brief usage of the term 'king' died out with the end of colonialism.
In the early 20th century, matai leadership also played a pivotal role in the pro-independence Mau movement
which eventually led to Samoa's independence in 1962.
It is common for each aiga to have a number of matai titles, however, one particular title will be the most important and serve as the main matai title. The title of a family matai which is peculiar and particular to that family is the subject of tradition and is faithfully recorded by the family and passed on from generation to generation.
It sometimes happens that new names are for some reason taken and the old ones discarded or passed on to lesser or junior chiefs.
In Samoan culture, the concept of serving and taking on the responsibility for the welfare of the family is integral to the fa'amatai system. Various members of the family are called upon in turn to support their matai in carrying out their role and responsibilities according to Samoan tradition, cultural obligations and duty. This often involves the family contributing money and important cultural items such as 'ie toga (fine mats) as well as food which the matai presents on behalf of the aiga to ensure the family's obligations are met in their village or wider community.
Men and women have equal rights to matai titles in Samoa, although the role of women in Samoan society means female matai comprise a relatively small percentage.
Before the advent of European contact and influence, the authority (pule) of the matai extended to life and limb but this power has been altered and absorbed by a Western-style modern government (referred to as the malo) where the matais authority is confined and balanced against the national governance.
There are two types of matai: ali'i
(loosely translated chief or high chief depending on a specific title's rank) and tulafale (orator chief).
In former times the term matai applied only to tulafale, but over time the term has become applied to ali'i generally.
Samoan gafa (pedigree, ancestors, descent) is central to family kinship and will usually commence from the person who first brought the name into prominence and caused it to be respected. It does not necessarily mean that the family commenced from the institution of a name or that the individual holding the title was the founder of the family. Former matai of the family have by comparison become unimportant and their names have fallen into disuse or become uninfluential.
The wife of an ali'i is referred to as faletua. The wife of a tulafale (orator status matai) is referred to as tausi.
. Most of the population in Samoa
, 65% overall, live with their families in villages on customary land. However, the 2006 Samoa census showed that 34 out of 48 political districts had more than 80% of households living on customary land with the lowest figures (25%) in the more densely concentrated urbanised area around the capital Apia. On the island of Savai'i
, where there are less people and fewer signs of western material culture, 93% of the 43,142 population live on customary land.
Looking after the collective family land is one of the most important responsibilities of Samoan families and their matai.
A matai may make their wishes known and bequeath certain property to others such as a married daughter, but they cannot transfer land rights beyond their own. Under the management of one or more matai the lands are divided amongst the various families for their own use and are viewed by these family members as their unassailable rights.
A Samoan proverb
highlighting the importance of land in Samoa reads, E le soifua umi le tagata fa'atau fanua (The man who sells family land will not live to an old age - devils will bring about his early death).
With most of the country's land under customary ownership, the position of the matai is significant in modern day politics in Samoa in terms of the nation's economic development, conservation, sustainability, tourism, national infrastructure and access to natural resources such as water, forestry, road access, agriculture and farming.
An example in recent years is the matai from the village of Sili
on the island of Savai'i
turning down a government proposal to build a hydroelectric plant on village land because of environmental concerns. In contrast, the matai in Sasina
have agreed with government support to an unprecedented 120-year lease of prime oceanfront land to an American company to build a tourism resort estimated to cost US$450–500 million.
In conservation, the villages of Uafato
in the Va'a-o-Fonoti
district at the east end of Upolu
island and Falealupo
at the west end of Savai'i have agreed to conservation covenants for their native forests.
Much of the land under the government today was alienated or sold during colonialism and later came under the Samoa government when the colonial era ended. This includes large tracts of plantation land from the 19th century as well as later periods of colonial administration including German Samoa
(1900–1914) followed by the New Zealand
administration.
This has resulted in ongoing court cases for land claims between matai and the government, such as that of the village of Satapuala
over land by Faleolo International Airport
, disputes which directly impact upon the country's national infrastructure.
title from the son of the previous title holder, the late Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili II (1913–2007). Following Malietoa Tanumafili II's death in 2007, one branch of the family bestowed the title upon his son Papali'i Fa'amausili Moli in the village of Malie
. The other branches of the family filed petitions at the Samoa Land and Titles Court claiming the bestowal invalid in breach of Samoan law. In June 2008, the court agreed and ruled the bestowal of the Malietoa title upon the son illegal, highlighting the unique nature of matai selection based on consensus, merit, custom and due process rather than automatic hereditary selection. Other cultural factors can also play a part in the complex decision making process including seniority in age (an important factor in Samoan society), leadership qualities, oratory and an individual's ability to contribute to the family's overall circumstances and well-being.
meeting house, the exchanging of oratory speeches, the reciting of genealogies and a kava
ceremony followed by a feast provided by the new matais family. Architecture of Samoa
dictates seating positions inside the meeting house during the title bestowal including the position of those making the kava being situated at the rear. Once the ceremony is completed, the new matai is henceforth called by their new name.
In New Zealand, more people born in Samoa than any other foreign country officially change their names
with the Department of Internal Affairs and it is believed that many of these are adding matai titles.
, at the time Mayor of Manukau
, a New Zealand city with a large Samoan population. Other non-Samoan New Zealanders bestowed with matai titles include prime ministers Robert Muldoon
, David Lange
and Jim Bolger
, politician Winston Peters
and Auckland
businessman Dick Hubbard
who holds the title 'Galumalemana.' In 1988, American ethnobotanist Paul Alan Cox
received a title from the village of Falealupo
, where Cox had lived for many years and later helped to set up a covenant to protect the native rainforest. In 1978, the Governor-General of Fiji
, Ratu Sir George Cakobau was bestowed the title 'Peseta' by Matautu
on Savai'i
island during his visit to Tui Fiti
's sacred ground.
whose first three names reveal individual high chief titles and thereby his genealogy and the different villages and families to which he belonged; the Faumuina title from Lepea
, the Fiame title from Lotofaga
and the Mata'afa
title, one of the paramount
names in the country.
As more than one family member can be bestowed the same matai title, each person's Christian name serves to distinguish them from each other. Dividing a family title so that it is shared among more than one family member is also agreed upon by consensus. The Samoans explain this by saying that a man has a fasi igoa – a piece of the title.
Usoali'i refers to brother chiefs, those men in the family union holding matai names. They may all enjoy the same rights or be under the control of one matai who is termed sao, in which case the other chiefs are referred to as tuaigoa.
's total population of 180,741 (2006 census), 87,064 were female, comprising 48% of the population. The male (52%) to female (48%) ratio for the country is higher than the world ratio. In 2006, there were 3,194 female matai, 20.2% of the 15,783 matai living in the country.
A woman can hold a matai name and have the pule (authority) of the family but this does not often occur. Should she have both she will usually bestow her matai title on one of her family, probably her husband, and retain the pule.
In 2006, there were four female Members of Parliament in Samoa and three were cabinet ministers
out of a 13-member cabinet.
Prominent women matai in Samoa include scholar and historian Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa
(matai title Aiono), high chief and senior cabinet minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa
(matai title Fiame), politician Safuneitu'uga Pa'aga Neri
(matai title Safuneitu'uga) and writer Letuimanu'asina Emma Kruse Va'ai
(matai title Letuimanu'asina).
With many Samoans also living overseas in other countries, other prominent Samoan female matai includes New Zealand
former Member of Parliament Luamanuvao Winnie Laban
(matai title Luamanuvao).
It is permissible for a taule'ale'a (an untitled man) to change his name as often as he wishes. A chance remark or an outstanding incident will often be the determining factor in naming a taule'ale'a. This can apply to everyone else, including females in Samoa, where a family member, especially a child, might be called a new name to commemorate an important occasion.
The Land and Titles Court hears disputes over matai title succession as well as disagreements pertaining to customary land. The court derives from the Native Land and Titles Court put in place under the colonial German administration in 1901. Samoa's political stability is thought to be due in large part to the success of this court in hearing disputes.
It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in the Samoa Islands
Samoan Islands
The Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands is an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and the wider region of Oceania...
, comprising American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
and the Independent State of Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. The term comprises the prefix fa'a (Samoan
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
for "in the way of") and the word matai (family name or title).
Of central importance in the system are the matai, the holders of family chief titles, and their role in looking after their family. Fa'amatai is the key socio-political system of governance and way of life (fa'a Samoa
Fa'a Samoa
Fa'a Samoa means literally The Samoan Way which describes the socio-political and cultural way of life for the people of the Samoan Islands....
) in Samoan culture. Inherent in the fa'amatai system is the welfare and well-being of the extended family ('aiga) and the protection of family property, consisting most importantly of customary land
Customary land
Customary land is land which is owned by Indigenous communities and administered in accordance with their customs, as opposed to statutory tenure usually introduced during the colonial periods. Common ownership is one form of customary land ownership....
.
In the 49-seat parliament of independent Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, all 47 Samoan Members of Parliament are also matai, performing dual roles as chiefs and modern politicians, with the exception of the two seats reserved for non-Samoans.
The fa'amatai system is significant in modern Samoa where most of the land, about 81% (567,000 acres), is under customary ownership with the rest under the national government (malo) as public lands with another 4% freehold.
The 2006 official census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of independent Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
identified a total of 15,783 matai (8.7%) living in the country from a total population of 180,741. Of the total number of matai, 12,589 (79.8%) were male and 3,194 (20.2%) were female.
The Fa'amatai system has been greatly impacted upon by colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
as well as Samoa's modern politics which came into effect when the country gained independence in 1962.
Governance
Samoa's chiefly system revolves around family ('aiga) kinship, based on the culture's communal and extended family relationships. The term aiga includes not only the immediate family (father, mother and children), but also the whole union of families of a clan and even those who although not related are subject to the family control.At the local level, much of the country's civil and criminal matters are dealt with by some 360 village chief councils, Fono o Matai, according to traditional law, a practice further strengthened by the 1990 Village Fono Law.
Most Samoans live in villages consisting of groups of families with close ties and history. The influence of the matai is felt not only in the village but also in the district and even beyond. The active factor in the life of the village is the village council or fono o matai and its members are the matai. The fono of matai is the executive and judicial authority of every village in Samoa. If a matter is of importance the assembly is held on the malae, the open space in front of the village.
The speakers address the assembly and stand to do so. The listeners are comfortably seated on mats. Those not taking part in these assemblies are described as tagatanu'u (people of the village) and include untitled men, women and children. Democratic ideas do not prevail at these fonos and decisions are independent of majority or minority rule. The decision of one or more matai sili (senior matai) is decisive. The remainder who are merely at the fono to listen, agree with the decisions given. It is permissible for the minor matai to discuss the matter with and endeavour to try to influence the matai sili before the fono commences.
Before the fono commences preliminary councils are held (taupulega) by the different groups and at these councils the single family heads exchange opinions and endeavour to convince each other and to create harmony in order that when the actual fono eventuates everything will move smoothly. Some matai are permitted to speak at these fono without having any right to make a decision.
The 2006 census of Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
also revealed that 96% of the country's matai were actively involved in village activities as part of their matai responsibilities. The 4% 'not active' was explained as possibly due to the matai holding more than one title or living away from the village where their title belonged.
Authority
The authority of the matai is not unlimited. They are called upon to discuss all important matters with everyone of significance belonging to the family union. If the matter is of minor importance and only of interest to the immediate village family, more distant relations may be omitted from discussion. Matai subject to a senior matai (matai sili) are independent in family matters concerning their own single family unless they have a tuaigoa shared title name only, in which case they are not referred to at all in family matters and may be deprived of their names at the will of their superior at any time.Modern politics
The fa'amatai system is entrenched in Samoan politics. From the country's independence in 1962, only matai could vote and stand as candidates in elections to parliament. In 1990, the voting system was changed by the Electoral Amendment Act which introduced universal suffrageUniversal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
and the right to vote for adults aged 21-years and over. However, the right to stand for elections remains with matai, who are themselves selected by consensus of their families, including non-matai family members. Therefore, every Samoan Member of Parliament is also a matai, performing dual roles as a 'chief' as well as duties in the Samoan parliament. This applies to most Samoans in positions of public responsibility from the Prime Minister of Samoa
Prime Minister of Samoa
This is a list of Prime Ministers of Samoa from the establishment of that office in 1875 until the present day.-List of Prime Ministers of Samoa :-See also:*Samoa**Politics of Samoa...
to the country's Head of State, who is referred to as O le Ao o le Malo
O le Ao o le Malo
O le Ao o le Malo is the Samoan head of state, which is the title's rough translation....
(the chieftain of the government).
Colonial influences
As matai are the heads of their families representing their villages, communities and districts, important high ranking title holders played significant roles in colonialColonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
politics with the advent of western powers and rivalry from the 19th century.
The colonial era saw Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Germany
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
supporting different matai such as Mata'afa Iosefo
Mata'afa Iosefo
Mata'afa Iosefo was a Paramount Chief of Samoa who was one of the three rival candidates for the kingship of Samoa during colonialism...
and the youthful Malietoa Tanumafili I
Malietoa Tanumafili I
Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili I was the Malietoa in Samoa from 1898 until his death in 1939.-Personal and political life:He was born in 1879 to Malietoa Laupepa and Sisavai‘i Malupo Niuva‘ai...
to gain political territory over Samoa. This led to the colonial powers bestowing the European title of king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
upon their own candidate during the tumultous years of the late 19th century, leading to warring among competing high ranking matai in different districts.
The Samoan term tupu, referring to paramount status over a particular region or the entire island group, has sometimes been translated incorrectly to the English language as 'king' in the European sense. The relatively brief usage of the term 'king' died out with the end of colonialism.
In the early 20th century, matai leadership also played a pivotal role in the pro-independence Mau movement
Mau movement
The Mau was a non-violent movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule during the early 1900s. The word 'Mau' means 'opinion' or 'testimony' denoting 'firm strength' in Samoan...
which eventually led to Samoa's independence in 1962.
Matai title
Each matai has a name (suafa) by and through which they exercise their rights in the family over which they preside. Matai names are for the most part very old ones and are handed down from generation to generation. Matai titles can be bestowed on one person or numerous family members who are distinguished from each other by their Christian name.It is common for each aiga to have a number of matai titles, however, one particular title will be the most important and serve as the main matai title. The title of a family matai which is peculiar and particular to that family is the subject of tradition and is faithfully recorded by the family and passed on from generation to generation.
It sometimes happens that new names are for some reason taken and the old ones discarded or passed on to lesser or junior chiefs.
In Samoan culture, the concept of serving and taking on the responsibility for the welfare of the family is integral to the fa'amatai system. Various members of the family are called upon in turn to support their matai in carrying out their role and responsibilities according to Samoan tradition, cultural obligations and duty. This often involves the family contributing money and important cultural items such as 'ie toga (fine mats) as well as food which the matai presents on behalf of the aiga to ensure the family's obligations are met in their village or wider community.
Men and women have equal rights to matai titles in Samoa, although the role of women in Samoan society means female matai comprise a relatively small percentage.
Before the advent of European contact and influence, the authority (pule) of the matai extended to life and limb but this power has been altered and absorbed by a Western-style modern government (referred to as the malo) where the matais authority is confined and balanced against the national governance.
Ali'i and tulafale
Ali'i
Alii is a word in the Polynesian language denoting chiefly status in ancient Hawaii and the Samoa Islands. A similar word with the same concept is found in other Polynesian societies. In the Cook Islands, an ariki is a high chief and the House of Ariki is a parliamentary house...
(loosely translated chief or high chief depending on a specific title's rank) and tulafale (orator chief).
In former times the term matai applied only to tulafale, but over time the term has become applied to ali'i generally.
Samoan gafa (pedigree, ancestors, descent) is central to family kinship and will usually commence from the person who first brought the name into prominence and caused it to be respected. It does not necessarily mean that the family commenced from the institution of a name or that the individual holding the title was the founder of the family. Former matai of the family have by comparison become unimportant and their names have fallen into disuse or become uninfluential.
The wife of an ali'i is referred to as faletua. The wife of a tulafale (orator status matai) is referred to as tausi.
Orator chiefs
Central to Samoan culture is the recording of history and genealogy which was achieved through oral history before the introduction of a written language. Orator chiefs (tulafale) and speakers (failauga - 'speech-maker') are terms used for Samoans holding the position of speakers or mouthpieces of chiefs and they are found in all villages. Important matai titles are also tied to certain orator matai titles. Orators serve the means of conveying the wishes of chiefs to the people or speaking on behalf of the family, village or district on important occasions. The orator is the recorder of family histories and pedigree (fa'alupega), genealogies (gafa) and events and is indispensable at public ceremonies. There are many Samoan public events at which the distribution of mats will take place. Many of these mats, particularly the fine mats ('ie toga), are valued very highly both from a monetary point of view and also from a historical and sentimental viewpoint. The more important mats bear respected names. The most noteworthy occasions on which mats are presented are marriages, births and deaths and the bestowal of a chiefly title.Customary land
The matai of the family is the administrator and representative of the family property which includes customary landCustomary land
Customary land is land which is owned by Indigenous communities and administered in accordance with their customs, as opposed to statutory tenure usually introduced during the colonial periods. Common ownership is one form of customary land ownership....
. Most of the population in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, 65% overall, live with their families in villages on customary land. However, the 2006 Samoa census showed that 34 out of 48 political districts had more than 80% of households living on customary land with the lowest figures (25%) in the more densely concentrated urbanised area around the capital Apia. On the island of Savai'i
Savai'i
Savaii is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is also the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose...
, where there are less people and fewer signs of western material culture, 93% of the 43,142 population live on customary land.
Looking after the collective family land is one of the most important responsibilities of Samoan families and their matai.
A matai may make their wishes known and bequeath certain property to others such as a married daughter, but they cannot transfer land rights beyond their own. Under the management of one or more matai the lands are divided amongst the various families for their own use and are viewed by these family members as their unassailable rights.
A Samoan proverb
Samoan proverbs
Samoan proverbs form an important part of the traditions and culture of Samoa where oratory, poetry, metaphors and subtelty in language art forms are held in high esteem as a form of communication in ceremony and ritual of fa'a Samoa...
highlighting the importance of land in Samoa reads, E le soifua umi le tagata fa'atau fanua (The man who sells family land will not live to an old age - devils will bring about his early death).
With most of the country's land under customary ownership, the position of the matai is significant in modern day politics in Samoa in terms of the nation's economic development, conservation, sustainability, tourism, national infrastructure and access to natural resources such as water, forestry, road access, agriculture and farming.
An example in recent years is the matai from the village of Sili
Sili
Sili is a village on the south side of Savai'i island in Samoa. Sili is situated inland, unlike most villages in Samoa which are settlements by the sea. The village lies within the electoral constituency of Palauli....
on the island of Savai'i
Savai'i
Savaii is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is also the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose...
turning down a government proposal to build a hydroelectric plant on village land because of environmental concerns. In contrast, the matai in Sasina
Sasina
Sasina is a village on the north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is located in the political district of Gagaifomauga. The population is 550 .The village is part of a conservation area which includes the village of Aopo...
have agreed with government support to an unprecedented 120-year lease of prime oceanfront land to an American company to build a tourism resort estimated to cost US$450–500 million.
In conservation, the villages of Uafato
Uafato
Uafato is a village on the north east coast of Upolu island in Samoa with national and global significance as a unique cultural and conservation area....
in the Va'a-o-Fonoti
Va'a-o-Fonoti
Va'a-o-Fonoti is a district on the north east coast of Upolu Island in Samoa, with a population of 1,666, making it the least populated district in the country....
district at the east end of Upolu
Upolu
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest in geographic area as well as the most populated of the Samoan Islands. Upolu is situated to the east of...
island and Falealupo
Falealupo
Falealupo is a village in Samoa situated at the west end of Savai'i island from the dateline. The village has two main settlements, Falealupo-Uta, situated inland by the main island highway and Falealupo-Tai, situated by the sea...
at the west end of Savai'i have agreed to conservation covenants for their native forests.
Much of the land under the government today was alienated or sold during colonialism and later came under the Samoa government when the colonial era ended. This includes large tracts of plantation land from the 19th century as well as later periods of colonial administration including German Samoa
German Samoa
German Samoa was a German protectorate from 1900 to 1914, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state Samoa, formerly Western Samoa...
(1900–1914) followed by the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
administration.
This has resulted in ongoing court cases for land claims between matai and the government, such as that of the village of Satapuala
Satapuala
Satapuala is a village situated on the north west coast Upolu island in Samoa. The village is part of A'ana Alofi III Electoral Constituency which forms part of the larger political district A'ana....
over land by Faleolo International Airport
Faleolo International Airport
Faleolo International Airport is an airport located west of Apia, the capital of Samoa.Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737...
, disputes which directly impact upon the country's national infrastructure.
Matai selection
In effect, every Samoan, male or female, is an heir to a matai title pertaining to their kinship and ancestry. However, matai titles are not automatically passed from a matai to their children or direct descendants but are bestowed upon those whom the extended family agree will best serve their needs while also ensuring that different branches of the family are represented. A recent example of this Samoan custom and law is the stripping of the important MalietoaMalietoa
Malietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
title from the son of the previous title holder, the late Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili II (1913–2007). Following Malietoa Tanumafili II's death in 2007, one branch of the family bestowed the title upon his son Papali'i Fa'amausili Moli in the village of Malie
Malie
Malie is a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. It is located on the north coast in the Electoral Constituency of Sagaga Le Usoga which forms part of the larger political district of Tuamasaga....
. The other branches of the family filed petitions at the Samoa Land and Titles Court claiming the bestowal invalid in breach of Samoan law. In June 2008, the court agreed and ruled the bestowal of the Malietoa title upon the son illegal, highlighting the unique nature of matai selection based on consensus, merit, custom and due process rather than automatic hereditary selection. Other cultural factors can also play a part in the complex decision making process including seniority in age (an important factor in Samoan society), leadership qualities, oratory and an individual's ability to contribute to the family's overall circumstances and well-being.
Title bestowal
Matai titles (suafa, literally "formal name") are bestowed upon family members during a cultural ceremony called a saofa'i which occurs only after discussion and consensus within the family. The saofa'i is a solemn ceremony which marks the formal acceptance of a new matai by their family and village into the circle of chiefs and orators. It involves the gathering of chiefs and orators in a fale teleArchitecture of Samoa
The architecture of Samoa is characterised by openness, with the design mirroring the culture and life of the Samoan people who inhabit the Samoa Islands. Architectural concepts are incorporated into Samoan proverbs, oratory and metaphors, as well as linking to other art forms in Samoa, such as...
meeting house, the exchanging of oratory speeches, the reciting of genealogies and a kava
Kava
Kava or kava-kava is a crop of the western Pacific....
ceremony followed by a feast provided by the new matais family. Architecture of Samoa
Architecture of Samoa
The architecture of Samoa is characterised by openness, with the design mirroring the culture and life of the Samoan people who inhabit the Samoa Islands. Architectural concepts are incorporated into Samoan proverbs, oratory and metaphors, as well as linking to other art forms in Samoa, such as...
dictates seating positions inside the meeting house during the title bestowal including the position of those making the kava being situated at the rear. Once the ceremony is completed, the new matai is henceforth called by their new name.
In New Zealand, more people born in Samoa than any other foreign country officially change their names
Name change
Name change generally refers to a legal act allowing a person to adopt a name different than their name at birth, marriage, or adoption. The procedures and ease of a name change depend on the jurisdiction. In general, common law jurisdictions have loose limitations on name changes while civil law...
with the Department of Internal Affairs and it is believed that many of these are adding matai titles.
Non-Samoans
Matai titles are sometimes conferred upon non-Samoans as an honour by Samoan families and their villages. An example is the title of 'Seiuli' conferred in 1993 by Samoa's Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili II upon Barry CurtisBarry Curtis
Sir Barry Curtis was the Mayor of Manukau from 1983 until 2007. When he announced his intention to retire in 2007, he was New Zealand's longest serving mayor at that time.-Career:...
, at the time Mayor of Manukau
Mayor of Manukau
The Mayor of Manukau was the head of the municipal government of Manukau City, New Zealand, from 1965 to 2010, and presided over the Manukau City Council. The mayor was directly elected using a first-past-the-post electoral system. The last serving mayor, elected in 2007, was Len Brown...
, a New Zealand city with a large Samoan population. Other non-Samoan New Zealanders bestowed with matai titles include prime ministers Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
, David Lange
David Lange
David Russell Lange, ONZ, CH , served as the 32nd Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. He headed New Zealand's fourth Labour Government, one of the most reforming administrations in his country's history, but one which did not always conform to traditional expectations of a...
and Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
, politician Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
and Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
businessman Dick Hubbard
Dick Hubbard
Richard "Dick" John Hubbard ONZM, DSc is a New Zealand businessman and politician, founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, and Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially...
who holds the title 'Galumalemana.' In 1988, American ethnobotanist Paul Alan Cox
Paul Alan Cox
Dr. Paul Alan Cox is an ethnobotanist whose scientific research focuses on the ecology of island plants and the uses of plants by island peoples. After receiving his B.S. in Botany from Brigham Young University, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to read for his M.Sc. in Ecology at the...
received a title from the village of Falealupo
Falealupo
Falealupo is a village in Samoa situated at the west end of Savai'i island from the dateline. The village has two main settlements, Falealupo-Uta, situated inland by the main island highway and Falealupo-Tai, situated by the sea...
, where Cox had lived for many years and later helped to set up a covenant to protect the native rainforest. In 1978, the Governor-General of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Ratu Sir George Cakobau was bestowed the title 'Peseta' by Matautu
Matautu
Matautu is the name of different villages in Samoa. Places named Matautu are found on the two largest islands, Upolu and Savai'i.-Matautu, Upolu Island:On Upolu island;...
on Savai'i
Savai'i
Savaii is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is also the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose...
island during his visit to Tui Fiti
Tui Fiti
Tui Fiti or Tuifiti is the name of a figure referred to in different legends in Samoan mythology and in other parts of Polynesia. In other stories,'Tui Fiti' means 'high chief of Fiti.'-Savai'i:...
's sacred ground.
Naming convention
A matai title is always first in naming convention as the most important name for a titled individual. When a person is appointed a matai, they retain their Christian name in addition to their new matai title. The matai title is appended to the beginning of their name so that their Christian name follows their new matai title. As one person may hold a number of different matai names from different branches of their genealogy, the new names are also added before their Christian name, with no set order in terms of general usage. An example is Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u IMata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I
Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I was a high chief of Samoa and a leader of the country's pro-independence Mau movement during the early 1900s...
whose first three names reveal individual high chief titles and thereby his genealogy and the different villages and families to which he belonged; the Faumuina title from Lepea
Lepea
Lepea is a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. The picturesque settlement of round Samoan houses built in a concentric pattern in large open grounds is situated 5mins drive west of the capital Apia on the north central coast of the island...
, the Fiame title from Lotofaga
Lotofaga
Lotofaga is a village on the south coast of Upolu island in Samoa. Lotofaga is also the name of the larger Lotofaga Electoral Constituency which includes Lotofaga village and two other villages, Vavau and Matatufu....
and the Mata'afa
Mata'afa
Mata'afa is a high chief title in Samoa under the country's Matai system of socio-political governance where individuals are bestowed with family names...
title, one of the paramount
Paramount chief
A paramount chief is the highest-level traditional chief or political leader in a regional or local polity or country typically administered politically with a chief-based system. This definition is used occasionally in anthropological and archaeological theory to refer to the rulers of multiple...
names in the country.
As more than one family member can be bestowed the same matai title, each person's Christian name serves to distinguish them from each other. Dividing a family title so that it is shared among more than one family member is also agreed upon by consensus. The Samoans explain this by saying that a man has a fasi igoa – a piece of the title.
Usoali'i refers to brother chiefs, those men in the family union holding matai names. They may all enjoy the same rights or be under the control of one matai who is termed sao, in which case the other chiefs are referred to as tuaigoa.
Women matai
Of SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
's total population of 180,741 (2006 census), 87,064 were female, comprising 48% of the population. The male (52%) to female (48%) ratio for the country is higher than the world ratio. In 2006, there were 3,194 female matai, 20.2% of the 15,783 matai living in the country.
A woman can hold a matai name and have the pule (authority) of the family but this does not often occur. Should she have both she will usually bestow her matai title on one of her family, probably her husband, and retain the pule.
In 2006, there were four female Members of Parliament in Samoa and three were cabinet ministers
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
out of a 13-member cabinet.
Prominent women matai in Samoa include scholar and historian Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa
Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa
Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa is a chief , scholar, historian and professor of Samoa. An authority on Samoan culture and language, she is one of the most educated female matai in the country with a PhD in educational philosophy and applied linguistics from the University of London.She has been...
(matai title Aiono), high chief and senior cabinet minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is a Samoan high chief and a senior member of cabinet in Samoa. She is a Member of Parliament for the electoral constituency of Lotofaga in the political district of Atua. She is the current Minister of Women, Community & Social Development in Samoa...
(matai title Fiame), politician Safuneitu'uga Pa'aga Neri
Safuneitu'uga Pa'aga Neri
Safuneitu'uga Pa'aga Neri is a Samoan matai, politician and the current Minister of Communication and Technology in Samoa. Her matai chief title is Safuneitu'uga....
(matai title Safuneitu'uga) and writer Letuimanu'asina Emma Kruse Va'ai
Emma Kruse Va'ai
Emma Kruse Va'ai is a Samoan chief , writer and educator in Samoa. Her matai chief title is Letuimanu’asina.She has a PhD in English from the University of New South Wales in Australia and is a former director of Samoa Polytechnic...
(matai title Letuimanu'asina).
With many Samoans also living overseas in other countries, other prominent Samoan female matai includes New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
former Member of Parliament Luamanuvao Winnie Laban
Luamanuvao Winnie Laban
Luamanuvao Winifred "Winnie" Alexandra Laban, QSO is a New Zealand politician. She was the Member of Parliament for the Mana electorate, representing the Labour Party. She was the Labour Party’s spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs and spokesperson for Interfaith Dialogue.-Early life and...
(matai title Luamanuvao).
Old age
Seniority in years and old age is a respectful status in Samoan society where elders, a familiar or complete stranger, are referred to as tamā (father) or tinā (mother). In this cultural context, a retired matai usually enjoys the respect of their family and is referred to as the faatonutonu folau, the steersman of the boat. He does not actually do the steering but his advice is listened to and his family profit from his ripe experience.Untitled men
The Samoan appellation for a male person who is not a matai is a taule'ale'a. The real meaning of the word, which is derived from the word le'ale'a (immature), is a young man who has not reached maturity. It is now-a-days applied to any male person who is not a matai. In the past the term was sometimes used to indicate that any male person, even a matai, was not an old man. In this sense, taule'ale'a signifies young or comparatively young, just as toea'ina is used to signify that a man is aged or elderly (a respectful status in Samoa) whether he be a matai or a taule'ale'a.It is permissible for a taule'ale'a (an untitled man) to change his name as often as he wishes. A chance remark or an outstanding incident will often be the determining factor in naming a taule'ale'a. This can apply to everyone else, including females in Samoa, where a family member, especially a child, might be called a new name to commemorate an important occasion.
Disputes resolution
Disputes over matai titles which cannot be resolved among family members within the wide extended 'aiga are dealt with by the Samoa Land and Titles Court which consists of cultural and judicial experts appointed by the Supreme Court of Samoa.The Land and Titles Court hears disputes over matai title succession as well as disagreements pertaining to customary land. The court derives from the Native Land and Titles Court put in place under the colonial German administration in 1901. Samoa's political stability is thought to be due in large part to the success of this court in hearing disputes.
See also
- MalietoaMalietoaMalietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
- Mata'afaMata'afaMata'afa is a high chief title in Samoa under the country's Matai system of socio-political governance where individuals are bestowed with family names...
- Tu'imaleali'ifano
- Tupua TamaseseTupua TamaseseTupua Tamasese is the title of one of Samoa's four important paramount chiefs. Samoa's other three important paramount chiefs are the Malietoa, Mata'afa and Tu'imaleali'ifano....
- Tui Manu'aTui Manu'aAn ancient prodominant title of the Manu'a islands of the Samoa Islands , which are now part of the United States Territory of American Samoa...
- Tui Atua
- Tui A'ana
External links
Further reading
- Vaai, Saleimoa (1999). Samoa Fa'amatai and the Rule of Law. Samoa : National University of Samoa. ISBN 9829003094