Fiame Naomi Mata'afa
Encyclopedia
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is a Samoa
n high chief (matai
) and a senior member of cabinet in Samoa
. She is a Member of Parliament (HRPP
) for the electoral constituency of Lotofaga
in the political district of Atua
. She is the current Minister of Women, Community & Social Development in Samoa. Following the March 2006 general elections in which she was reelected for a sixth term she was nominated by Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi to her new portfolio at her request. She was Minister of Education for 15 years (three terms). She is one of the longest standing Members of Parliament in Samoa and the first female member of Cabinet.
Her father, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II
, a paramount chief
, was the first Prime Minister of Samoa
. Her mother, Laulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa
, was a diplomat, educator and politician.
She was studying at university in New Zealand
when she was recalled by her 'aiga (extended family) to take up one of her father's matai
titles, Fiame from Lotofaga.
Her mother, Laulu Fetaui, had entered parliament in 1975 from the constituency of Lotofaga, following her husband's death. On Laulu Fetaui's retirement from politics Fiame Naomi contested the seat and was elected. She has held the seat since then.
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...
n high chief (matai
Fa'amatai
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...
) and a senior member of cabinet 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...
. She is a Member of Parliament (HRPP
Human Rights Protection Party
The Human Rights Protection Party is a Samoan political party. It has been the dominant party in Samoan politics since 1982.The party was co-founded in May 1979 by Va'ai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana in opposition to the government of Tupuola Efi...
) for the electoral constituency of 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....
in the political district of Atua
Atua (district)
Atua is the most ancient district of Samoa, now consisting of most of the eastern half of Upolu but also traditionally incorporates Tutuila and once all of Upolu and Savaii. The head of the district is the village of Lufilufi, in the western most part of Atua...
. She is the current Minister of Women, Community & Social Development in Samoa. Following the March 2006 general elections in which she was reelected for a sixth term she was nominated by Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi to her new portfolio at her request. She was Minister of Education for 15 years (three terms). She is one of the longest standing Members of Parliament in Samoa and the first female member of Cabinet.
Her father, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II
Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II
Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II, C.B.E. was a paramount chief and the first Prime Minister of Samoa. He was Prime Minister from October 1, 1959 until February 1970 and again from March 1973 until his death in 1975...
, a paramount chief
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...
, was the first 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...
. Her mother, Laulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa
Laulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa
Masiofo La'ulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa also known as Fetaui Mata'afa was an ambassador and a Member of Parliament in Samoa. She was also the wife of Samoa's first Prime Minister Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II. Their daughter, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is a matai high chief and Cabinet Minister in...
, was a diplomat, educator and politician.
She was studying at university in 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...
when she was recalled by her 'aiga (extended family) to take up one of her father's matai
Fa'amatai
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...
titles, Fiame from Lotofaga.
Her mother, Laulu Fetaui, had entered parliament in 1975 from the constituency of Lotofaga, following her husband's death. On Laulu Fetaui's retirement from politics Fiame Naomi contested the seat and was elected. She has held the seat since then.
See also
- 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...
- Fa'amataiFa'amataiFa'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...
, chiefly system of Samoa - Politics of SamoaPolitics of SamoaPolitics of Samoa takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic state whereby the Prime Minister of Samoa is the head of government...
- Legislative Assembly of Samoa
External links
- Profile at the Samoan Fono.