Lauaki Namulauulu Mamoe
Encyclopedia
Lauaki Namulauulu Mamoe (died 14 December 1915) (also known as Lauati) was a renowned orator chief and the first leader of the Mau
, a resistance movement in Samoa
during colonialism
. Lauaki was exiled to Saipan
in 1909. He died in 1915 as he was taken back to Samoa.
He was from Safotulafai
, the capital of Fa'asaleleaga
political district on the island of Savai'i
. The family matai
chief title Namulauulu was from Safotulafai and the other chief title Lauaki came from Tonga
. Mamoe was the first of his family to hold both the Namulauulu and the Lauaki titles, inherited through good service from the true heirs of the Namulauulu family. Uncertain of the outcome of his trial under German rule, he decided to bestow the title 'Namulauulu' on his younger brother, Pulali, who was also exiled and died before being allowed to return to Samoa.
was called Mau a Pule (1908) which later grew into the national Mau movement. The Mau a Pule represented chiefs protesting against losing their traditional Samoan authority under the colonial administration headed by German Governor Wilhelm Solf
. The Mau a Pule represented traditional Samoa with none or little European influence in its methods or organisation. Lauati depended on the chiefly elite of Savai'i to organise Mau a Pule support.
On 1 April 1909 Lauaki surrendered with other Safotulafai chiefs and Mau a Pule supporters. They were arrested and trialed.
On 19 April 1909, Lauaki and 71 members of the Mau a Pule were exiled to Saipan
(German colony) in the Mariana Islands
aboard the ship SMS Jaguar.
The other Mau a Pule leaders included I'iga Pisa, Asiata Tautoloa, Leiataua Mana, Namulauulu Pulali, Tuilagi Letasi.
Among the exiles were women and children including Lauaki's wife Sivaotele and their only child, Tivoli. Lauaki never saw Samoa again and many of those banished died in exile. Years later, some of the exiles returned to Samoa.
Lauki's younger brother died in Saipan.
While some of the exiles had returned to Samoa carrying the bones of those that had died on Saipan, Lauaki had fallen ill and had been forced to stop with his family on Tarawa island in the Gilbert Islands
.
, a merchant born in Safune
to a Samoan mother and Swedish father. Nelson was also exiled from Samoa.
Samoa gained political independence in 1962.
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...
, a resistance movement 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...
during 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...
. Lauaki was exiled to Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
in 1909. He died in 1915 as he was taken back to Samoa.
He was from Safotulafai
Safotulafai
Safotulafai is a traditional sub-district at the east end of Savai'i island with historical and political significance in Samoa's history. It is the traditional centre of Fa'asaleleaga political district....
, the capital of Fa'asaleleaga
Fa'asaleleaga
Fa'asaleleaga is a district of Samoa situated on the eastern side of Savai'i island. It has a population of 12,949 .The traditional capital is Safotulafai where district chiefs and orators meet at Fuifatu malae...
political district 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...
. The family 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...
chief title Namulauulu was from Safotulafai and the other chief title Lauaki came from Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
. Mamoe was the first of his family to hold both the Namulauulu and the Lauaki titles, inherited through good service from the true heirs of the Namulauulu family. Uncertain of the outcome of his trial under German rule, he decided to bestow the title 'Namulauulu' on his younger brother, Pulali, who was also exiled and died before being allowed to return to Samoa.
Mau a Pule
The resistance movement led by Lauaki on Savai'iSavai'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...
was called Mau a Pule (1908) which later grew into the national Mau movement. The Mau a Pule represented chiefs protesting against losing their traditional Samoan authority under the colonial administration headed by German Governor Wilhelm Solf
Wilhelm Solf
Wilhelm Heinrich Solf was a German scholar, diplomat, jurist and statesman.-Early life:Wilhelm Solf was born into a wealthy and liberal family in Berlin. He attended secondary schools in Anklam in western Pomerania and in Mannheim...
. The Mau a Pule represented traditional Samoa with none or little European influence in its methods or organisation. Lauati depended on the chiefly elite of Savai'i to organise Mau a Pule support.
Exile
In the first months of 1909, Governor Solf called in military to quash Lauaki and the Mau a Pule on Savai'i. Four warships and troops from the East Asia Squadron arrived. The warships cordoned off Savai'i from Upolu.On 1 April 1909 Lauaki surrendered with other Safotulafai chiefs and Mau a Pule supporters. They were arrested and trialed.
On 19 April 1909, Lauaki and 71 members of the Mau a Pule were exiled to Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
(German colony) in the Mariana Islands
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...
aboard the ship SMS Jaguar.
The other Mau a Pule leaders included I'iga Pisa, Asiata Tautoloa, Leiataua Mana, Namulauulu Pulali, Tuilagi Letasi.
Among the exiles were women and children including Lauaki's wife Sivaotele and their only child, Tivoli. Lauaki never saw Samoa again and many of those banished died in exile. Years later, some of the exiles returned to Samoa.
On 18 December 1915, some of those banished returned from Saipan. They were Leiataua Mana, Taupau Pauesi, Tagaloa and Malaeulu. The bones of Asiata Taetoloa, Tevaga, Letasi, Tuilagi and members of their families who had died in Saipan were also brought back.Excerpt from An Account of Samoan History up to 1918 by Samoan historian Teo TuvaleTeo TuvaleTeo Tuvale was a significant Samoan historian who served terms as Chief Justice and Secretary to Government in Samoa during the era of colonialism....
.
Lauki's younger brother died in Saipan.
While some of the exiles had returned to Samoa carrying the bones of those that had died on Saipan, Lauaki had fallen ill and had been forced to stop with his family on Tarawa island in the Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...
.
Death
On 15 January 1916, Sivaotele, Lauaki's wife, and their son arrived back in Samoa aboard the steamer Atua. They brought the news that Lauaki had died at 10pm on 14 December 1915 on Tarawa.Legacy
After Lauaki's death and by the late 1920s, the Mau movement had gathered widespread support in Samoa. One of the Mau leaders in the 1920s was Olaf Frederick NelsonOlaf Frederick Nelson
Taisi Olaf Frederick Nelson, , also known as Taisi Olaf, was a successful businessman and one of the founding leaders of the Mau movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule....
, a merchant born in Safune
Safune
Safune is a traditional village district on the central north coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It lies within the electoral constituency of Gaga'ifomauga. Safune is the birthplace of Mau leader Olaf Frederick Nelson and the filming location of Moana , one of the first documentaries made in the world...
to a Samoan mother and Swedish father. Nelson was also exiled from Samoa.
Samoa gained political independence in 1962.
External references
- An Account of Samoa History up to 1918 by Te'o Tuvale NZ Electronic Text Centre