matai titles in samoa
Remember how I said that our matai system can get pretty complicated? Because the matai (chiefly) system of government is so deeply ingrained in Samoan culture, it was important that setup of the Fono(Legislative branch) would be sensitiv⦠I’ve seen some families search for years – calling distant Kiwi or American relatives, promising a bunch of incentives even – only to hear, “No thank you” over and over again. Some people hear you’re a ‘chief’ and assume you’re the leader of your tribe somewhere. …mostly because there’s a lot of confusion these days, especially amongst us who were not raised in “fully Fa’asamoa” families, about the role of the Samoan chief. …but in a battle against other worthy suli, you best come armed with your show-stopping lauga. The most controversial of the changes involved Samoa's Land and Titles Court, which deals with customary land and chiefly title disputes. Of lauga (speeches). Whatever the case might be, it is always in a family’s best interest for its governing board of matai titles to be fully occupied. Honorary matai (chiefly) titles, to some extent, are like honorary degrees awarded by universities and other higher institutions of learning.These matai titles are awarded âin honorâ of the recipients in recognition for something of significant and notable value like a monetary or in-kind donation/gift, or service that they have given to the village, district or the country. Denial of bestowal to heirs not living in Samoa is one of several changes proposed last year under the controversial Land and Titles Act 2020 now included in the Constitution. As my Grandfather was a Matai of 5 titles (mothers side) we are now having our talanoaga’s upon each family gets a title they may choose (my moms side have gone christian and my uncle that is the Chief Fonoti (only catholic) is pushing them). The title is then available and the family’s remaining matai – under the direction of their sa’o, or highest ranking ali’i chief – will decide when to begin searching for successors. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, in New Zealand for Waitangi Day celebrations, told Especially with regard to high titles, however, agnatic succession is ⦠For us regular people, here’s the more traditional path to becoming a Samoan matai. The territorial government is defined under the Constitution of American Samoa, which was drafted by Governor Peter Tali Coleman in 1961. State of Samoa 3 96. The title Tuiletufuga has been revoked from Le'apai Siaosi, who was the leading matai Sa'o for the family over the past 20 years. The Registrar's Office is the official and required registry of all instruments affecting lands, matai titles, court grants, leases, and corporations. Learn how your comment data is processed. Samoan Lyrics – Immerse yourself in the Samoan language and culture through the lyrics of our favourite songs. DEAR OH DEAR: Ever owned the moon or a piece of it? When it’s time to choose a new matai, especially if it is for a more prominent title, whoever is currently the highest ranking chief in your aiga will call a talanoaga, or formal gathering to deliberate. Villages were ruled autonomously by their mataiand aligned themselves into district and sub-district political entities for common causes - such as war. Tamaiti Samoana – Learn the Samoan language! Members of the Class of ’88 local chapter get together with spouses and children, Has anyone offered you the moon lately. Matai title court files, 1902-1973. POLITICAL FALLING OUT : Member of Parliament La’auli Fosi Schmidt making the official announcement of resignation from the governing HRPP with a file photo of PM Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. Don’t worry about it.). 2. He or she just has to have some support (it doesn’t hurt to have other matai or well respected elders arguing for you) and also, ideally, a track record of service to the family. Matais have family, civic, political and prior to the arrival of the European, religious duties to perform. So now, 2 or more people will hold the same exact title, at the exact same rank, and all their voices will count equally in future deliberations over that title’s associated land and responsibilities. Posted by hamogeekgirl | The Matai Handbook | 8, A while ago I wrote an introduction to the concept of Matai, Samoa’s complicated system of chiefs…. The Office of the Attorney General clarified the new section of the law pertaining to the ‘matai sa’o’ in this statement released this week : The new requirements for the bestowal of matai titles under the Land and Titles Act 2020 (“LTA”), and more specifically Part 4 – Matai Titles are as follows : 1. Matai titles bestowed outside Samoa without the presence and blessings of the Village Council are fakes and will not be officially recognized in Samoa. and how it ranks against the other titles in your extended aiga (family)…. For many Samoan families the tragedy resulted in the loss of matai (chiefly) titles and the customary lands owned by those names. Tuloa is a matai from Avano Fasitoo-uta. Wesley Teo told the Court that Herman Westerlund had been bestowed a matai title in Laulii on that same morning. malo lava. Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA â The Office of the Territorial Registrar has issued a âfinalâ notice of the increase of fees in the services it provides, effective next month, after ⦠And we’re not like the British royal family where you know who’s next in line to the throne. Quick links. Land in Samoa 102. He is now in the position of authority, all he needs to do is command and contributing only his voice and his presence. Especially if you’re hoping to teach it to your children, too. The ⦠The saofa'i marks the formal acceptance of a new matai by their family and village into the circle of chiefs and orators. Tiny one. In Samoa, each family has its own matai title holders, which are leadership or chiefly titles. Samoa is a small country with only a few major families, and each of them has a governing body of several matai titles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Well i got my matai name automatically over the phone, it was that easy, crazy aa…. All the suli who are interested in the title need to show up and be ready to fight debate. The government and some Matai are leasing timber rights to foreign timber companies, especially on Savaii (Knibb 1984). Required fields are marked *. Sometimes, especially for titles of lower ranking, it might take a long while before they get around to finding new matai. It’s too expensive. A family get will decide to confer a vacant title upon a memberâusually maleâwhom they consider to be the best choice. The same applies what matai family that are not subject to any automatic Inheritance rule. He says matai titles are communal property of the Samoan families and unlike individually-owned properties, ownership of matai titles are owned by all blood members of the communal family. Their deliberation will look at a number of factors, including: The idea is that by the end of the talanoaga, the family will have reached a unanimous decision about who the next matai will be. Registration of matai titles was a fairly new practice, and transportation between Manuâa and Tutuila was difficult and irregular. Except that the sa’o should never be the example of giving in contributing to his family fa’alavelave. 2. It’s embarrassingly overdue, I’m sorry. If only it wasn’t true.. LOL. I know for a fact that that’s not how things are in my family lol (our poor sa’o is still very much a contributor) but I think your scenario is something we should definitely strive for. Land and Titles Court 104. It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in the both Samoas, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa. This provides a unique opportunity for womenâs empowerment and leadership initiatives in Samoa to support women matai to strengthen their leadership skills. In addition, section 15 – Validity of the bestowment of a Matai Title, sets out further strict requirements for the bestowment of a Matai Title, which includes (but not limited to), the requirement that the person being bestowed a Matai title is to be physically present to acknowledge recognition of the bestowment of the Matai title1. Well, if you’re famous with any kind of connection to Samoa, or you’re a political or community leader in a country that financially supports Samoa, you pretty much just have to wink and smile and someone in Samoa will gift you an honorary matai title. 3. The concept of matais or Saâo abusing their power in decision-making has been a common issue for years in the Lands and Titles Court of Samoa ⦠The Head of State signed into law last week the new legal requirement after it was passed in the last session of Parliament before the end of 2020. Nobility. great read, and great insights. But part 2 will be out before the end of this week. Sometimes a suli who is not chosen will protest all the way to Land & Titles court, and then no one is allowed to bestow that matai title until the court case is settled. (Yes, that is a bit of cynicism in my aura right now. Full text PDF (738 KB) National University of Samoa, PO Box 1622, Lepapaigalagala Campus, Toomatagi, SAMOA . I’ve seen it spark even worse fighting amongst families, usually about the degradation of a title’s value when it’s split, etc. But than again my Father has been also titled matai on his side of the family but still has not claimed it (id still have a chance lol). Sometimes it takes more than a few talanoaga to come to a decision. It is important to note that ... 2. They will discuss the suitability of each of the candidates. In summary, the new requirements under section 13 – Matai Sa’o of the LTA provides that: a. the selection and number of Matai Sa’o should not diminish the essence and importance of the Matai Sa’o; b. the bestowment ceremony of a Matai Sa’o shall comply with section 15 – Validity of the bestowment of a Matai Title; and. That’s what I mean when I talk about the land that is associated with matai titles. 15 of our family members were blessed to receive a Chief title from my Grandmother Leatuvai's family line - ⦠Itâs not unu⦠So. (Sapasui), How to Serve Tea to a Samoan Chief – and Why it Matters, 12 Alagaupu (Samoan Proverbs) about Family, the suli’s leadership skills and work ethic, what kind of service he/she has provided the family so far, how well this suli’s parents have served the aiga (well enough to deserve this reward? You might find that your bid to become a matai is better supported if your family can see how much you love and labour (and contribute financially to fa’alavelave *cough*) for them. We do not have available data covering the extent of multiple title-holding, as would be required in any calculation of the actual number of individuals in Samoa who hold matai titles. This provision was removed in the LTA and the decision on the appointment and the number of Matai Sa’o remains the prerogative of the suli and aiga. Hard to explain it in english sometimes cuz to many outside the culture would get confused. The moon owner will wait until after the April general elections to sign over […]. Unforeseen expenditure 97. Full text PDF (0.98 MB) Contributors. power by Matai Saâo, particularly in relation to matai titles and customary land, and recommend measures to reduce this in future. Sometimes, to keep the peace (and save some cash in legal bills), a family will decide to fa’asafua, or split the title between two suli, or even amongst all of them. What I’m describing here (and in all my posts about the Fa’asamoa) is only what my sources, teachers, advisers and I have personally witnessed over a lot of years. We don’t have time. Any matai title bestowed on any person contra⦠1.0414 ViolationâPenalty. No! Or perhaps they need time to raise some cash – because the saofa’i is not going to be cheap. The new requirements for the bestowal of a matai title are set out under sections 13 and 15 of the LTA, respectively. Sometimes we’re too far removed from the culture to understand (or care) about the importance of our matai structure to the Samoan way of life. ⢠Until about 1860 Samoa operated under an indigenous political system, Fa'amatai, with no centralised government. The reality is that not all of these matai deliberations are resolved so… unanimously. High Court, Pago Pago, American Samoa (FHL International film Index 1084050 Item 3, 1901-1965 International films 1083316 - 1083330, and Land and title court index 1966-1973 International film 1083333). Every Aliâi title is connected to a specific Tulafale title and a specific Taupou title. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The good news is, if you’re even a little bit Samoan I’m 99.9% sure you’re the suli (heir) to at least one matai title. The title is then available and the familyâs remaining matai â under the direction of their saâo, or highest ranking aliâichief â will decide when to begin searching for successors. No alienation of customary land 103. The task of providing public clarification of the new changes to the LTC Act, explains the series of explanatory statements the Office of the Attorney is continuing to put out. Full text PDF (1.41 MB) Glossary of Samoan words and phrases. Salary of Controller and Chief Auditor 99. A big talanoaga with the wider extended family is not always necessary for titles of lower ranking. One elderly friend of my parents – a well-known scholar and writer in Auckland’s Samoan community – once told me that nothing warms his heart more than to hear powerful words, intricately and meaningfully woven by a masterful orator. I love that idea – that it’s no longer necessary for him to contribute financially because he’s paid his dues by now. Samoan Matai titles (suafa, literally "formal name") are bestowed upon family members during a cultural ceremony called a saofa'i. For a lot of us these days, the affairs of our extended family don’t rank very highly on our list of priorities. Lol… Thank you for the insight on the sa’o. ..is a well-known Samoan proverb that means, “The path to leadership is service”. Matai, Samoa’s complicated system of chiefs, How do you like your Samoan Chop Suey? Fa'amatai is the chiefly system of Samoa, central to the organization of Samoan society. Great to read up on this. Whatever the situation might be, when it’s decided that you are agava’a – suitable to receive a matai title – congratulations! A matai saâo may authorise a lease on a portion of customary land appurtenant to his title on behalf of his extended family. Lol if that’s true, I’d love to hear the full story . No More âMatai Saâoâ Titles To Heirs Not Living In Samoa. Isn’t that strange. The American Samoa Government (ASG) is made up of three branches: Executive, Legislative and Judiciary. I’m talking about full on saofa’i ceremonies on the sly and quietly registering these new matai with Land and Titles court. There’s a very small catch though. A Samoan lawyer who is a matai and is qualified to be a Supreme Court Judge is one of four panel members who will preside over the newly established Land and Titles Court of Appeal. This website belongs to ‘upega Samoana, a network of websites working to preserve – by teaching and sharing – the Samoan language and culture: One Samoana – Musings about the Samoan language and culture, scribbled by a Hamo Geek Girl. Splitting of Matai titles and creation of new Matai titles is resulting in the splitting of aiga lands (Holmes 1974, Omeara 1987, Runeborg 1980, Thomas 1984). Did I mention that our higher ranking titles come with stewardship over customary land in Samoa? But today, let’s wind our matai discussion back to Step One: How do you even become a matai to begin with? A matai title can be given to either men or women, although you ⦠By now every Samoan and his dog …umm… make that staff and swish, own real estate out in the far blue yonder. as i would have to wait because i am the youngest sibling of 5 (must go to them first), would be my honor to serve and speak on their behalf (in the mean time i should get myself prepared). The final draft of this Constitution took effect July 1, 1967. Being a part of this Matai (Chief) ceremony in Samoa was such an honour. In Part 2 of Matai – The Path to Becoming a Samoan Chief, we’ll talk about: lmbo! The Lands and Titles Division of the High Court of American Samoa has ruled that Calvin Tagaloa is both eligible and qualified to hold the matai title Moegu of Olosega, Manuâa, and has directed that a certificate of succession to the matai title Moegu be ⦠E foliga mai o loo feaigai, ma e faalogo atu o le suafa matai lea e i Laulii o le Sulamanaiaâ. Why wouldn’t you want to become a matai? Family heirs living outside Samoa are no longer allowed to be bestowed a ‘matai sa’o’ or head chief title unless they live in the country. Of eloquent oration. Some reasons I’ve seen/heard: In other families, I’ve witnessed another kind of scenario. on No More ‘Matai Sa’o’ Titles To Heirs Not Living In Samoa, Tui Atua Wins Rare Reaction From AG’s Office To Constitutional Controversy, Vodafone Samoa CEO becomes a Samoan Matai, OEC Worried By Misleading Comments On ‘Monotaga’, LTC Constitutional Changes Legal Perspective, SJC Class of ‘88 Fund $10,000 School Fees For Students. After the suli (and their supporters) have had their say, the current group of matai will weigh in. The word matai means chief, and is an honour that is bestowed upon someone. It is important to note that these requirements are put in place to safeguard the integrity of the matai system and have been revised following the public consultations that have been undertaken on the 3 Bills; the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020, the LT Bill 2020 and the Judicature Bill 2020, in response to concern raised in relation to the proposed numbering requirement for matai sa’o. I’m confident, though, that this is a pretty accurate snapshot of what generally happens with most families. Land below high-water mark PART X EMERGENCY POWERS 105. Sooner or later, inevitably, your extended aiga will begin to buzz with the search for new chiefs. Suli are still encouraged to express interest in these titles, but your family’s sa’o can usually decide by himself who to give them to. A person who uses any matai title or permits⦠There is no suggestion that the whole family did not recognize Misa as the Laie during this time, or that there was any other legal obstacle to his registering of the title had he chosen to do so. Maybe the suli and their supporters are still arguing over who the next few matai should be. Matai are the holders of chiefly titles ⦠The court found the holder breached his duties as a leading chief for Tuiletufuga family after several heirs filed a petition over allegations of mismanagement and misuse of extended family funds. In Samoa, once a title becomes available, any suli can petition for it. A Samoan chief holds on to his matai title âtill death do us partâ, but I have heard of the rare occasion where a matai willingly gave up his title due to illness or old age. We don’t see the value in it. He said Herman had called him on the 29th of November to ask for his help with tips of Samoan words to say during the bestowal ceremony. Registering your title with the Land & Title’s court, Whether or not your saofa’i has to be in Samoa, How your life will change, now you’re a matai. You’ll hear this all the time: that ours is a culture of words. His time of giving and serving is done. Full text PDF (3.04 MB) Conclusion. c. given the responsibility of a Matai Sa’o, he or she is to be domiciled in Samoa and be present in the family and village to carry out duties expected of a Matai Sa’o. Matai titles 101. You’ve just taken step one in a journey that, if traveled well, will change the rest of your life. It the Territory's custodian of records of all instruments authorized to be registered and recorded. 1. He was one of seven judges who joined the LTC in December 2019. Basically everyone with a blood (or sometimes even adopted) connection to the originators of these titles – our ancestors from generations ago – is an heir. As for buying your way into a family’s womb, eeehhh.. Another increasingly common scenario is when families struggle to find suli who even want to be matai. For example, the Aliâi title Ilimatogafau âownsâ the Tulafale title Faâifaâimea and the Taupou title Taimalietane⦠as in, these are the governing titles of one extended family.Whether or not this family and its trio of titles gets to govern an entire village will depend on how this family ranks against the other families in the village, or the answers to all of the following questions: 1. Audit of accounts PART IX LAND AND TITLES 100. Finally read this thing through, and I must say It was a great read. Or maybe one of the titles is being disputed in court by another family claiming ownership of it… a situation that is, sadly, quite common. The term comprises the prefix fa'a (Samoan for "in the way of") and the word matai (family name or title). Your email address will not be published. This therefore reinforces the safeguarding of the integrity of the Matai system. By the way, as with all customs and traditions, not every family or village will do things exactly the same way. He said this love for the poetry of language is in the soul of all Samoans. Anyway, to preserve their control over family land, some matai will go ahead and bestow major titles to, say, their teenage children, without consulting with the larger extended family. The role of the matais is very complex and interwoven deep into the fabric of Samoan culture and history. Matai titles, deeds, land leases âTerritorial Registrar's fees go up. More Scam Warnings : ‘Pyramid Scheme Too Good To Be True’. It depends on what kind of chiefly title you were given (some are leaders, some are speakers, some are caretakers, etc.) The new requirements for the bestowal of a matai title are set out under sections 13 and 15 of the LTA, respectively. "He holds the matai title, chief title, of the village that he's from and I'm from, called Moata'a, in Samoa." And when the other suli find out what they’ve done? titles, the political authority attached to them, as well as the regulation of matai 12 See, e.g., Government of Western Samoa, Western Samoa's Fifth Development Plan 1985-1987 (Apia 1984), 16; and Government of American Samoa, A merican Samoa ⦠36. Sometimes, especially for titles of lower ranking, it might take a long while before they get around to finding new matai. The way to the authority is serve. I’m also about 100% sure that if you don’t have a drop of Samoan blood, but you do have pockets full of bloody dollars, you can squeeze into a willing family womb at night and by morning you are born into taking a cup of ava milk by accepting your baby title name. (a) A matai title may be removed by the High⦠1.0412 Removal of title after yearâs absenceâProcedureâDefault. Obviously this is not a popular decision. The Rewards and Challenges of holding several Matai Titles, Asofou So'o. However, the leading paramount titles of all districts were nationally recognised. A Samoan chief holds on to his matai title “till death do us part”, but I have heard of the rare occasion where a matai willingly gave up his title due to illness or old age. Before the Tongan invasion and occupation of most of Upolu and Savai'i, the highest nationally recognised titles were the T⦠Plus what YOU do as a chief can bring additional honor – and possibly some advancement – to your name. Here’s where it helps to not only know your language, but to be versed and practiced in Samoa’s higher, chiefly tongue. Controller and Chief Auditor 98. Not only do you have spend a lot for the endowment ceremony, but matai are expected to lead by example and contribute generously to all family initiatives. lol. ), how influential the suli is amongst peers and in the community. It’s not unusual for a family to have, say, 3 or 4 “un-manned” titles in their collection with no word on when the next saofa’i (bestowal ceremony) will happen. It is important to note that this requirement DOES NOT apply retrospectively, and therefore does not apply to the current Matai title holders. This is the second sudden passing of matai from the village of Fasitoo-uta, who are currently mourning the sudden death of lawyer and Samoa Business Hub Legal Manager, Leaupepe Esera Poliko. Jay-Dub, why am I only now seeing this comment? I pray if my family allows me. The powers of sections of the traditional Samoan elite, centred on the hierarchical matai system, will be further entrenched. O'meara found in the late 1980s in the region on Savai'i where he conducted fieldwork that 75 per cent of men aged 21 years and over were matai. Your email address will not be published. Sign up to get 'upega Samoana news and updates straight to your inbox: Manaui Media Limited © 2021 | Webdesign by L T Arp, A Traditional Samoan Wedding… with a Tangent about Making Babies [+ Video], Learn Samoan Online (plus, How to Train Google to Translate Samoan). And those cases can take anywhere from a few months to many years – plus a LOT of money – to fight. A matai title holder who has served jail time regardless of how long they were behind bars could face the consequence of having his or her title stripped under new laws. When its explained in Samoan, it makes perfect sense. The law states that before any action relating to controversies over communal land or matai titles may be commenced in the Land and Titles Division of the High Court, each party shall file with his complaint a certificate signed and attested by the Secretary of Samoan Affairs or his deputy, in which the Secretary or his deputy affirms and states: (a) Any matai absent from American Samoa for⦠1.0413 Nonrecognition of titles improperly bestowed.
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