Tuimalealufano with Robert Louis Stevenson at Vailima, Samoa, between 1889 and 1894

Tuimaleali'ifano is one of the four paramount chiefly titles of Samoa, known as the Tama-a-Aiga ("Sons of the Families"). Samoa's other three paramount chiefs are Malietoa, Mata'afa and Tupua Tamasese. The seat of the Tuimaleali'ifano title is at Falelatai in the Aʻana district.

The current title-holder is Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II, who has held the title since 1977[1] and currently serves as O le Ao o le Malo (head of state).[2][3]

Origins

The title is the most recent of the Tama-a-Aiga, originating in the mid-nineteenth century with Tuiaana Sualauvi, a nephew of Malietoa Fitisemanu I. Sualauvi was appointed Tui A'ana in 1848.[4]: 78  By the early 1860s he had also been appointed to the pāpā titles of Gatoaitele and Vaetamasoalii.[5]: 51  In 1869, he obtained the support of Fuataga and Tafua of Aleipata and Moeono and Tusa of Falefa and Lufilufi and was appointed Tui Atua, briefly ascending to the position of Tupu Tafa-ifa.[5]: 55  His reign however, would only last a year, passing away on 25 August, 1870. After Sualauvi's death his youngest son Fa'aoloi'i succeeded,[5]: 55  and was referred to by the name Tuimaleali'ifano, a contraction of Tui, from Tuita'alili, and Leali'ifano, whose origins are disputed.[4]: 106 

Tuimaleali'ifano Fa'aoloi'i Si'ua'ana I lived until 1937, surviving civil war, German colonisation, and New Zealand colonial rule.[6] Following his death the title was disputed, and in 1949 the Land and Titles Court of Samoa ruled that it belonged to the descendants of Tuiaana Sualauvi.[4]: 110  The title was again disputed following the death of Tui A'ana Tuimaleali'ifano Suatipatipa II.[1]

Holders

References

  1. 1 2 "Royal titles, a sore point". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 48, no. 10. 1 October 1977. p. 11-12. Retrieved 7 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ "New head of state for Samoa". Radio NZ. Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, is Samoa's fourth Head of State". Samoa Observer. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Ato'ese M. Tuimaleali'ifano (1997). Aganu'u Ma Agaifanua Fa'a Samoa: A history and process of a tama'aiga (PDF) (PhD). University of the South Pacific. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Morgan Tuimaleali'ifano (2006). O Tama a ʻāiga: The Politics of Succession to Sāmoa's Paramount Titles. Fiji: University of the South Pacific. ISBN 9789820203778.
  6. ↑ "LAST LINK WITH OLD SAMOA: Death of 90-years-old High Chief Tuimalealiifano". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. VIII, no. 4. 25 November 1937. p. 60-61. Retrieved 7 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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