The Constitution And The Fa’alupega Of All Samoa: By Dr. Kramer: 1897-1901

THE CONSTITUTION AND THE FA’ALUPEGA OF ALL SAMOA

By Dr. Augustin Kramer: Translated by Dr. Theodore Verhaaren: Researched in Samoa from 1897 to 1901.

According to the history of the constitution presented above, it and the fa’alupega resulting from it, assume the following form: We find that the Kingdom of Samoa is linked to the possession of certain titles (four) which are conferred by the places of government of A’ana, Atua and Tuamasaga; and there in fact only certain families of orator chiefs have the right to confer these titles. The king, ruling at a given time, designates his successor (in most cases one of his sons), taking into consideration not only the latter’s personal qualities but also in particular his mother’s distinguished blood line, because he knows that in view of the wealth of his maternal family, the tumua (Leulumoega and Lufilufi) look with special favour upon such designation. If the successor has extensive family connections, being a tamaaiga “son of families”, he is certain to be chosen. If a paramount chief possesses the four titles Tui-A’ana, Tui-Atua, Gatoaitele and Tamasoali’i, he is called tafa’ifa and King of Samoa (tupu o Samoa). The title Malietoa has nothing to do with kingship, just as little as f.i. the title Mata’afa. Here the statements in Stuebel p.104 are not correct. By Samoa in this connection is meant Upolu including Manono and Apolima, Savai’i, and Tutuila including Aunu’u, while Manu’a does not participate in matters concerning western kings. Since moreover Atua’s administration of Tutuila is only rather loose and divided, the new regulations of the political situation (the assumption of a protectorate regime over Tutuila and Manu’a by the United States) will represent no significant changes in the matter of kingships as such. The king had nothing to do with the inner affairs of his kingdom. Each district governs itself, the orator chiefs thus authorised calling a meeting of the whole district at the place of government, as may be so reviewed in the fa ‘alupega of the principal places of Upolu. Each district is divided into a certain number of communities (village communities), which govern themselves in like manner. Even if the whole kingdom has need to establish a policy, the tumua calls a general fono, which in most cases takes place in Leulumoega. Since even in ancient times only Upolu and Savai’i were involved, the composition of this fono was and remains the same, as may be observed in the following fa’alupega, the greeting with which the first orator chief of Leulumoega named Alipia opens the great fono at Leulumoega, his place of government.

FA’ALUPEGA OF ALL SAMOA: THE GREAT HONOURS OF ALL SAMOA.

TULOUNA A TUMUA, (Greeted the Tumua. Leulumoega and Lufilufi, and a mark of respect here also applied to Afega, the place of government of the Tuamasaga district; otherwise normally Laumua in differentiation from the Tumua)
TULOUNA OE PULE, (Greeted you Pule. This designation refers to Safotulafai, the mightiest of the six places of government of Savaii and thus also to all of Savai’i)
TULOUNA ITU’AU MA ALATAUA, (Greeted Itu’au and Alataua. Refers to Safata and Faleata in Tuamasaga)
TULOUNA AIGA I LE TAI, (Greeted the family of the sea. Honouring designation for the little island of Manono)
TULOUNA A LE VA’A O FONOTI, (Greeted the ship of Fonoti. Honouring designation for all the districts, villages and chiefs by King Fonoti).

NOTE: This All Samoa Fa’alupega from Two Occasions: (1.) TUMUA MA PULE; from the four wars by warrior Goddess Nafanua for the titles, and Tupa’i to bestowed the four titles to Salamasina. (2.) AIGA I LE TAI, VA’A O FONOTI, and ITU’AU MA ALATAUA; from the war for the four titles of Tui-A’ana Faumuina’s Tupufia his three children; Fonoti, Samala’ulu and Va’afusuaga Tole’afoa. All of Samoa involved in this war, Fonoti won and was bestowed the four titles; by Samoan Customs. (the four titles: Tui-Atua, Tui-A’ana, Gatoaitele, and Vaetamasoali’i; as Tupu Tafa’ifa of Samoa).

THE TWO CAPITALS TUMUA: LEULUMOEGA AND LUFILUFI

NU’UAUSALA: the royal seat of LEULUMOEGA (Tumua – the principal place), the land of the Tui-A’ana, where now the English mission stands. Nu’uausala “the extraordinary place” similar to Tui-Manua’s Fale’ula no longer exists in Leulumoega since the English missionaries settled on it. Malae o Vavau; the name of the old inland Malae of Leulumoega, today is called Ma’auga.

MULINU’U: the royal seat of LUFILUFI (Tumua – the principal place), the land of the Tui-Atua. Falenu’utupu Area and Manuo’s Malae. The fine mats which are heaped up in the Orator Chief’s House and are there distributed.

TUMUA MA PULE, ITU’AU MA ALATAUA, AIGA I LE TAI, MA LE VA’A O FONOTI, TAMA MA A LATOU AIGA PO’O AIGA MA A LATOU TAMA.

(”Tama Ma a Latou Aiga po’o Aiga Ma a Latou Tama”; Tama-A-Aiga “Sons of Families”: an addition to as the current fa’alupega of All Samoa after the Colonial period.)

ABOUT EACH ISLAND OF SAMOA

The TUI-MANU’A was the King of Manu’a. UPOLU is called the MOTU O PAPA, because they have The Four Papa Titles, TAFA’IFA which are: TUI-ATUA, TUI-A’ANA, GATOAITELE, VAETAMASOALI’I. SAVAI’I is called MOTU O AO, because they have the Ao Titles which are, TAGALOALAGI (Safune), TONUMAIPE’A (Alataua), LAULUSA (Salemuliaga), ULUPOAO (Puleia), FA’ASUA’IAU (Palauli- Papa), FETAFUNE (Samauga-Mata’utu), LILOMAIAVA (Palauli) and the PULE ONO I SALAFAI, (1) Safotulafai-Fuifatu. (2) Saleaula-Vaitu’utu’u. (3) Safotu-Finao. (4) Asau-Matiamatia’ituau. (5) Satupaitea-Faletoi. (6) Palauli-Vailoa. TUTUILA is called MOTU O TAEMA, because Taema has family there, and it was also called MOTU O SALAI’A, because Taema gave the island of Tutuila to SALAI’A, the daughter of Malietoa Fuaoleto’elau.

~ by CHRISTIAN BROWN on March 11, 2009.