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. The term comprises the prefix fa'a (Samoan for "in the way of") and the word matai (family name or title).

Of central importance in the system are the matai, the holders of family chief titles, and their role in looking after their family. Fa'amatai is the key socio-political system of governance and way of life (fa'a Samoa) in Samoan culture. Inherent in the fa'amatai system is the welfare and well-being of the extended family ('aiga) and the protection of family property, consisting most importantly of customary land.

In the 49-seat parliament of independent Samoa, all 47 Samoan Members of Parliament are also matai, performing dual roles as chiefs and modern politicians, with the exception of the two seats reserved for non-Samoans.

The fa'amatai system is significant in modern Samoa where most of the land, about 81% (567,000 acres), is under customary ownership with the rest under the national government (malo) as public lands with another 4% freehold.

The 2011 official census of independent Samoa identified a total of 16,787 matai (8.9%) living in the country from a total population of 187,820. Of the total number of matai, 15,021 (89.5%) were male and 1,766 (10.5%) were female.

The Fa'amatai system has been greatly impacted upon by colonialism as well as Samoa's modern politics which came into effect when the country gained independence in 1962.

The Cyclopedia of Samoa (published 1907) states:

"The old form of government in Samoa seems to have approached closely to the monarchical government obtaining in Tahiti and the Sandwich Islands. It was something of a combination of the monarchical and patriarchal forms. While the whole group was nominally governed by one head, or king the various districts had their own separate governments under their chiefs and local authorities, all for the most part independent of each other. The power of a high chief in whom the five distinct titles of the O le Tupu were centred was very great, and extended over the whole group of islands.

Three great families comprise what may be termed the aristocracy of Samoa - Sa Mataafa, Sa Malietoa, and Sa Muagututi'a- and for a great length of time the title of O le Tupu was confined to members of the last-named family.

The ramifications of these three families spread throughout the entire group. On the death of the Safe-o-fafine, the last king in the Muagututi'a line, the title remained in abeyance for a long time, and was eventually usurped by a war priest of Manono. O le Tamafaiga, who assumed the attributes of a god as well as those of a king. He was actually worshipped as a god and developed into a tyrant. In the hope of escaping from his tyranny, the people of A'ana conferred their title of Tui A'ana upon him, but only to further smart under his oppressive rule. Soon he obtained the remaining titles, and was proclaimed O le Tupu-o-Samoa. And so for the first time for many generations the dignity passed from the family of Muagututi'a. A'ana not only lost the prestige it had so long held in this connection but the royal residence no longer was situated in the province, the new king continuing to reside on Manono. As his tyranny increased, in like proportion increased the hatred of the people of A'ana, and at length they rose against him and he was killed in 1829. This was just before John Williams, whose name is a shining light in the annals of missionary enterprise, visited Samoa for the first time. A bloody war ensued and A'ana's power was broken and the district laid waste."

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