Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I
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Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I (1889 — 27 March 1948)Mataafa Dead: Leading Samoan Chief
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', April 1948, p18
was a high chief of Samoa and a leader of the country's pro-independence Mau movement during the 1920's and 1930's. He was the holder of high-ranking ''ali'i'' chiefly titles: the Tama-a-'aiga Mata'afa, Fiame from
Lotofaga Lotofaga is a village on the south coast of Upolu island in Samoa. Lotofaga is also the name of the larger Lotofaga Electoral Constituency (''Faipule District'') which includes Lotofaga village and two other villages, Vavau and Matatufu. The v ...
and Faumuina from
Lepea Lepea is a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. The picturesque settlement of round Samoan houses built in a concentric pattern in large open grounds (''malae'') is situated 5mins drive west of the capital Apia on the north central coast of th ...
.


Mau Movement

Faumuina initially cooperated with the New Zealand colonial administration, remodelling his village of
Lepea Lepea is a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. The picturesque settlement of round Samoan houses built in a concentric pattern in large open grounds (''malae'') is situated 5mins drive west of the capital Apia on the north central coast of th ...
along the "model village" lines demanded by Administrator George Spafford Richardson. In late 1926 he attended a meeting with
Olaf Frederick Nelson Ta'isi Olaf Frederick Nelson (24 February 1883 – 28 February 1944) was a Samoan businessman and politician. He was one of the founding leaders of the anti-colonial Mau movement. Biography Nelson was born on 24 February 1883 in Safune on th ...
and other independence activists at the home of
Samuel Meredith Samuel Meredith (1741 – February 10, 1817) was an American merchant from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress from 1786 to 1788. President Washington appointed him Treasurer of the United ...
to plan the response to an inquiry into Samoan grievances. This led to the formation of the citizens committee, which became the ''Mau''. Faumuina suggested that the committee hold public meetings to discuss their grievances, and was a prominent speaker at the first two, calling for lawful change. When he assisted in raising funds for the ''Mau'' to send a delegation to New Zealand, he was confined to his village for three months. He was subsequently banished to Apolima. He was later sent to
Lotofaga Lotofaga is a village on the south coast of Upolu island in Samoa. Lotofaga is also the name of the larger Lotofaga Electoral Constituency (''Faipule District'') which includes Lotofaga village and two other villages, Vavau and Matatufu. The v ...
on Upolu. In October 1927 he was allowed to return to Apia to give evidence before the royal commission. Following the exile of
Olaf Frederick Nelson Ta'isi Olaf Frederick Nelson (24 February 1883 – 28 February 1944) was a Samoan businessman and politician. He was one of the founding leaders of the anti-colonial Mau movement. Biography Nelson was born on 24 February 1883 in Safune on th ...
and arrest of
Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-ā'ana III (4 May 1901 – 29 December 1929) was a paramount chief of Samoa, holder of the Tupua Tamasese dynastic title and became the leader of the country's pro-independence Mau movement from early 1928 until his assa ...
Faumuina became the effective leader of the ''Mau''. He was one of the leaders of the procession on Black Saturday, and attempted to hold back the crowd when the shooting started. He was lightly injured, with a bullet grazing his back. The death of Tamasese left Faumuina as the undisputed leader of the movement, and he was put on a wanted list for a speech he had given months before. He went into hiding with other ''Mau'' members, but emerged in March 1930 for peace talks with the colonial administration. Following the negotiations, he led 300 members of the ''Mau'' to Apia to surrender. Over the next five years Faumuina continued to lead the ''Mau'' and keep the peace.


Reconciliation

Following the election of the
First Labour Government of New Zealand The First Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1935 to 1949. Responsible for the realisation of a wide range of progressive social reforms during its time in office, it set the tone of New Zealand's economic an ...
in the
1935 New Zealand general election The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime ...
New Zealand policy towards Samoa changed, and the ban on the ''Mau'' was lifted. Faumuina negotiated with the new government, and gained concessions towards self-government. In October 1936 he was appointed senior sergeant in the newly-formed native police force. later that month the newly elected ''Fono'' recommended that he be appointed to the Legislative Council. In January 1937 he was appointed supervisor of native police. Eventually he rose to the rank of inspector. In March 1939, he succeeded Mata'afa Salanoa Muliufi as Mata'afa following a hearing by the Samoan Land and Titles Commission. This was the first time the Mata'afa title passed from the elder line of Faasuamale'aui to the younger line of Silupevailei, which held the title until it was passed back following the death of his son and successor in 1975. In February 1944 he was appointed to the position of ''Fautua'', one of three advisors to the Administrator. He died at Apia Hospital on 27 March 1948 at the age of 58, and was subsequently given a state funeral.


Legacy

His wife Fa'amusami, was the daughter of paramount chief
Malietoa Laupepa Susuga Malietoa Laupepa (1841 – 22 August 1898) was the ruler (Malietoa) of Samoa in the late 19th century. Personal life Laupepa was born in 1841 in Sapapali'i, Savai'i, Samoa. His father was Malietoa Mōli and mother was Fa’alaitaua Fua ...
. His son, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II (1921–1975) became the first
Prime Minister of Western Samoa The prime minister of the Independent State of Samoa ( sm, Palemia o le Malo Tuto’atasi o Sāmoa) is the head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign s ...
at the country's independence from New Zealand colonial administration. His granddaughter, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is a high-ranking chief Lotofaga, the head of Aiga Sā Levalasi and is the current Prime Minister of Samoa.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulinuu, Mataafa Faumuina Fiame, I Samoan police officers Samoan chiefs 1948 deaths Samoan independence activists 1889 births