So what if Moli had the "blessings" of Malie and Sapapalii? Of course he would because that is where most of his support base is. However, you also have to have the consent of Manono and Safotulafai as well. Also, whilst Malie may propose, Afega and the Fale Tuamasaga (through Tui Samau and Malolo) actually bestow. The Fale Tuamasaga didn't agree at all with the way Moli's faction went about bestowing the title on their guy. Lets all remember that we live in Samoa, not Tonga. In Samoa, there is no automatic right of the son to inherit his parent's title. The Sa Malietoa is not just made up of Moli's house. The houses of Natuitasina and Talavou also have rights to be heard.

I agree with the poster directly above. But my only concern is that the Malietoa title court case has been given room at this time (when it just came in yesterday compared to the other cases) while other court cases that have been submitted earlier are still in waiting. The Malietoa family should have dealt with this matter (who is to be the next Malietoa) a long time ago while Malietoa Tanu II was alive, with his help the matter could have been solved with no long process as we have now. This case should have been used to set a model for the Samoan people to see, but its coming onto the forefront even it was submitted just yesterday set no good example for the country at all. Let's not forget that "the greatest in the Kingdom is a servant of all" (according to the Bible). And with that said, I hope this case's being in process at this time is not a result of some special treatment.

Yes, the Sa Malietoa is not just made up of Moli's house. There are three houses involved and have birth rights to this title. I think it's legit to give the other two houses their turn to their birthrights. So turn it over to other folks who deserve these rights. We are Samoans not Tongas where the title is passed down to the sons. It has to be decided by the Matais of the extended families

Ia ua kele lava le fia au Maliekoa lea ua i ai.. Oute sau mai i sle tasi o nuu e tau i le Suafa.. Upu a le atunuu..... " Ala i le Pule o le Tautua".. O le tele o i si ia ua fia suafa i le suafa mamalu.. Tate leiloa pe na aoga i aiga ma afioaga o le Malietoa.. kakaa'kakaa i o ma o o mai fai mai o suli o Moli ma Natuitasina.. O le latou taimi e nofo i le suafa.. Na fai sau feau aoga i le aiga ma le afioaga o le Malietoa.. E le aoaia e Laupua Tamafaiga... Ua tatau le suafa i le Faamausili Moli, leva ona afu lana tautua i aiga ma le afioaga faapea ma le atunuu... Soifua Fata ma Maulolo.

O lo'u iloa i ai, ua tatau lava ona faaee le suafa o le Malietoa i le susuga ia Papaliitele Faamausili Moli Malietoa o le alo o le susuga ia Malietoa Tanumafili II. Ona o le tele lava o le loto e mafua mai mea uma. O loo silafia e le Atua mea uma. Ae tuu i le Atua soifua, o Ia le Faamasino Sili.

This is a perfect example of a very unrealistic, mere silly system that should have been clarified and modified centuries ago. It is the main reason why thousands of people fight over whos the rightful heir and who should not have.
I cant say much about the Malietoa title since i dont have an immediate connection nor have any interest in becoming the next malietoa, despite having a long line of relations attached to it. But the reality of this is that, it is the similar concept in the bestowal of any chiefly title in any family and the Faasamoa for this matter.

Why i said its silly and needed modifications is mainly because for instance, If a sibling of 10 sons serve the father with the title of Manuatele for exmpl, usually the eldest would get the first turn. Lets name him Tasi. Now Tasi, got the title when the father passed on, then he lived for 70 years and decided to pass the title to his eldest son Sefulutasi. Now here usually, the families of the other 9 sons (Sefulutasi's uncles) would complain that son Lua would be the rightful heir. This time son Lua would have been already in a ripe old age and maybe can only serve for a few years. By the time all the original 9 sons got to their turns, Im sure none of the grandchildren are still alive.
It is a very silly criteria for passing on the title and it can only become more complicated for all parties involve, Moreso, the court will forever try to determine rightful heirs for decades, centuries or even milleniums passed.
For this reason, I believe set rules and criteria for titles should be in place to save people time, resouces, stress and decades of fighting amongst ourselves. The current process would only work for very small knitted families who get to have a turn to the title before all the siblings are gone. But yet again, not everyone would stick to small families, the end result would all point to ths same thing, more court cases and infightings
.
If we continue on with the current process, God only knows how many more unnecessary deaths and violent awaits us and our future generation would be greatly affected. Lets hope for a better change. God help us

If the three main families failed to agree on someone to bestow the Malietoa title, then let the court pick someone. In Samoa the roots of a person are more then the roots of a tree. This fight will go on and on until someone die or when the court pick someone. Everyone in Samoa is related to the Malietoa title so do us a favorite and let the court pick or "faasalafa le suafa" so everyone wil go home happy.

The three clans of the Sa Malietoa (which includes probably half the country), should vote on their candidate. Then the three candidates should go into an election, complete with television debates on SBC, then the electoral commission can take over the running of the election to who the next Malietoa should be (perhaps overseen by Fata ma Maulolo and the Fale Tuamasaga). The winner can be announced from some ceremonial umukuka in Malie complete with white smoke billowing from the umukuka. The crowds will flock to Malie and Sia and Auimatagi can have a debate as to who has the right to come out and declare: "Habemus Papem!"

yeah, I agree with Tuamasaga on how to appoint the a successor using the vote and smoke from the umukuka, pei a laia o le vote a le Vatican mo le next pope. lol

Ae magaia ae fau le umukuka i luga ose mea maupuepue pe fau i luga ole mauga o Vaea, ga oga uma lava ua maua le tasi, susugu male umukuka iloa uma loa e Samoa ua iai le Malietoa. Bingo,
Afai e iai sesi e le malie ile faaiuiga, kogi loa i kokogu ole umukuka...

Ona serious note, I think posible candidates should be put treated into a vote and see who wins. Coz if we still carry on this current process, Heaven knows how much more legal cases and counter cases filed against each other dragging everyone around like pieces of coconuts while the main beneficiary of all these chaos is the lawyers and the judiary system which none of them is related to the Malietoa title.

When a heart ponders in wrongful thoughts, it affiliates needy thoughts!!! It brings a lot of tension and hate, and criticism in a person's mind to try and bring evil to life..........Everyone has the knowledge to know who it is that's next to the title, but as the old man always say, O le fili e le moe!!!!  People just chose their own paths rather than facing the truth!!!!!! It is who it is, let MOLI BE IT!!!!!!!!!! a true royalty grows that way!!!!!

Ou te tatalo i le Atua ia faapea ona maua uma e aiga o loo faamasino le filemu ma le loto maualalo. 'Aua le tu'u i faaosoosoga a le tiapolo. Ia maua pea e outou le onosa'i ma le fealofani. Ia faamanuia le Atua i tiute ma galuega a le o le a filifiliina, ma ia ta'ita'iina e le Agaga Paia la outou faaiuga aua le manuia o aiga.

Malo lava le fa'asoa, matagofie ia folasaga i lea mataupu. Ae tatou tu'u pea i le Atua po'o fea oi iai sona finagalo, aua o le tatou fa'asinomaga lea i mea uma tatou te faia. Ia manuia le nofo, ia manuia fo'i Samoa i le alofa ma le agalelei mai o le Atua. Fa'afetai....

Soia le fai soo ma kau le Atua i ia mea,,kakalo soo ua kiga le pakua o le Akua i le kukui soo atu i a kou kakalo,,kuu pea le Akua ia o le la e lelei ae salamo kakou lea e i lalo gei i le malosi o le fia maualuga o ga faigofie lea o le makaupu,,,aua le fai mea sese kakou ae kau soo le suafa o le Akua ua koeikiiki kukuli kaliga o le kamaloa i le valaau soo aku o kakou ae malosi le le usikai.

Here's my two cents - Whenever a politician's hand has been offered to me in greeting, I have the uncontrollable urge to count all my fingers when I take my hand back. I'm thinking the same should go for politicians who are involved with the Malietoa title saga. I mean, we've heard nothing but blah, blah, blah from Le Tagaloa Pita Pola in the last few months building up to this, and from what I've heard of his performance this week, maybe we should we be taking a closer look what he's been publishing and asking some hard questions. Let's not be quick to put the knives in before we know whether we're getting the full picture.

Every1 made some really good points regarding the case in issue. However & with all due respect, this case is 1 which concerns 1 of the tama-aiga and kingly titles of Samoa - it's not a small matter so the Courts would have to hear it as soon as they reasonably can taking in the interests of all those concerned.

Yes they should have a system in place where the current (or former holder of a title) holder suggests (his word will be highly persuasive in the future/ a mavaega will suffice) the person he thinks will best succeed him & talk it over with the extended family. Thus when he passes away, the extended family can meet once again & consider the past holder's suggested successor & any other(s) they believe are deserving of the title.
But in saying that, this will well work better for other titles rather than the Malietoa title or any other tama aiga tite, purely because the latter are a bit more complicated. Hence the saying, "O Samoa o le i'a ivi'ivia". Yes a system is good but the faaSamoa is complex & heirs to such high titles are placed on hierarchical standings. Every person has their own place (from the suli toto down to the suli tautua) within that hierarchy & the higher or more senior you are in that hierarchy system the closer of a right you have to the title. For example, other tamalii would have more of a right to that title than mere “kids” claiming their right to that title. Hence, “Samoa ua uma ona tofi”.

Yes, Moli Faamausili may well be thought of by some as the appropriate heir to such a title but, are we saying that as a means of putting a solution to this court case rather than digging up the foundations of the faaSamoa to pinpoint how such an issue should be resolved? Yes he is the son of late Malietoa but does that give him a higher right when placed within the family hierarchy? There are other heirs to the title rather than the children. Moreover, we have to look @ the issue from a traditional approach, the title bestowal which took place last year was against tradition. Si’a from Malie bestowed the title. So what, what’s the big deal it’s only a title bestowal? Yes it is but, it’s not just any title that’s being bestowed, it’s a tama-aiga title. We have to adhere to traditions on how such titles are to be conferred onto the next successor having regard to the process of notifying the extended family, villages of concern or those having an interest or say in the matter & the appropriate tulafales & matais. Once every1 has soa laupule on the nofo to proceed will we then have 1 that is valid on every level according to cultural protocols.

With all due respect, Si’a had no right @ all to bestow that title when he did in 2007. Why? Because (after every1 concerned has met & agreed) only Fata & Maulolo from Afega hold that privilege, remember o Samoa ua uma ona tofi. It is Fata & Maulolo that also bestow the 2 papa-a-fafine titles of Gatoaitele & Tamasoa’alii. E le mafia ona ave’ese faavae ole aganuu – if tradition has it that Fata & Maulolo can only bestow the title then ONLY them can hold that privilege. “E le sala upu mai anamua”. It is a pity that the matter is now b4 the Courts but this is what happens when the whole extended family (including villages) are not fully consulted for their contribution & support. In a way, it takes away from the whole sacredness or “mamalu” of the title itself because now it’s up to the legal system to come up with a decision that will consider the 1939 case, current petitioners’ interests & 1 that will be just & fair to all involved.

Whatever happens will happen. There should be no rush when it comes to deciding the successor of such a prestigious title. Traditions need to be adhered (look @ what happened when this didn’t take place) to. There needs to be consultation & time is essential. Maybe something can be learned from the Mata’afa family who have taken their time to decide the next successor & rightly so. It is a big title and if we readily give it away & throw all caution to the wind then, where is our culture going? Every title (no matter big or small) is special & unique in its own right. No doubt Moli has a claim to his late Father’s title but, what about the other members of the family (11 families) who have worked just as hard & sweated blood to serve the Malietoa over the years?

Manaia finagalo o lo'o faaalia faasino i le suafa o le Malietoa. O si a'u sia fesoasoani atu. O le suafa o tama aiga le Malietoa. O ona papa, o papa-fafine, Gato ma le Tamasoa. Ae ua galo i le aiga lea, tulou ou paia sautuafafafa, o le suafa a le atunuu le Malietoa. E ala ona faaaloalo i ai le atunuu, aua foi o le aia a le atunuu e mamalu ai suafa ia. E pei o le suafa Tuiaana. Faalogo atu, e ese le faleupolu na faaeeina le Malietoa o Moli, e le'o Fata ma Maulolo. E faalogo atu foi, e le'i logoa Safotulafai ma Manono. O lona uiga, e le o se Malietoa a le atunuu le suafa lea. O le Malietoa lava a le aiga. E le tatau ona faaaloalogia e le atunuu, aua e le'i faamalieina le aganuu na faataoto e le atunuu, i tuaa ua mavae. O le mafuaaga foi lena na le faia ai e le Malietoa na mavae atu nei, aua na te silafia lelei lava, o le suafa e le tausia e le aiga, e tausi e le atunuu.

O lea ua oo i le faamasinoga le suafa. Manaia le faataitaiaga na fai e Tupua Efi, ae le'i faaeeina i ai le Tuiatua. Ina ua oo le mataupu o le Tuiaana i le faamasinoga, na solomuli lea alii ma le agaga moni, aua ne'i mataga le suafa a le atunuu, ona o lona fia Tuiaana. Ua tatau ona taofi lea faamasinoga. Ua ao Samoa. E moni o le aganuu e malu ai, ae gata lava le malu i le sau mai Saua se'ia paia le fafa o Saualii. O lea ua taape i lalolagi le atunuu. E fiu e faamalamalama i le palagi le uiga ma le taua o le ie-toga, e maua atu lava ua tiai i le lapisi, aua le o se aganuu lea a ia.

Tatou fai mea faasolo i luma. Faaalu lo tatou malosi ma lo tatou poto i le aoaoina o auala fou e tulei ai le tamaoaiga o Samoa ina ia manuia na i tagata e le tau i le Malietoa. Na o le mitamita vale lava le mea lea e maua i le suafa, ae leai se mea o faia i le atunuu. Talofa i fanau a nai tagata e le'o lelei ni aoga, le'o lelei ni galuega. O le Malietoa lena o le taimi lenei. O le tagata e le vaai i le lelei o le isi tagata, ae le o ia lava.

Ou te iloa lelei le manaia o le togafiti a malie ma vaitoelau. Faanofo vave Moli i le suafa, aua a o atu i le faamasinoga, o le nofo lava lena e faaaoga. Talofa e i le faletolu o le aiga sa-Malietoa, ua maua tala faapea ua uma i le 1939 le faaiuga, na o latou e au i le suafa. Ae faapefea le lautele o le aiga sa-Malietoa i ona aiga e valu, ma isi ona aiga fou faatoa faaopoopo nei ananafi.

O la'u lena e folafola atu i lenei taimi. Ua tatou i ai i le tupulaga, e le'o le suafa ma le mamalu i le nofoa vaevaeloloa, ae o le galuega faatino e mamalu ma paia ai.

O le mea ua tatau ona fai, ua tatau ona alu Tanumafili II ma le suafa, ae foi le Samoa e atina'e lona aiga ma saili se manuia mo lona nuu ma le atunuu. E le manaomia se suafa e faatino ai le tautua lena.

Manuia Samoa mo a Taeao

Ou te muamua ona ou fa'atulou ou Paia Samoa, i Tama ma o latou Aiga , o Aiga fo'i ma a latou Tamaa. O Tumua ma Pule Ituau ma Alataua , Aiga i le Tai ma le Va'a o Fonoti. O tatou uso i Sasa'e ia Sua ma le Vaifanua , Fofo ma Aitulagi, Sa'ole ma Sale'aaumua ma le Launiu na Saelua, o Tama a le Manu'a Tele , To'oto'o o le Faleula ma le Launiu na Amotasi. Ae tainane Auauna Paia a le Atua i itu e fa o le Kelope o lo'o nono manu aua se manuia to'afilemu o Samoa.
Ou te fia fa'asoa i le ava tele ma lo'u fa'aaloalo ina ne'i sipa se lamaga pe pa'opapa fo'i ise fa'afofogaaga ae fa'apoipoi laaautumanu ma ou toto le niu i le tuaoi e faigata o Samoa ua uma ona tofi, O Samoa o le i'a e iviivia ele mafai e se poto ona ia autalaina se'i vagana ai lo Tatou Tapaau i le Lagi. Ae o so'u lagona vaivai ou te lagolagoina le soalaupule lelei o itupaepae o le Suafa e maua ai se tasi. O le iuga a le Fa'amasinoga i le 1939 ia fa'apea ona silasila toto'a i ai Fa'amasino. E taua le malilie fa'atupu ma fa'atamali'i o itu uma ona fili lea o se e gava'a e na te tauaveina le Malietoa. Manatua fo'i fo'i le saunoaga a le toeaina Malietoa Tanumafili ina ua fesiligis o ia o se Tupu o Samoa, sa ia tulei ma malele i se saunoaga maulalo fa'apea, " Tatou te Tupu uma Lava", Afai lava o lea ave le fa'aaloalo i si ona alo o Moli ia ua selau pasene ma talafeagai. Tatou manatu i tuaaa ua Lagomau mai i tiasa ina ia sa'o ma lelei le fa'aiuga.
Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo tele lava
Ne'i te'i ua fesiligia po'o fea e sau ai lenei tagata , ae o le gafa i le usuga a Malietoa Laupepa ia Sisavai'i le tamaita'i e tupuga mai ia Tuiaana Galumalemana, ma le gafa o Taisi Tuiaana Galumalemana e aofia ai mai ia Malietoa Uitualagi po'o Malietoa Faiga seia tau atu ia Pili le tuaa o Aana Atua ma Tuamasaga , fa'apea Tolufale.
Soifua ma ia Manuia Samoa
o la outou Auauna.

Oi, e usu atu Malietoa ia Sisavai ae suli ai oe? Oi ia, ai loga e talafeagai lena mea. Faafetai mo le tofa. Ae o le mataupu lenei nao suli lava o le ituaiga o Moli, Gatuitasina ma Talavou e latou te soalaupuleina le nofo fou.