I feel a huge sense of annoyance when self-styled "experts" are given leeway by the local media to hold forth with such vehemence so that the rest of us "non"experts who dont want to look dumb nod our heads and "hmmmm...." as if (1) we understood a single thing they were talking about in the context they are talking about it in and (2) what they had to say was gospel truth. Please Mr Editor. Some perspective. Its common knowledge Maulolo has an axe to grind on the subject. His motives are his own. But please dont mislead the rest of us dummies by letting him cloud the issues.

“They too are allowed to have a say when and if required by the matais. So whatever is discussed and agreed is basically a collective decision openly made before everyone, that is good governance.”

This quote obviously contradicts your point. If the village matai system is to be seen as more inclusive and empower the village community, then all issues discussed at village fono must all be considered by children and women together with matais not 'when and if required' by matais.

Strongly agree with Maulolo's expressed local and culturally-based expert opinion on this matter.

Wish there are more matai's with this perspective on village goverance/politics. Keep up the good work, i may not agree with some/one of your expressed opinions in the past but this one amongst many others - you've hit the nail on the head or should i say the "vale" on the head.

You have the fortune of being an articulate orator/commentator in both our Native Tongue and in English, you have the street credits to go with it, a stage to launch it from - go for it, disregard those haters. i wish you all the best.

Thank you Samoa Observer for the coverage on this subject.

Maulolo subscribes to a flawed, misleading and an oversimplified comparison between the traditional village administration and the Westminster (parliamentarian) systems. The implication is that Samoa’s national system should emulate the traditional village system with its immutable “established protocols”.

Of course the village is an autonomous political unit with the fono having all the legislative, executive and judicial powers. But on the national level, it’s quite different. This despite the efforts to model the Parliament Building after a Samoan fale with its oval/round seating arrangements. (Though the gestures, however, are more symbolic than literal, the similarity mind-set is still obvious.) The national model may claim to be autonomous with its own traditional base and hierarchy, which by the way, have changed hands throughout Samoa’s history, but in reality local units tout and enjoy much more stability. In fact before the Malietoa family became the national ruling family, Samoa had been in constant warfare and struggles for national unity. The differences and disagreements among the Malietoa factions on title succession today resemble those of the past. Meanwhile the village administration system had always remained intact because of its inherent simple, close-knit, extended aiga structure, but as we move towards the national level, the whole socio-political paradigm shifts.

But even with its autonomous and seemingly durable status, the village traditional administrative system is not and will not remain immune to the modern and global democratic trends notably in the area of individual and basic human rights. In the Samoan traditional system, the communal (vs. individualistic) aspects of governance are the norm, in which family members often cede their rights and freedoms to the matai (re: “[family members] too are allowed to have a say when and if required by the matais.”). Modern principles prove to be more resilient and durable as confirmed by the adoption of universal suffrage - to replace the “matai only” vote - several years ago.

Therefore, Maulolo should not dwell on the traditional village system as the ideal and a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Rather, he needs to focus more on how Samoan culture and society incorporate and assimilate the influx of change, yet still retain and maintain some core Samoan socio-political fundamentals in the process. Change is inevitable and constant, and Samoa needs to learn to adapt, otherwise it will become isolated, ostracized and eventually “dies”.

Based on his area of expertise, Maulolo has some strong biases in favor of Samoan culture and the status quo. However, he still needs to understand that the so-called “established protocols” of, say, the 1700's, 1800's - or even the 1990's - are not the same and/or completely applicable today.

Ua ola ma tupu tele ma tupu mafala le la’au (aiga/malo), e le toe teuina i se sapelu, e tatau ona faaaoga mea ‘oti/teu la’au faapitoa, apefa’i, ma isi mea faigaluega tatau.
The tree (family tree and its branches/state) has grown huge and humongous that the traditional machete is no longer ideal for pruning, instead, special modern pruning tools, ladders, etc., are more handy and effective.

O le mea lea e tupu pe a fai e le o manino na faamatala mai e le media le finauga atoa. I si fasi mea lea ua faailoa mai, e ui i na nunumi ae pei e aliali mai e moni aua e faataua foi e le fono a matai se mea e faailoa aloaia atu e i latou o i ai le tofi "o le taulealea matua". E pei o i latou na e faailoaina ni mea aoga sa oo i ai fonotaga ma mataupu a aumaga latou. Ma e faapena foi le fono a le komiti pe o faletua ma tausi ma tamaitai, e amanaia lava e le fono a matai o latou manatu sa talanoaina ma a latou foi iuga.

E moni o le aia tatau tutoatasi a le tagata soifua o unai e le faa-west minister pe o lea foi ituaiga faa-temokalasi, ae le tatau na soloia ai fua le faiga filifiliga a le aiga latou pe o se nuu o fiafia lava latou ma filemu i le faalogo i le matai ma lona leo i taimi o faiga palota. Aemaise lava leaga o si a tatou menti e tuasivi i taiala faakelisiano e pei o le manaoga o tatou tama o le fono faavae, o lo o matamata tetele i na taiala le tele o le avanoa ma le agavaa o le faiga filifiliga faalogo (ua tasi i le mea o manatu ai le matai).

O le talitonuga, e le o le filifili toatasi pe o le filifili faalogo e taua, ae o fea o e vaai i ai ae e te le i filifili. A fai o vaai tatou i le kamaloa ma ana taiala na manatu o tatou tama e faavae ai Samoa, e soo se ituaiga faiga a e manuia lava.

eds note : E i ai fo'i le mea e ta'u ole le fia manino a ea? Aua le alo i le paolo o le ataata e alofaga i ai sou manatu fa'aalia. Na'o le tetea e su'e lafitaga mai le la. Aua le fa'aogaina le tusitala e fai ma ou fa'apaologa, se'i vagana ua e fia tetea.

Sifa, the system has adapted. Many more female matai are now being given titles and many more titles are being split so that more people are becoming matai. Whether that is a good thing or not, depends on which side of the tree your machete is on.

However, when it comes to the national Tama-a-Aiga titles, perhaps what Maulolo is saying is that the established protocols should be adhered to so that whenever a title-holder dies, everyone knows what the set protocols are and everyone will take comfort that whoever assumes the title does so in a transparent and open way according to the protocols of the district. Otherwise, a vacuum will set in and the seeds of political instability will take root.

This is especially so because in the example of the Malietoa title, the candidates vying for the title represent thousands of people from all over the country. If one branch of the Aiga excludes the other branches, you have the seeds for political instability... just like in the 19th century. Established protocols of a district must be adhered to. Otherwise, anarchy prevails and we end up dealing with the same problems that other South Pacific countries have been dealing with.

sei silasila ane lau susuga a le moderator pe o le tusitala o le na lava e manaino atu,,o le mea lava o aliali mai i lau tala o alu atu ai le faamatalaga,,,oute le o alo atu ia te oe mo se lafitaga ae o le mea lava o e faaali mai i le uluai post o lea oute ui atu ai. o le talitonuga e le o manino mai le ata atoa o le finauga o faaaoga e Maulolo o le ala pei foi lena ua tau osofai e isi lena failauga,,toe tagai i lau uluai tusitusiga,,e taua o na faasau le mea atoa aua a leai e sese ai isi tagata,,a lemafai o na faasau i se foliga atoa ia o na taatia lea ma le soona tafai ai fua o le tagata (Maulolo) e anaia le mataupu. a fai e faigata o na o le fia faaali mai pea o ni talafou ua maua, ia o na toe faaopoopo mai lea ia manino atili le manatu o le failauga,,ae o lou faamai o le alo i le paolo o le laau,,oi sole, se o le mea lega e sao ai le upu a le saiga..KASI LEA OUKOU FAASEESEE MAI IA MAKOU hehehe!!..ia manuia le aso uso ma saga taumafai atili.

EDS NOTE: Ia e sili ona ta'atia lau mataupu seia e manino lelei e pei o le to'atele ua mae'a fa'aalia o latou finagalo. Aga'i ese ma le paolo o le ataata ona e le alu au tago ai lea. E pei ona tima'i leisi toeaina Samoa, Ka'akia ai laia i kigaiga gisi i gi pusa apa.

From a moral methodology, it’s an ongoing debate just as well between modernity and tradition. I have observed however that culture can be objectively validated and be distinguished from tribal aspects of the same hierarchical structure – rituals and ceremonies interpreted from various roles and positions. Not all persons are suitable for certain protocols when the layer of activities shifts; nonetheless roles are established for any one suitable. When objective principle filters the concept of freedom and responsibility the individual will obviously be isolated for values binding them to the collective are incompatibly subjective.

If we should look at modern progress associated with sub cultures of the streets and their anti social behaviour, the media tends to blame culture. Yet it’s the Liberal approach behind economic generation that seems to encourage the individual to be defiant...

However, there is a balance somewhere in the dynamic of our evolvement from habits and customs to culture and religion, paralleled to the material, mental and spiritual developments.

Manuia le aso!

ia ua lelei, ae fai ma lesona si na mea i tei ua tigaina si tou aiga e saili ni palapala malo o na o lou soona alu.

E foliga mai o se miti pe o se aganuu fou foi lea ua tautalagia e le alii faiaoga, talu ai o na sa le i faapea le faiga faa-samoa i la aso anamua. I le vaavaai atu, e pei o tautala le alii fai mataupu i se ata o se mea e tatau na i ai, ma, e i ai le galuega tele e tatau na fai i na ia mafai o na faataunuuina lea ata (vision) o manaomia.

O le manatu o le nei sui, e taua o na taofi mamau i taiala taua e pei o na manao ai o tatou tama sa auaia i le fono faavae. Sa lagona e i latou o se Samoa lelei o tupulaga faiae o le lumanai e i ai tatou, o se Samoa lea e "taiala" i le fakerisiano faapea tu ma aga faa-samoa (refer the preamble of the constitution). Ae o le fesili e faafefea na fai, aua e pei o na silafia, e ese lava le tala ia ae ese le faatino atu e faigata. Ma o si na faataitaiga itiiti lea o le a folasia.

A fai ua malamalama Samoa i le faa-kerisiano ma le aganuu, o se tasi o taiala matagofie tele e tatau o na manatua, o le "soalaupule". O se faataitaiga lea o le mea e fetaui lelei ma le faavae, aua o le taiala kerisiano ae toe taiala foi faa-le-aganuu sa tausi mai anamu'a anamu'a lava e o tatou tuaa. E mafai o na avea ma ata (model) e tatai ai se faiga agai i luma. Aua e mafai o na agavaa mai lava i le aiga (intimate-extended), nuu, e oo lava i faiga malo e apalai lava. E pe o fea lava le maualuga ae o a foi ni suiga fou o le a oo mai, a tatou tausi i le taiala la'ea, e lemafai lava o na fesiligia le nofo filemu. E pe o le a foi le fia o ni tapuaiga o le a i ai, ae fia foi ni faalapotopotoga, ma ni mau gaogaosa o le a i ai le olaga o na o suiga fou, e lemafai o na talepe ai fua le taiala aua faiga mea a Samoa. E legata i totonu lava o le atunuu, ae faapea foi i le va i fafo.

I soo se mea lava e le faatauaina ai le soalaupule, e le asa foi ma le felotoai. Ua tatou vaai i le faiga ma le aasa o le faatemokalasi o i ai nei, sa misi le soalaupule aua sa leamanaia e le palemia ma le HRPP le leo o tagata lautele e pei o na sa i ai le PASS, ae ua alu lava ma le faaloto malosi o na o faiga faa-temokalasi faapea o le mea ua fulisia i ai le toatele o sui o le fono, o le na ua tatou vaai lelei lava i ai i le iuga e pei e moni ai Maulolo, ua faaleaga e le selfisness se mea manaia sa tatau na oo i ai. Aua e tusa pe manuia ai Samoa i na tulafono fou (RHD bill), ae o le auala sa fai ai, sa lelei na fai? A fai e leai, e le atagia ai se manuia moni.

O le na foi e aliali i le faiga o le na suafa Malietoa, sa moni sa fai se soalaupulega a i latou e aia i lea mataupu? O faamasinoga lava ia o mea o i totoga o le faatemokalasi e mulimuli mai, ae ailoga e oo i ia tulaga pe a na malosi suli faapea i latou o tausi i faasinomaga o tu e tonu i le faaeeina o lea suafa, i le soalaupule? O le soalaupule foi o na o le taiala faa-kerisiano, e tatau lava o na manu ane e maua le tasi ma le fealofani.

A tuu mai i le gaogaosa ma le laau tupu mafala ua i ai ma o le a i ai e pei o na atugalu ai se tasi sui, e apalai foi le soalaupule i soo se itu, e le tatau na faia ni iuga o ni mea i na ua vaai taitai i se matagofie o se faiga a le world bank aua ni nonoga tupe faapea e atinae ai Samoa, leai, e tatau na tapa se finagalo o le atunuu, aua o fua la ia o le leai o so tatou leo ae fai lava i le atamai o taitai, a le na ua toe gugulu tagata faapea o le tulafono o tau faataatia mai e uiga i le lisiina o eleele, o se tali a le malo i le siaki mai a faletupe e uiga i fanua samoa e le o atinaeina? Faamata e tupu na mea pe a na sei muai tapa so tatou manatu ao le i faia na mau nonoga tupe mai fafo?

E le faapea na o aiga (intimate and extended) e apalai ai le soalaupule, leai e oo lava i le lavelave o le olaga o le a i ai, ae ave le faamoni i le alii fai mataupu, pe a fai o se ata (vision) lea o taumafai i ai mo le lumanai, aua o le filifiliga lava ia e i le tagata e toatasi (individual), ae o le soalaupule e oo mai ai le loto malie, e leai foi se compromise e mafai o na fai i se va faa-le-tagata, va faa-le-faalapotopotoga, va-faa-le-nuu, faaleaiga, faa-le-atunuu pe a seanoa ma le amanaia o le "soalaupule".

O le matai system a tatou i Samoa ua mix faatasi ia apu ma moli. O le old system sa i ai le ava ma le faaaloalo faapea le alofa. O le taimi lenei ua pule le tupe ma le manava i mea e fai. Ma ua sao ai le tala foi lea, e sue a le mea e ola ai le Indian ia, ua le toe kea le chief i ona tagata. Pretty soon ona maua lea o Samoa i le mea foi lea ua too many chiefs ae le ai ni Indians.