MatÃÂûafa is one of the four paramount tama a ûÃÂiga (maximal lineage) titles of Samoa. It is one of two such titles originating from the Atua district at the east end of Upolu island (the other being Tupua Tamasese of Falefa & Salani) and has its historical seat in the village of Amaile. Prominent holders of the title include MatÃÂûafa Iosefo of Falefa, one of the three rival candidates for the kingship of Samoa during the early colonial period, Mataûafa Faumuina Fiame Mulinuûu I (died 1948) of Lepea and Lotofaga, who became leader of Samoa's pro-independence Mau movement after Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III's assassination; and his son FiamàMataûafa Faumuina Mulinuûu II (1921âÂÂ1975), the first Prime Minister of Samoa.
The title was then passed on to MatÃÂûafa Faûasuamaleaui Puûela Patu. After his death in 1997, the title fell vacant until 2011, when it was granted to MatÃÂûafa Tupuola Lui Iosefo. Following his death in 2014, the title again became vacant and remains so to this day.
The beginnings of the MatÃÂûafa lineage is traced through to Queen SalamÃÂsina. Her granddaughter Taufau sired Tupuivao who founded the line which resides in Amaile. The lineage branches off in later years with the title's ancestor Luafalemana, the son of King Tupua Fuiavailili and Punipuao, daughter of Alaiûasàof Falefa. Luafalemana married Gese and together had a daughter, Salainaûoloa. Having been issued and raised by ûAiga SàFenunuivao (descendants of Fenunuivao), she married Tuimavave (also known as Tauiliûili) of ûAiga SàLevÃÂlasi (descendants of Levalasi). The union of these two lines issued the first line of the MatÃÂûafa titleholders, Faûasuamaleûaui, in 1785. Tuimavave's other union with Letelesàissued another line of the title, Silupevailei. Both Faûasuamaleûaui and Silupevailei are the two lines of descent from whom the MatÃÂûafa is selected.
Tuimavave's union with King Tupua's grand-daughter, Salainaûoloa, has resulted in the MatÃÂûafa titles' close association with the other tama a ûÃÂiga title, Tupua Tamasese and the aloaliûi title Luafalemana of Falefa. This has at times, resulted in MatÃÂûafa holders also holding the Tupua title concurrently, like MatÃÂûafa Iosefo, who became known as Tupua MatÃÂûafa Iosefo. By joining the daughter of Luafalemana with Tuimavave, the Tui ÃÂtua line arrives at a harmonious junction between the two great families of Atua, ûAiga SàLevÃÂlasi (custodian of the MatÃÂûafa title) and ûAiga SàFenunuivao (custodian of the Tupua Tamasese title).
Family traditions differ as to who was the first MatÃÂûafa, but the majority of opinions favour either Filifilisounuûu, son of Faûasuamaleûaui or Tafagamanu, son of Filifilisounuûu. Either way, it is the line of Faûasuamaleûaui that began and carried the title from its inception until 1948, when the title passed to the Silupevailei line. After subsequent appeals before the Lands & Titles Court, the title returned to Faûasuamaleûaui's line upon the death of former Prime Minister Fiame MatÃÂafa Faumuina Mulinuu II, when it was bestowed on MatÃÂûafa Puela Faûasuamaleûaui Patu who held it until his death in 1997. MatÃÂûafa Tupuola Lui Iosefo succeeded to the mantle until his death in 2014, leaving the title vacant.
Like the Tupua Tamasese title, the MatÃÂûafa titleholder is selected by its primary political family and heirs. The title is held in custodianship by the ûAiga SàMataûafa, among whom are the ûAiga SàTago as well as the ûAiga SàLevalasi, named after Levalasi, Queen SalamÃÂsina's adoptive mother.
Ownership of the title was confirmed in 1939, where it was decided that ûAiga SàLevÃÂlasi would select who would hold the MatÃÂûafa title from the heirs at Anapapa, the MatÃÂûafa's appurtenant maota (seat of residence) in the village of Amaile. Once they have made their selection, the ûAiga Sa Tago are informed. The ûAiga's main branches are in Amaile and Lotofaga as well as the family Satago. The head of ûAiga SàLevÃÂlasi is the Fiamàtitleholder of Lotofaga, currently held by Samoa's Prime Minister, FiamàNaomi Mataûafa.
Holders of the MatÃÂûafa title include;