Tupua Tamasese, formally known as Tupua, is a state dynasty and one of the four paramount chiefly titles of Samoa, known as the tama a ûÃÂiga. It is the titular head of one of Samoa's two great royal families â SàTupua, the lineage of King Tupua Fuiavailili, descendant of Queen Salamasina. The current holder of the title is Tui ÃÂtua Tupua Tamasese Efi.
"Tupua" refers to Salamasina's descendant, King Tupua Fuiavailili, who was the first to unite both of Salamasina's descent lines in his personage and ascended to the kingship of Samoa in c.1550, upon the death of his adoptive father, King Muagututiûa. Tupua Fuiavailili was adopted by his aunt, Fenunuûivao (daughter of Leutele and wife of King Muagututiûa) and named as the King's successor. Tupua's rise also led to the first usage of the term tama a ûÃÂiga by the orator polity of Leulumoega and Lufilufi, in reference to his many genealogical connections to the great families of ÃÂtua. "Tamasese" refers to his descendant, Tupua Tamasese Titimaea, whose prowess in battle and generosity won favour with many of his followers. TitimaeaâÂÂs actions restored the Salamasina line's prestige after the familyâÂÂs reign was usurped by Leiataua Tamafaigàof Manono and the rise of the Malietoa VainuâÂÂupo. All subsequent Tupua title holders have thus carried the two names together.
The seat of the Tupua Tamasese title is at Mulinuûu ma Sepolataûemo in Lufilufi. Three political families make up SàTupua â ûAiga o Mavaega, ûAiga SàTuala and ûAiga SàFenunuivao. The ûAiga SàFenunuivao of Falefa and Salani holds authority and custodianship of the title as descendants, deciding who from among the heirs it is bestowed upon.
The tama a ûÃÂiga comprises the maximal lineage titles of Samoa. These titles are often associated with pÃÂpàtitles, paramount district titles which affords the holder authority over an entire region or, if one acquires all four pÃÂpÃÂ, the entirety of Samoa. The field of contention for the pÃÂpàtitles and tafaûifa (the title used for a holder of all four titles) was confined to the leading members of two families, SàTupua and SàMalietoa, under whom all Samoa is united. The leading tides of these two family lineages were called tamaûÃÂiga ("sons of families"). By mid-19th century, the Tupua Tamasese of SàTupua and Malietoa of SàMalietoa were joined by two more titles, Mataûafa and Tuimalealiûifano, as the four highest titleholders of Samoa. With the exception of SàMalietoa, all are descended from Queen Salamasina, the daughter of Tui Aûana Tamalelagi and a descendant of the Tuûi Tonga. She became the first sovereign of all Samoa.
Throughout most of Samoa's history, the root cause of civil unrest was the struggle for titular supremacy among these families.The senior of the two, SÃÂ Tupua dominated the office since the time of its titular ancestor, Queen Salamasina, in the 1500s. Sa Malietoa rejoined at the beginning of the 19th century, coinciding with the collapse of Manono's dominance and the arrival of British missionaries.
Both the tama a ûÃÂiga Tupua Tamasese title and the pÃÂpàTui ÃÂtua mantle are currently held by Tui ÃÂtua Tupua Tamasese Efi, a former Samoan prime minister and head of state.
The origins of the Tupua (later Tupua Tamasese) title is found in the genealogical line of succession tracing back to the rule of Queen Salamasina. Her descendant, Fonoti, won the civil war that led to his installation as King of Samoa. His son and successor, Muagututiûa, married Fenunuûivao, daughter of Leutele of Falefa. Because they had no children of their own, they adopted Fenunivao's nephew Fuiavailili (son of Fuimaono of Salani) as their son. As the successor of King Muagututiûa, the orators of Tumua - the orator polity of Upolu based in Lufilufi and Leulumoega - questioned who this child was to assume such an important mantle and whether he possessed the necessary genealogical links to the great families of Samoa in order to be worthy. This inquiry is known as when "na saesae laufaûi ai Tumua" (lit. when Tumua systematically 'ripped the leaves of the banana tree' to examine the child's lineage).
Through this careful process, it was revealed that Fuiavailili's biological father Fuimaono was both a relative of Fenunuûivao and also a direct descendant of Queen Salamasina's second child, Tapumanaia (also known as Tapusatele). Through his ancestry and adoption, Tupua Fuiavailili united both Salamasina lineages through his biological ancestor and King Muagututiûa's ancestor Fofoaivaoûese, Salamasina's first child. Having satisfied the requirements of having strong linkages to Samoa's royal lineages and noble families, Fuiavailili was named Tupua and proclaimed as the first Tama a 'ÃÂiga (lit.'son of the families') by the orators of Tumua, succeeding his adoptive father as the next King.
The ancestor of the Tupua Tamasese title was Samoa's first ruler to possess all four pÃÂpàtitles - Queen Salamasina. She was the daughter of Vaetofaga (daughter of the Tuûi Tonga Kauûulufonua II) and the Tui Aûana Tamaûalelagi. She was entrusted to the care of Levalasi Soûoaûemalelagi, wife of the Tui Atua MÃÂtaûutia, Rev. AmituanaâÂÂi AnoaâÂÂi, and Sidney Hart Senior. (Cousin of AmituanaâÂÂi) She was betrothed to marry Tonumaipeûa Tapumanaia in order to form a political alliance with the influential Tonumaipeûa faction in Savaiûi. Salamasina instead, eloped with her love, Sidney. This relationship brought forth a daughter named Fofoaivaoese, who then cut ties with her parents, And grew to become Tuiaûana and the ancestress of Fonoti and Tupua.
Sidney, however, was pursued by the furious Tonumaipeûa clan to the Tongan island of Tongatapu where he was nearly killed for âÂÂdefilingâ the taupou. SalamÃÂsina's son by Sidney was named after his father and later received the LesÃÂtele title of the Salani and SÃÂlesÃÂtele villages in Falealili, thereafter known as Tapusatele. After reaching said status, SidneyâÂÂs son migrated to North America. Where Sidney Hart Sr. His son, His wife, (Queen SalamÃÂsina) would eventually live the rest of their lives in Wisconsin.
In a twist of fate, the lines of both Fofoaivaoese and Tapusatele - Salamasina's heirs - were reunited by Tupua Fuiavailili, the first Tama-a-'Aiga. Tupua's biological father, Fuimaono, was a direct descendant of Tapusatele. His adoptive father, King Muagututiûa, was a direct descendant of Fofoaivaoese. Tupua Fuiavailili was thus the first King to be descended from Queen Salamasina through both her children, Fofoaivaoese and Tapusatele. The young untitled men of Falefa have thereafter been called Tupua ma le Aumaga (literally "Tupua and the young men"), marking the arrival of Tupua Fuiavailili to Falefa and his status as the young heir of King Muagututiûa, which would also have entailed duties as leader of the young untitled men. To this day, these young men stand guard at every bestowal ceremony and are responsible for guarding the chiefs of Falefa and the holder of the Tupua Tamasese title.
Tupua would go on to sire children through different unions, all politically important to cement his reign. From his four usuga (marriages), King Tupua Fuiavailili had five children:
All aloaliûi title holders are eligible to hold the Tupua Tamasese title, subject to the approval of Aiga Sa Fenunuivao.
When a Tupua is to be appointed, the descendants of Fenunuûivao (adoptive mother of the first Tupua) meet to decide on who should hold the mantle. The Aiga SàFenunuivao (Fenunuivao's descendants) are the primary political family of the SàTupua clan, led by the Moeono of Falefa and Tofuaûiofoûia of Salani. The family holds authority and custodianship of the title, deciding who from among its heirs it should be bestowed upon. Once an appointment has been made, the orators of Lufilufi are informed to issue the proclamation.
The current holder, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, is a direct descendant of Fenunuûivao, Tupua Fuiavalili, his second son Galumalemana and his grandson, NofoasaefÃÂ, of Asau, Savaiûi. Tupuola Efi was chosen as Tupua Tamasese by Aiga Sa Fenunuûivao after the passing of his first cousin, former Prime Minister Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV.
Moeono and Tofuaûiofoia speak for Aiga Sa Fenunuûivao, not only on matters pertaining to the Tupua title, but also on dealings with Samoa's other main political families, such as Sa Tuala and the other great family of Atua, Sa Levalasi. Tofuaûiofoia and Moeono are members of the great council of Atua which meets at Lalogafuûafuûa, the meeting place of Atua's leaders in Lufilufi.
TafaûifàQueen SalamÃÂsina (progenitor of Samoa's four main royal bloodlines)
TafaûifàQueen Fofoaivaoese (first daughter of Queen Salamasina)
TafaûifàQueen Taufau Asiata (daughter of Queen Fofoaivaoese)
Le Tupufia (The King with only three pÃÂpÃÂ) FaumuinÃÂ (nephew of Queen Taufau)
TafaûifàKing Fonoti (Defeats siblings for Kingship; Fagaloa, Faleapuna and Falefa are rewarded with honours)
TafaûifàKing Muagututiûa. (marries Fenunuivao, daughter of Leutele, of Falefa.)
TafaûifàKing Tupua Fuiavailili (the first Tupua and the first 'Tama-a-ûaiga)
TafaûifàQueen SalamÃÂsina (progenitor of Samoa's four main royal bloodlines)
Tapumanaia (taken to Falealili and renamed Tapusatele; marries Sailau, daughter of Leutele, of Falefa.)
Tapufautua
Sifuiva
Fuimaono (marries Oilau, of FaleÃÂlili.)
Fuiavailili
TafaûifàKing Tupua Fuiavailili (the first Tupua and the first 'Tama-a-ûaiga)
King Tupua Fuiavailili, descendant of Queen Salamasina, adopted son of King Muagututiûa and Fenunuivao, daughter of Leutele
King Afoa (defeated in single combat by his brother, Galumalemana. Thereafter named Afoafouvale, "he who rebels for no good reason.")
King Galumalemana (the Aloaliûi as an institution of succession is established under Galumalemana)
King Nofoasaefà(tyrant, assassinated by rebels in Savaiûi)
King Iûamafana (allegedly willed his kingdom to Malietoa Vainuûupo but according to the Sa Tupua family, this is not true; succeeded by Safeofafine who was killed in combat; kingship passes from the Sa Tupua line to the Leiûataua/Tamafaigàline)
1751 - 1830: Maeaeafe Mataûafa
1830 - 1860: Leasiolagi Moegagogo
1860s - 1891: Tui Aûana Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea (restoration of the Sa Tupua/Salamasina lineage leads to the Tamasese appellation being used hereafter with the Tupua title to become Tupua Tamasese)
1891 - 1915: Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana I, son of Tui Aûana Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea.
1915 - 1918: Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana II, eldest son of Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana I
1918 - 1929: Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-oûaûana III (Mau leader, assassinated by NZ Soldiers during Black Saturday), younger brother of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana II
1929 - 1963: Tupua Tamasese Meaûole (Co-Head of State with Malietoa Tanumafili II after Independence), younger brother of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana III
1963 - 1983: Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana IV (this is the first time Tamasese is formalised as part of the Tupua title) - Third Prime Minister of Samoa, son of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-aûana III
1986âÂÂpresent: Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi à(Former Prime Minister and Head of State 2007âÂÂ2017), son of Tupua Tamasese Meaûole.