Tuimalealiifano, Morgan (2013) Who will be the next Mālietoa? Will there be another Mālietoa? History and politics of succession to a paramount Tama-a-‘A¯ iga title of Sa¯moa. The Journal of Pacific History, 48 (4). pp. 429-442. ISSN 0022-3344
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Abstract
The appointment of successors to paramount chiefly titles in Sa¯moa is typically a slow and troubled process. This is instanced by the failure, at the time of writing, for a successor to be appointed to the Ma¯lietoa title, last held by Ma¯lietoa Tanumafili II, who passed away in 2007. The task of choosing a successor to any title ideally rests with the family, though increasingly the Land and Titles Court is being pressed to make the final settlement. In contemporary circumstances, the difficulties of appointing a successor to a paramount title are illustrated in the travails of the ‘A¯ iga Sa¯ Ma¯lietoa¯, or extended Ma¯lietoa¯ family, which has struggled to agree on either a candidate or a process. Unless the rules governing succession are reviewed and the Land and Titles Court is modernised and equipped
to play a more proactive role, ancient family titles in Sa¯moa may be destined for abeyance. Much hinges on the issue of chiefly succession, which has wide ramifications for Sa¯moan society and development, and resonates more widely in the Pacific.
| Item Type: | Journal Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) |
| Depositing User: | Morgan Tuimalealiifano |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Nov 2014 00:38 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Jul 2016 04:56 |
| URI: | https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/7810 |
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