The position of King was an eleced position, and depended on the head of one of the seven tama-a-aiga (lineage groups) securing the four territorial titles of Tui A’ana, Tui Atua, Gato’aitele and Tamasoali’i. A person who had done so was known as Tafa’ifa and thus also the right to be elected as 'Ole Tupu o Samoa (or Supreme King of Samoa). The problem for (Western) Samoa is that some of these eligible families, especially that of Tui Manua, find themselves in American Samoa. There, the US republican minded administration has refused to recognise some of the princely family titles. As a consequence, there are only four tama-a-aiga in (Western) Samoa. These are Malietoa of Savai, Tamasese of Nofoali’i in Aana district (Alofi East) (Tupua lineeage), Matä’afa of Alipata in the Atua district, and (Tupua lineage) Tuimaleali’ifano of Faleletai in Aana district (Aana South). Two of these family headship titles are vacant, namely Malietoa and Matafa. The official stance is that the new Head of State should be chosen from amongst those who are members of the Council of Deputies (sometimes called Deputy Heads of State), though this is not how the constitution actually reads. Currently these members are the two remaining tama-a-aiga title holders. 1) the former Prime Minister Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Tupuola Tufuga Efi who also holds two of the kingly territorial titles of Tu‘i A‘ana Tu‘i Atua, and 2) Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II. While the membership of the Council of Deputies has often been restricted to the tama-a-aiga, this has not always been the case. Collatterals from the tama-a-aiga lines, as well as more junior title holders and outsiders, have also been members.
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: Thanks for the feedback. I have changed my
: mind and will include Samoa in the Longest
: reigns survey also in the future, as
: explained in the footnote to Samoa (see
: website)
:
: My website 'Longest reigns'
:
:
: (http://www.geocities.com/dagtho/reigns.html)
: has now been updated to reflect the changes
: of head of state in Andorra and Samoa.
:
: DTH
:
: Good job! I forgot to mention last time that
: the next Head of State will also have the
: qualification of "Highness" (as
: the previous one) that's why I believe that
: in exception of the fact that he will be
: elected for 5 years and not for life the
: difference is nearly none.
:
: The head of state can also be re-elected, so
: the new one can practically be in office for
: life.
:
: DTH
:
:
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