Mālietoa (Samoan pronunciation:  Mālietoa) is a state dynasty and one of the four paramount chiefly titles of Samoa. It is the titular head of one of the two great royal families of Samoa: Sā Malietoa. Literally translated as "great warrior", the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malo e tau..." ("Great warrior, thank you for the war).
 The title is currently held by  His Highness Malietoa Fa’amausili Molī and Malietoa Ainuu Bob who were bestowed the honor by the Court Decision on 16 August 2018, ascending to the title after the death of His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II on 11 May 2007.
 In early Polynesian history Tongan king Tu'i Tonga Talakaifaiki of the Tu'i Tonga dynasty ruled, around 1250 to 1300, over several western Polynesian polities including Lau group of islands (eastern Fiji), Niue, 'Uvea, Futuna, 'Upolu, and Savai'i). Tu'i Tonga Talakaifaiki established a long-term residence at Safotu, Savai'i, Samoa and installed his brother, Lautivunia, as governor of Western Samoa islands. Samoan lore suggests that Talakaifaiki's reign was one of tyranny and oppression that was highly resented by his Samoan subjects.
 The seeds of rebellion were planted, according to legend, to the "sons" of Atiogie, namely Savea, Tuna, Fata and Ulumasui (who was actually a grandson of Atiogie). The three brothers and their nephew led a wide-scale campaign of civil disobedience which ultimately escalated into the military overthrow of Talakaifaiki. Driven westward from Aleipata, 'Upolu (where the Tu'i Tonga's birthday festivities were underway) to the coast of Mulifanua, the king and his bodyguards were cornered against the sea.
 There was fierce fighting all the way to the sea whereon the Tu'i Tonga reached his superior navy vessels and called out to those on the land. Upon his departure, the aged monarch delivered a short speech which praised the brave fighting qualities of the Samoan warriors and conceded victory to his once-subjects. The Malietoa title is taken from the opening phrase of that speech: "Mālie toa, mālie tau," meaning "great warriors, well fought."
 It is said that the brothers Tuna and Fata both took a fancy to the honor spoken by the deposed Tu'i Tonga and a quarrel between the two ensued. Legend tells that one brother was struck dead by the other and chaos was averted by their eldest brother, Savea, who resuscitated and placated both contenders.
 The political vacuum left by the ousting of Talakaifaiki was immediately filled by Savea, who was unanimously nominated as paramount ruler; the de facto King of 'Upolu, Savai'i, Manono and Tutuila. King Savea was bestowed the title Malietoa which his brothers had fought over and was hence honored in Samoan oratory as King Malietoa Savea-ali'i (Lord Savea), Savea Tu-vae-lua (Savea Who Stands on Both Feet), and Savea-matua (Savea the Elder). The appellation "Na-fa'alogo-iai-Samoa (He Who Samoa Listened To)" was added on during the time of Malietoa Vainu'upo who, as Tupu Tafa'ifa after the death of Tamafaiga, formally accepted Christianity into Samoa in the late 1800s.
 The following is a compiled list of the Malietoa holders. A handful of other versions are also recorded; however, the overall consistency of chronology and nomenclature is impressive given the oral nature of Samoan genealogy transmission.
 The descendants of the Malietoa lineage, both titular and biological, are referred to collectively as the Sā Malietoa. The Sā Malietoa of today is expansive and transcends geographical boundaries, religious persuasions, socio-economic class and even ethnicity (considering various chiefly families in Fiji and other Pacific societies are genealogically linked to the Malietoa family). The subject of descendants of the Malietoa title is a thorny one riddled with claims and counter-claims present from the first Malietoa to the present day.
 In terms of relative history, the "oldest" branch of the modern Sa Malietoa is the Sa Natuitasina (also spelled Gatuitasina). Malietoa Natuitasina was the half-brother of Vai'inupo who allied with his own nephew Talavou against the London Missionary Society and the pacifist policy of Vai'inupo and the Christians in 1842. He is better known by his other chiefly title, Taimalelagi. The Sa Natuitasina considers the Maota Pouvi (Taimalelagi's former residential grounds) to be their familial "headquarters" and their council house is also located in Sapapali'i, Savai'i. Although only the apical ancestor of this branch has held the Malietoa title, the 1939 ruling grants the Sa Natuitasina deliberating rights on the succession of the Malietoa title.
 Perhaps the most well-known of the three modern branches, the Sā Moli has been highlighted as one of Samoa's four royal families for over a century. The families of the Sa Moli trace their genealogies to Malietoa Moli. The Sa Moli maintains a family council house in Sapapali'i called Poutoa, which, since it was established by Malietoa Vaiinupo, is also held as the ancestral maota of the Sa Natuitasina and Sa Talavou.
 The Sa Talavou branch includes all descendants of Malietoa Talavou Pe'a, a son of Malietoa Vai'inupo who was born around 1810. Prominent members of the Sa Talavou include Talavou's son, Malietoa Fa'alataitaua, who held the Ta'imua office and was named successor to Mata'afa Iosefo's office as Ali'i Sili while under German colonial rule. Fa'alataitaua held the Malietoa title until his death in 1910. Fa'alataitaua's son, Fitisemanu, was also installed as Malietoa, styled as Malietoa Fitisemanu II, but later conceded the title following a legal battle in 1939. The communal council house of the Sa Talavou in Sapapali'i is called Maota Pouesi, the restored former residence of Malietoa Talavou.
 While not legally recognized by the 1939 Malietoa edict (LC 853), there are technically many other family lineages that can claim genealogical connections as "branches" of the Sa Malietoa. Some of these descendants have come to light through media coverage of the ongoing titular dispute prompted by the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II, including families who claim descent from other Malietoas (besides Natuitasina, Moli and Talavou) and/or their descendants.
 Tulouna a Auimatagi
 Tulouna a lo outou to'afitu
 Tulouna Fa'amausili ma Mauala'ivao
 Tulouna o lou alii, o lau Susuga a Malietoa
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