page_title: Faʻamatai
section_title: Modern politics
hierarchical_section_title: Faʻamatai / Governance / Modern politics
caption_attribution_description: English: Samoa Government Building in Apia, Samoa. Gagana Samoa: Fale o le Malo i Apia.
context_page_description: Fa'amatai is the chiefly system of Samoa, central to the organization of Samoan society. It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in the both Samoas, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa. The term comprises the prefix fa'a and the word matai.
  Of central importance in the system are the matai, the holders of family chief titles, and their role in looking after their family. Fa'amatai is the key socio-political system of governance and way of life in Samoan culture. Inherent in the fa'amatai system is the welfare and well-being of the extended family and the protection of family property, consisting most importantly of customary land.
  At the apex of this system are the four major title holders – Tupua Tamasese, Malietoa, Mata'afa, Tuimaleali'ifano - known as the Tama-a-Aiga that afford them leadership over the royal families of Samoa. All heads of state of Samoa have been one of the four title holders. In addition, these four paramount chiefs are often accorded pāpā titles - titles that indicate sovereignty or leadership over a designated territory or kinship network. These titles are Tui Atua, Tui A'ana, Gatoaitele and Vaetamasoalii.
context_section_description: The fa'amatai system is entrenched in Samoan politics. From the country's independence in 1962, only matai could vote and stand as candidates in elections to parliament. In 1990, the voting system was changed by the Electoral Amendment Act which introduced universal suffrage and the right to vote for adults aged 21-years and over. However, the right to stand for elections remains with matai, who are themselves selected by consensus of their families, including non-matai family members. Therefore, every Samoan Member of Parliament is also a matai, performing dual roles as a 'chief' as well as duties in the Samoan parliament. This applies to most Samoans in positions of public responsibility from the Prime Minister of Samoa to the country's Head of State, who is referred to as O le Ao o le Malo (the chieftain of the government).
caption: Government Building in the capital Apia housing administrative ministerial offices.
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