Mata'afa Muliufi

Mata'afa Lealaisalanoa Muliufi OBE (died 29 February 1936) was a Western Samoan high chief and politician. He held the Tama-a-Aiga title of Mata'afa from 1915 until his death.

Mata'afa Muliufi
Mata'afa
In office
1915–1936
Preceded byMata'afa Tupuola Iose
Succeeded byMata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I
Member of the Legislative Council
In office
1929–1936
Personal details
Died29 February 1936 (age 74)

Biography

Muliufi was born into the Mata'afa family.[1] He attended a Catholic Seminary on Wallis with the intention of becoming a priest, but later abandoned the idea.[1] He added Salanoa to his name when he became one of the ranking chiefs of Falefa, Lealaisalanoa.[1] In 1915 he succeeded to the title of Mata'afa after the death of Mata'afa Tupuola Iose.[2]

After his uncle Tuimaleali'ifano Fa'aoloi'i Si'ua'ana was removed from the post of Fautua (advisor to the Governor) in 1927 due to him sympathising with the Mau movement, Muliufi was selected as his replacement.[3] Two years later he was appointed to the Legislative Council as one of the two nominated Samoans.[4]

He was made an OBE in the 1935 birthday honours, and was invested in February 1936,[5] but died a few weeks later after a long illness.[1] He was buried at Mulinu'u in the burial ground housing the royal tombs of the Tama-a-Aiga, Samoa's highest chiefs.[1]

References
  1. Death of High Chief Mataafa, O.B.E. Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1936, p30
  2. Penelope Schoeffel (2016) The work of the dead in Samoa: Rank, status and property Journal of the Polynesian Society, Volume 125, pp149–170
  3. Morgan A. Tuimalealiʻifano (2006) O Tama a ʻāiga: The Politics of Succession to Sāmoa's Paramount Titles, USP, p33
  4. Lauofo Meti (2002) Samoa: The Making of the Constitution, National University of Samoa, p20
  5. Investiture in Samoa Press, 24 February 1936
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