Becoming a High Chief of Samoa.
It is a great honor to be chosen to get a chiefly title (Matai Title) in Samoa and serve your community and family as a trusted leader.
It is an even greater honor to be chosen as a high chief of a village or a district with all it’s social and political responsibilities that follows with the title. Although more than one person can get the chiefly name, there will always be a primary leader for the group which usually is dedicated to the older and more experienced Matai or Chief.
In most cases the Matai has full control over the village and all matters, like a smaller form of government. Many times the villages makes their own social rules and laws that has to be followed and where the national government has no influence.
Today you do need a chiefly name to be able to get a seat in the parliament which makes the chiefly titles even more important.
In the video below you will be able to follow the bestowal of the new High Chiefs with the title “Fui” in the area of “Lefaga” on the south coast of Upolu island. Although it is a great honor, not everyone can afford to pay the high donation cost to the village that is connected to the ceremony and the chiefly name.
Mats Loefkvist
Hotels Samoa / Samoa Tours / Samoa Travel
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