Mata'afa is one of the four paramount tama-a-'aiga titles of Samoa. It is one of two such titles originating from the Atua district at the east end of Upolu island and has its historical seat of the Mata'afa title is in Amaile. Prominent holders of the title included Mata'afa Faumuina Fiame Mulinu'u I, a leader of Samoa's pro-independence Mau movement and Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II, the first Prime Minister of Samoa. The title was vacant from 1997 to May 2011, when it was bestowed upon Mata'afa Tupuola Lui, "an 83 year old village chief of Amaile village". After his death in 2014, the title again fell vacant.
Origins of the Matā'afa
The beginnings of the tama-a-'aiga Matā'afa lineage is traced through to Queen Salamasina and branches off with title's lineal ancestor Luafalemana, the son of King Tupua Fuiavailili and Punipuao, daughter of Alai'asā of Falefa. Luafalemana married Gese and together had a daughter, Salaina'oloa. Having been issued and raised by 'Aiga Sā Fenunuivao of which both Alai'asā and Luafalemana are a part of, she married Tuimavave of 'Aiga Sā Levālasi. Their union issued the first line of the Matā'afa titleholders, Fa'asuamale'aui, in 1785. Tuimavave's other union with Letelesā issued another line of the title, Silupevailei. Both Fa'asuamale'aui and Silupevailei are the two lines of descent from whom the Mata'afa is selected. Tuimavave's union with King Tupua's grand-daughter, Salaina'oloa, has resulted in the Matā'afa titles' close association with the other tama-a-aiga title, Tupua Tamasese. This has at times, resulted in Matā'afa holders also holdingTupua title concurrently, like Matā'afa Iosefo, who became known as Tupua Matā'afa Iosefo. By joining the daughter of Luafalemana with Tuimavave, the Tui Atua line arrives at a harmonious junction between the two great tama-a-'aiga families of Samoa - 'Aiga Sā Levālasi and 'Aiga Sā Fenunuivao. Family traditions differ as to who was the first Mata'afa, but the majority of opinions favour either Filifilisounu'u, son of Fa'asuamale'aui or Tafagamanu, son of Filifilisounu'u. Either way, it is the line of Fa'asuamale'aui that began and carried the title from its inception to 1948, when Silupevailei's line took over. After subsequent appeals before the Lands & Titles Court, the title returned to Fa'asuamale'aui's line upon the death of Prime Minister Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II, where it was bestowed on Mata'afa Puela Faasuamaleaui Patu who held it until his passing in 1997. The title remains vacant to this day.
Title holders
Holders of the Mata'afa title include;
Mata'afa Iosefo, a rival for the 'kingship' of Samoa during the country's colonial era.
