Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa
Encyclopedia
Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa (born 25 June 1932) is a chief (matai
), scholar, historian and professor of Samoa
. An authority on Samoan culture and language, she is one of the most educated female matai in the country with a PhD
in educational philosophy and applied linguistics
from the University of London
.
She has been instrumental in formulating and implementing bi-cultural and bi-lingual education in Samoa, in particular, during her tenure as Director of Education for the government as the country moved from colonial rule to political independence in the early 1960s. She has held other senior positions in education in Samoa, including Professor of Samoan Studies at the National University of Samoa
and principal of Samoa Teacher's College.
Her distinguished career includes politics and she is a former Member of Parliament in Samoa, having first entered parliament at the 1985 general election under the Human Rights Protection Party
(HRPP).
In 1997, she founded the Indigenous University of Samoa (Le Iunivesite o le Amosa o Savavau). The university curriculum is taught in the Samoan language
with qualifications in Bachelor of Arts
and Master of Arts
degrees.
She has published extensively about Samoan history, land rights, fa'amatai
chiefly governance and fa'a Samoa
socio-political issues, as well as the role of women and children in the Pacific Islands
. Her scholarly work and publications have been widely read and cited.
, a high chief of Sili
village on Savai'i
island, who is also a former parliamentarian with cabinet portfolios.
. She attended intermediate and grammar schools in New Zealand
. She later attended Ardmore Teachers' College in Auckland where she graduated in 1954. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957. Her Master of Arts degree was completed at Victoria University of Wellington
. Her Master's thesis was titled The Pattern of Education and the Factors Influencing that Development in the New Zealand Dependencies in the Pacific.
Her outstanding academic achievements in New Zealand earned her the prestigious MacKintosh Travelling Scholarship, becoming the first Pacific Islander
to do so. The scholarship allowed her to study for her doctorate at the University of London which she completed in 1960. Her doctoral dessertation was titled Bilingualism and its Socio-Economic and Philosophical Implications in a Society Forced to be Bilingual.
Fa'amatai
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 Samoa Islands, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa...
), scholar, historian and professor of Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. An authority on Samoan culture and language, she is one of the most educated female matai in the country with a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in educational philosophy and applied linguistics
Applied linguistics
Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of study that identifies, investigates, and offers solutions to language-related real-life problems...
from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
She has been instrumental in formulating and implementing bi-cultural and bi-lingual education in Samoa, in particular, during her tenure as Director of Education for the government as the country moved from colonial rule to political independence in the early 1960s. She has held other senior positions in education in Samoa, including Professor of Samoan Studies at the National University of Samoa
National University of Samoa
The National University of Samoa is the only national university in Samoa. Established in 1984 by an act of parliament, the university is coeducational and provides certificate, diploma, and undergraduate degree programs, as well as technical and vocational training. About 2,000 students are...
and principal of Samoa Teacher's College.
Her distinguished career includes politics and she is a former Member of Parliament in Samoa, having first entered parliament at the 1985 general election under the Human Rights Protection Party
Human Rights Protection Party
The Human Rights Protection Party is a Samoan political party. It has been the dominant party in Samoan politics since 1982.The party was co-founded in May 1979 by Va'ai Kolone and Tofilau Eti Alesana in opposition to the government of Tupuola Efi...
(HRPP).
In 1997, she founded the Indigenous University of Samoa (Le Iunivesite o le Amosa o Savavau). The university curriculum is taught in the Samoan language
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
with qualifications in Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degrees.
She has published extensively about Samoan history, land rights, fa'amatai
Fa'amatai
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 Samoa Islands, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa...
chiefly governance and fa'a Samoa
Fa'a Samoa
Fa'a Samoa means literally The Samoan Way which describes the socio-political and cultural way of life for the people of the Samoan Islands....
socio-political issues, as well as the role of women and children in the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
. Her scholarly work and publications have been widely read and cited.
Family
Aiono Fanaafi is married to Le Tagaloa PitaLe Tagaloa Pita
Le Tagaloa Pita is a high chief matai and a former Member of Parliament of Samoa. He is a matai from the village of Sili on the island of Savai'i and has an honorary doctorate from Drew University in the United States...
, a high chief of Sili
Sili
Sili is a village on the south side of Savai'i island in Samoa. Sili is situated inland, unlike most villages in Samoa which are settlements by the sea. The village lies within the electoral constituency of Palauli....
village on Savai'i
Savai'i
Savaii is the largest and highest island in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is also the biggest landmass in Polynesia outside Hawaii and New Zealand. The island of Savai'i is also referred to by Samoans as Salafai, a classical Samoan term used in oratory and prose...
island, who is also a former parliamentarian with cabinet portfolios.
Education
Aiono Fanaafi was born in Samoa and attended Malifa Primary School near Apia on the island of UpoluUpolu
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long, in area, and is the second largest in geographic area as well as the most populated of the Samoan Islands. Upolu is situated to the east of...
. She attended intermediate and grammar schools in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. She later attended Ardmore Teachers' College in Auckland where she graduated in 1954. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957. Her Master of Arts degree was completed at Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. Her Master's thesis was titled The Pattern of Education and the Factors Influencing that Development in the New Zealand Dependencies in the Pacific.
Her outstanding academic achievements in New Zealand earned her the prestigious MacKintosh Travelling Scholarship, becoming the first Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
to do so. The scholarship allowed her to study for her doctorate at the University of London which she completed in 1960. Her doctoral dessertation was titled Bilingualism and its Socio-Economic and Philosophical Implications in a Society Forced to be Bilingual.
Career in Education
After completing her PhD in London, Aiono Fanaafi lectured at Victoria University in New Zealand for 4 years. In 1965, she became the Principal of Samoa Teachers' College. She briefly held the position of Deputy Director of Education for the Samoan government before her appointment as Director, a position she held from December, 1968 until March, 1975. From 1976 to 1981, she worked in the same role for the Congregational Christian Church in Samoa. From 1982 - 1985, she was Vice Chancellor of the University of Samoa.Works
- 1968 "CurriculumPlan for the University of South Pacific, University of the South Pacific
- 1986 The Status and Roles ofFemales in Traditional and Modern Samoa (paper), UNESCO
- The Samoan Lady in Society and as a Healer (paper)
- The Economic Roles of Females in Samoan Society (paper)
- The Social Structure of the Samoan Village (paper)
- 1992 Culture and Democracy in the South Pacific, Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, ISBN 9820200792
- 1997 O le Faasinomaga : le tagata ma lona Faasinomaga, Lamepa Press, ISBN 9823550026