Malietoa Laupepa
Encyclopedia
Susuga Malietoa Laupepa (1841–1898) was the ruler (Malietoa
) of Samoa
in the late 19th century.
Laupepa was born in 1841 in Sapapali'i
, Savaii, Samoa
. His father was King Malietoa Moli
and mother was Fa’alaituio Fuatino Su’a. He was raised in Malie, received a religious education at Malua Seminary and was well-known as a devout Christian
. He was the recognized leader of the Sā Mōlī which was based primarily in northern Tuamasaga
. Laupepa cemented ties with Palauli
(the only significant Sā Mōlī support base on Savai‘i) through his marriage to Sisavai‘i Malupo, a daughter of Niuva‘ai of Palauli, Savaii. The children of this marriage were two sons called Tanumafili and Siliva‘ai, and a daughter named Fa‘amusami [Fa‘amuleuatoivao]. When about 20, Tanumafili became Malietoa Tanumafili I. Laupepa later married a Rarotonga
n woman named Tui Ariki of a chiefly Cook Islands
family.
In June 1894, both Laupepa and his son Mōlī II visited with the Latter-day Saint missionaries at Lalovi, Mulifanua
with an army regiment of about 1,000 men. The missionaries described Laupepa to be “a very pleasant old gentleman,” about 5’9” and 180 pounds who spoke in a “deep bass voice” (Hart, Hart & Harris 67). Laupepa underwent the rituals to receive the pe'a
traditional tattoo when he was in his forties.
throughout his life, although he became increasingly aggressive as he was thrust into the power struggle against his warlike uncle Talavou. Laupepa did not enjoy universal support from his fellow Samoans
and his warfare record was dismal; he did however win some battles and managed to have himself crowned and subsequently deposed as Joint-King, Deputy-King (under Talavou), and sole King of Samoa in 1881.
Churchward (84) recorded that the “Ellice group,” now known as the Tuvalu
islands, were “formally annexed to Samoa
in the name of Malietoa
” by one of Laupepa’s colleagues from Malua Theological College. Before his death on August 22, 1898 Laupepa managed to gain the support of the foreign consuls but he had suffered great losses of prestige and confidence in the eyes of many Samoans after being continually routed in battle and eventually exiled to the Marshall Islands
.
Laupepa owned a “prized Samoan war club” – probably a Malietoa family anava heirloom
– which he gifted to the American consul William Churchill. This club was sought by the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in 1897 but was not relinquished by Churchill (Sorenson & Theroux 2005).
of Samoa
by the German Empire
, American
, and British
consul
s in March 1881. Curiously, the Tumua polities of Ātua and A‘ana did not accept Laupepa as king (even though they previously supported him against Malietoa Talavou Tonumaipe'a) and they subsequently set up their own government in Leulumoega with Tuiātua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea as their declared King of Samoa. War between Tamasese and Laupepa was declared but the Lackawanna Agreement, signed on July 12, 1881, maintained an uneasy peace. This treaty, mediated by US Navy Captain J.H. Gillis, upheld Laupepa’s claim to the throne and named Titimaea as vice-king and Matā‘afa Iosefo as premier (Keesing 1934:68). King Laupepa protested the increasing German interference in Samoan politics and the Samoan government by petitioning Queen Victoria of Great Britain for protection in 1883 and again (twice) in November 1884. When German consul Weber learned of the petitions he banished Laupepa and his chiefs from Apia. The German consul Stuebel asserted his dominance over Laupepa’s kingship in December 1885 when he ordered the removal of the national flag
from Laupepa’s base in Apia (Gilson 1970). The German consul placed Tuiātua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea in Laupepa’s office and yet another war between the Sā Malietoa and Sā Tupua began in 1887. Districts and families were very often divided or remained neutral since so many leading chiefs were related to both clans.
Laupepa received a delegation from King Kalākaua
of the Kingdom of Hawaii
in January 1887.
It was headed by John Edward Bush
, and awarded the honorary decoration Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Star of Oceania. The order had just been created for the heads of state for the proposed Polynesian empire.
On February 17, 1887, Laupepa signed the Deed of Federation allying his government to that of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Hawaiians
seemed to understand Samoan politics better than the Europe
ans since they also sought the signatures of the other tama‘āiga but the Germans prevented Matā‘afa and Tupua Tamasese from attesting the document. Laupepa did not appreciate the rowdiness of the Hawaiian delegation, but he hoped that the Polynesian Confederation would provide more than lip service to the Samoan cause. Support from the Hawaiian Kingdom never materialized and Laupepa was ultimately driven into hiding by the German-backed Sā Tupua army in August. Laupepa and some of his leading chiefs avoided capture for several weeks before turning themselves into the German authorities. German Captain Eugen Brandeis coerced Laupepa and others to formally recognize Titimaea as King of Samoa on September 15, 1887 (Gray 78-79) and then Laupepa was exiled on September 17, 1887.
The Germans, along with the Ta‘imua and Faipule, declared Tupua Tamasese Titimaea King of Samoa and by August 1888 Tamasese was calling himself both Malietoa
and Tafa‘ifā. He gravely offended the Malietoa families because he did not in fact hold the Malietoa title. He added further insult by amassing Malietoa family fine-mats for himself. Matā‘afa Iosefo, who was the actual Gato‘aitele and Tamasoāli‘i, likewise took offense to Tamasese’s audacious claim. With Laupepa in exile the Sā Malietoa was divided once again as to who should rightfully represent the Malietoa families. Some believed Tamasese’s claim to the Malietoa was legitimate; others felt that Fa‘alataitaua (Talavou’s son) was the rightful sa‘o; others saw Matā‘afa Iosefo as the legitimate contender. Mata'afa Iosefo
[Faife‘au] eventually came to the forefront of the Malietoa title struggle and he seems to have obtained the Malietoa title in 1888 or 1889.
Matā‘afa – who was supported by Fa‘alataitaua and the Sā Talavou faction – managed to reconsolidate the Malietoa allies and led them against Tamasese Titimaea in August 1888. Matā‘afa’s people refused to recognize Tamasese as king, especially Manono
and Apolima
. In response, the German
gunship SMS Adler attacked Manono and Apolima on September 5, 1888 (Sorenson & Theroux 2005), three days before Matā‘afa Iosefo was declared King of Samoa at Fale‘ula. In mid-September, Matā‘afa’s forces successfully drove Tamasese’s Ātua forces from Vaiala to Matafagatele (Vaimauga, Tuamasaga) and successfully won the battle around 10 o’clock at night (Tuvale 45). Malietoa allies from Satupa'itea
on Savaii island, raided and razed Leulumoega
, the capital of A'ana
, on September 20 and Matā‘afa’s militias burned villages and plantation
s in Satapuala
, Faleasiu
, Fasito'o Uta, and other areas of A‘ana within a month of the Leulumoega victory. The people of Atua
experienced the same fate when the newly refurbished Matā‘afa-Malietoa fleets
from Manono
and Fa'asaleleaga
invaded the coastal villages of Tamasese’s allies in Falefā, Faleapuna, Lufilufi
and Sāluafata. By February 1889 Matā‘afa’s personal army had swelled to about 6,000 warriors.
refused to recognize Mata'afa Iosefo
as ruler even though the Samoans in general recognized him as their king, and a leader of the itūmālō. Instead, Germany
, Britain
, and the United States
signed the General Act of Berlin
on June 14, 1889, which declared Laupepa king once again even though he was still in exile (Bevans 118). When Laupepa returned to Samoa on November 8, 1889, he acknowledged Matā‘afa’s right to the title and office which had both been acquired through war and the consent of the people. Peace existed for a time and both men were acknowledged as Malietoa titleholders and national leaders. However Laupepa was soon convinced by his chiefly colleagues to reclaim the kingship which the foreign powers and the Berlin Treaty had allotted him. On December 4, 1889 a fono (traditional council of Samoan leaders) was held in Lepea, Faleata and Laupepa’s supporters (including several Tutuila chiefs) declared him King of Samoa. This declaration led to another division of the Sā Malietoa, this time between Laupepa-Sā Mōlī and Matā‘afa-Sā Talavou.
Under Sā Talavou sanction, Matā‘afa challenged Laupepa and the Sā Mōlī by establishing himself in Malie, the traditional government seat of the Malietoa
chiefs, on May 31, 1891. Laupepa and his supporters moved in to occupy Mulinu‘u where Laupepa’s government had been headquartered. Latter-day Saint missionary journals reveal that support from eastern ‘Upolu
(Ātua) had rallied behind Matā‘afa (who was by this time the Tuiātua) in Malie and hundreds were arriving to offer their assistance. A similar show of support for Laupepa was witnessed on October 28, 1892 when “a hundred boats” arrived at Mulinu‘u bearing military support and provisions. Malietoa Laupepa eventually succeeded in ousting Matā‘afa from Malie toward the end of April 1893. Matā‘afa then “set up house” in Manono
where he was designated “Tama Sā” through the title To‘oā, not to be confused with the sa‘o‘aualuma title of the Malietoa (Tamasese 1995b:71). The subsequent War of 1893 was won by Malietoa Laupepa in July of that year and Matā‘afa and other notable leaders were deported to Jaluit, Marshall Islands
on July 26 of that year (Keesing 1934:72). Even though Matā‘afa had been deported, the factions that favored him over Laupepa continued in their opposition of King Laupepa. Malietoa Fa‘alataitaua assumed full leadership of the Sā Talavou in the absence of his ally, Matā‘afa. Matā‘afa’s sanction as Malietoa was “washed out” through a desanctification ritual and the title then fell into dispute between the Sā Talavou (behind Malietoa Fa‘alataitaua) and the Sā Moli (led by Malietoa Laupepa).
Malietoa Laupepa – Tamasoāli‘i and Gato‘aitele – died at 10 o’clock in the morning of August 22, 1898 and was succeeded by his son Malietoa Tanumafili I.
Malietoa
Malietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
) 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...
in the late 19th century.
Personal life
Laupepa was born in 1841 in Sapapali'i
Sapapali'i
Sapapali'i is a village on the north east coast of Savai'i island in Samoa. It is the village where John Williams, the first missionary to bring Christianity to Samoa landed in 1830. Sapapali'i is in the Fa'asaleleaga political district....
, Savaii, 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...
. His father was King Malietoa Moli
King Malietoa Moli
Malietoa Mōli [Semoanaifea] was a Samoan king who died in 1860.-Titular succession: Some speculate that both Mōlī and Malietoa Talavou Tonumaipe'a were both declared Malietoa following Malietoa Tinai "Natuitasina" Taimalelagi’s death; Malietoa Mōli [Semoanaifea] (“Lamp Oil” or “Illumination”) was...
and mother was Fa’alaituio Fuatino Su’a. He was raised in Malie, received a religious education at Malua Seminary and was well-known as a devout Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
. He was the recognized leader of the Sā Mōlī which was based primarily in northern Tuamasaga
Tuamasaga
Tuamasaga is a district of Samoa, with a population of 83,191. The geographic area of Tuamasaga covers the central part of Upolu island....
. Laupepa cemented ties with Palauli
Palauli
Palauli is a district and village of Samoa, with a population of 8,984. It consists of two sections on the southern side of Savai'i...
(the only significant Sā Mōlī support base on Savai‘i) through his marriage to Sisavai‘i Malupo, a daughter of Niuva‘ai of Palauli, Savaii. The children of this marriage were two sons called Tanumafili and Siliva‘ai, and a daughter named Fa‘amusami [Fa‘amuleuatoivao]. When about 20, Tanumafili became Malietoa Tanumafili I. Laupepa later married a Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...
n woman named Tui Ariki of a chiefly Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
family.
In June 1894, both Laupepa and his son Mōlī II visited with the Latter-day Saint missionaries at Lalovi, Mulifanua
Mulifanua
Mulifanua is a village on the north-western tip of the island of Upolu, in Samoa. In the modern era, it is the capital of Aiga-i-le-Tai district...
with an army regiment of about 1,000 men. The missionaries described Laupepa to be “a very pleasant old gentleman,” about 5’9” and 180 pounds who spoke in a “deep bass voice” (Hart, Hart & Harris 67). Laupepa underwent the rituals to receive the pe'a
Pe'a
The Pe'a is the popular name of the traditional male tattoo of Samoa, which was originally called the malofie, a term used in the Samoan language chiefly vocabulary and 'respect' register .-Description:...
traditional tattoo when he was in his forties.
Military and Political Campaigns
Laupepa maintained his devout profession of ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
throughout his life, although he became increasingly aggressive as he was thrust into the power struggle against his warlike uncle Talavou. Laupepa did not enjoy universal support from his fellow Samoans
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
and his warfare record was dismal; he did however win some battles and managed to have himself crowned and subsequently deposed as Joint-King, Deputy-King (under Talavou), and sole King of Samoa in 1881.
Churchward (84) recorded that the “Ellice group,” now known as the Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
islands, were “formally annexed to 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...
in the name of Malietoa
Malietoa
Malietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
” by one of Laupepa’s colleagues from Malua Theological College. Before his death on August 22, 1898 Laupepa managed to gain the support of the foreign consuls but he had suffered great losses of prestige and confidence in the eyes of many Samoans after being continually routed in battle and eventually exiled to the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
.
Laupepa owned a “prized Samoan war club” – probably a Malietoa family anava heirloom
Heirloom
In popular usage, an heirloom is something, perhaps an antique or some kind of jewelry, that has been passed down for generations through family members....
– which he gifted to the American consul William Churchill. This club was sought by the Bernice P. Bishop Museum in 1897 but was not relinquished by Churchill (Sorenson & Theroux 2005).
Laupepa, the Sā Tupua and foreign governments
Laupepa was crowned KingKing
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
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...
by the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
s in March 1881. Curiously, the Tumua polities of Ātua and A‘ana did not accept Laupepa as king (even though they previously supported him against Malietoa Talavou Tonumaipe'a) and they subsequently set up their own government in Leulumoega with Tuiātua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea as their declared King of Samoa. War between Tamasese and Laupepa was declared but the Lackawanna Agreement, signed on July 12, 1881, maintained an uneasy peace. This treaty, mediated by US Navy Captain J.H. Gillis, upheld Laupepa’s claim to the throne and named Titimaea as vice-king and Matā‘afa Iosefo as premier (Keesing 1934:68). King Laupepa protested the increasing German interference in Samoan politics and the Samoan government by petitioning Queen Victoria of Great Britain for protection in 1883 and again (twice) in November 1884. When German consul Weber learned of the petitions he banished Laupepa and his chiefs from Apia. The German consul Stuebel asserted his dominance over Laupepa’s kingship in December 1885 when he ordered the removal of the national flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
from Laupepa’s base in Apia (Gilson 1970). The German consul placed Tuiātua Tupua Tamasese Titimaea in Laupepa’s office and yet another war between the Sā Malietoa and Sā Tupua began in 1887. Districts and families were very often divided or remained neutral since so many leading chiefs were related to both clans.
Laupepa received a delegation from King Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
in January 1887.
It was headed by John Edward Bush
John Edward Bush
John Edward Bush was a politician and newspaper publisher in the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Early life:John Edward Bush was born in Honolulu on February 15, 1842 ....
, and awarded the honorary decoration Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Star of Oceania. The order had just been created for the heads of state for the proposed Polynesian empire.
On February 17, 1887, Laupepa signed the Deed of Federation allying his government to that of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
seemed to understand Samoan politics better than the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans since they also sought the signatures of the other tama‘āiga but the Germans prevented Matā‘afa and Tupua Tamasese from attesting the document. Laupepa did not appreciate the rowdiness of the Hawaiian delegation, but he hoped that the Polynesian Confederation would provide more than lip service to the Samoan cause. Support from the Hawaiian Kingdom never materialized and Laupepa was ultimately driven into hiding by the German-backed Sā Tupua army in August. Laupepa and some of his leading chiefs avoided capture for several weeks before turning themselves into the German authorities. German Captain Eugen Brandeis coerced Laupepa and others to formally recognize Titimaea as King of Samoa on September 15, 1887 (Gray 78-79) and then Laupepa was exiled on September 17, 1887.
The Germans, along with the Ta‘imua and Faipule, declared Tupua Tamasese Titimaea King of Samoa and by August 1888 Tamasese was calling himself both Malietoa
Malietoa
Malietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
and Tafa‘ifā. He gravely offended the Malietoa families because he did not in fact hold the Malietoa title. He added further insult by amassing Malietoa family fine-mats for himself. Matā‘afa Iosefo, who was the actual Gato‘aitele and Tamasoāli‘i, likewise took offense to Tamasese’s audacious claim. With Laupepa in exile the Sā Malietoa was divided once again as to who should rightfully represent the Malietoa families. Some believed Tamasese’s claim to the Malietoa was legitimate; others felt that Fa‘alataitaua (Talavou’s son) was the rightful sa‘o; others saw Matā‘afa Iosefo as the legitimate contender. Mata'afa Iosefo
Mata'afa Iosefo
Mata'afa Iosefo was a Paramount Chief of Samoa who was one of the three rival candidates for the kingship of Samoa during colonialism...
[Faife‘au] eventually came to the forefront of the Malietoa title struggle and he seems to have obtained the Malietoa title in 1888 or 1889.
Matā‘afa – who was supported by Fa‘alataitaua and the Sā Talavou faction – managed to reconsolidate the Malietoa allies and led them against Tamasese Titimaea in August 1888. Matā‘afa’s people refused to recognize Tamasese as king, especially Manono
Manono
Manono may refer to:* Manono Island, Samoa* Manono, Democratic Republic of the Congo * Manono, the Māori name given to plants of the Coprosma species Coprosma grandifolia, found in New Zealand....
and Apolima
Apolima
Apolima is the smallest of the four inhabited islands of Samoa and situated in the Apolima Strait, between the country's two largest islands Upolu to the east and Savai'i to the west....
. In response, the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
gunship SMS Adler attacked Manono and Apolima on September 5, 1888 (Sorenson & Theroux 2005), three days before Matā‘afa Iosefo was declared King of Samoa at Fale‘ula. In mid-September, Matā‘afa’s forces successfully drove Tamasese’s Ātua forces from Vaiala to Matafagatele (Vaimauga, Tuamasaga) and successfully won the battle around 10 o’clock at night (Tuvale 45). Malietoa allies from Satupa'itea
Satupa'itea
Satupa'itea is a large village district with four sub-villages on the south east coast of Savai'i Island in Samoa.In the country's modern political divisions, Satupa'itea is also a Political District , one of 11 in the country, which now includes the traditional area of Salega.-Satupa'itea village...
on Savaii island, raided and razed Leulumoega
Leulumoega
Leulumoega is a village situated on the northwest coast Upolu island in Samoa. The village is part of the A'ana Alofi II Electoral Constituency which formas part of the larger A'ana political district....
, the capital of A'ana
A'ana
A'ana is a district of Samoa. It is on the western half of Upolu island, with a small exclave surrounded by Aiga-i-le-Tai. It has an area of 193 km² and a population of 20,167. The main centre is Leulumoega....
, on September 20 and Matā‘afa’s militias burned villages and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s in Satapuala
Satapuala
Satapuala is a village situated on the north west coast Upolu island in Samoa. The village is part of A'ana Alofi III Electoral Constituency which forms part of the larger political district A'ana....
, Faleasiu
Faleasiu
Faleasi'u is one of the largest village settlements on the island of Upolu in Samoa. It is located on the northwestern coast of the island.Faleasi'u is part of A'ana Alofi I Electoral Constituency which forms the larger political district of A'ana.Faleasi'u consists of five sub-villages pito nu'u:...
, Fasito'o Uta, and other areas of A‘ana within a month of the Leulumoega victory. The people of Atua
Atua
Atua are the gods and spirits of the Polynesian peoples such as the Māori. The Polynesian word literally means power or strength and so the concept is similar to that of mana...
experienced the same fate when the newly refurbished Matā‘afa-Malietoa fleets
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
from Manono
Manono
Manono may refer to:* Manono Island, Samoa* Manono, Democratic Republic of the Congo * Manono, the Māori name given to plants of the Coprosma species Coprosma grandifolia, found in New Zealand....
and Fa'asaleleaga
Fa'asaleleaga
Fa'asaleleaga is a district of Samoa situated on the eastern side of Savai'i island. It has a population of 12,949 .The traditional capital is Safotulafai where district chiefs and orators meet at Fuifatu malae...
invaded the coastal villages of Tamasese’s allies in Falefā, Faleapuna, Lufilufi
Lufilufi
Lufilufi is a historical village situated on the north coast of Upolu island in Samoa. The village is part of the electoral constituency Anoamaa East which is within the larger political district of Atua....
and Sāluafata. By February 1889 Matā‘afa’s personal army had swelled to about 6,000 warriors.
Malietoa Laupepa and Malietoa Matā‘afa
At first, GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
refused to recognize Mata'afa Iosefo
Mata'afa Iosefo
Mata'afa Iosefo was a Paramount Chief of Samoa who was one of the three rival candidates for the kingship of Samoa during colonialism...
as ruler even though the Samoans in general recognized him as their king, and a leader of the itūmālō. Instead, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
signed the General Act of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on June 14, 1889, which declared Laupepa king once again even though he was still in exile (Bevans 118). When Laupepa returned to Samoa on November 8, 1889, he acknowledged Matā‘afa’s right to the title and office which had both been acquired through war and the consent of the people. Peace existed for a time and both men were acknowledged as Malietoa titleholders and national leaders. However Laupepa was soon convinced by his chiefly colleagues to reclaim the kingship which the foreign powers and the Berlin Treaty had allotted him. On December 4, 1889 a fono (traditional council of Samoan leaders) was held in Lepea, Faleata and Laupepa’s supporters (including several Tutuila chiefs) declared him King of Samoa. This declaration led to another division of the Sā Malietoa, this time between Laupepa-Sā Mōlī and Matā‘afa-Sā Talavou.
Under Sā Talavou sanction, Matā‘afa challenged Laupepa and the Sā Mōlī by establishing himself in Malie, the traditional government seat of the Malietoa
Malietoa
Malietoa is a state dynasty and chiefly title in Samoa. Literally translated as "great warrior," the title's origin comes from the final words of the Tongan warriors as they were fleeing on the beach to their boats, "Malie To`a, Malie tau"....
chiefs, on May 31, 1891. Laupepa and his supporters moved in to occupy Mulinu‘u where Laupepa’s government had been headquartered. Latter-day Saint missionary journals reveal that support from eastern ‘Upolu
Upolu
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...
(Ātua) had rallied behind Matā‘afa (who was by this time the Tuiātua) in Malie and hundreds were arriving to offer their assistance. A similar show of support for Laupepa was witnessed on October 28, 1892 when “a hundred boats” arrived at Mulinu‘u bearing military support and provisions. Malietoa Laupepa eventually succeeded in ousting Matā‘afa from Malie toward the end of April 1893. Matā‘afa then “set up house” in Manono
Manono
Manono may refer to:* Manono Island, Samoa* Manono, Democratic Republic of the Congo * Manono, the Māori name given to plants of the Coprosma species Coprosma grandifolia, found in New Zealand....
where he was designated “Tama Sā” through the title To‘oā, not to be confused with the sa‘o‘aualuma title of the Malietoa (Tamasese 1995b:71). The subsequent War of 1893 was won by Malietoa Laupepa in July of that year and Matā‘afa and other notable leaders were deported to Jaluit, Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
on July 26 of that year (Keesing 1934:72). Even though Matā‘afa had been deported, the factions that favored him over Laupepa continued in their opposition of King Laupepa. Malietoa Fa‘alataitaua assumed full leadership of the Sā Talavou in the absence of his ally, Matā‘afa. Matā‘afa’s sanction as Malietoa was “washed out” through a desanctification ritual and the title then fell into dispute between the Sā Talavou (behind Malietoa Fa‘alataitaua) and the Sā Moli (led by Malietoa Laupepa).
Malietoa Laupepa – Tamasoāli‘i and Gato‘aitele – died at 10 o’clock in the morning of August 22, 1898 and was succeeded by his son Malietoa Tanumafili I.