LETTER TO THE EDITOR : The late Hon Vaai Kolone was finishing his billiard game with friends at the RSA Club one evening in late 1966, when he overheard a challenge by Tufuga Efi Nelson, that if the wealthy farmer Vaai Kolone should run for Vaisigano No. 1, he Tufuga E Nelson would crush him.
Vaai walked across, sat down opposite Tufuga and said, “I have heard your challenge and I will run against you.”
On 25 February 1967, Vaai polled 700 votes, Tufuga Efi 561, Tufuga Samuelu 34
The total roll for the District was 1295.
In the General Elections three years before in 1964, there were only 107 voters in Vaisigano 1.
Then only the Chiefs voted under the Matai Suffrage.
In the space of several months both Vaai and Tufuga initiated a new practice of creating “voting chiefs”, 1188 new chiefs were created increasing the District roll by over 100%.
In 1991, the Human Rights Protection Party introduced the Universal Suffrage which virtually terminated the bastardization of our matai system.
Lately, we have begun to see a new surge of matai creation.
We are seeing the Savali Newspaper publishing long lists of new matais.
What’s the incentive?
Three hundred new matais at $20,000 each will produce $6 million tala.
With $250,000 going to the village chiefs for their lafo and $5,750,000 is pocketed by the creator of the new titles.
This is the reason for a major Constitutional reform of the Land and Titles bill in 2020, to control this evil practice by limiting the number of new matais.
The reform was opposed by Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi.
The challenge for all educated Samoans who value their culture, based on the matai system which oversees the rule of law at the village level, is to wake up now and do whatever you can do in your own way, to preserve our Culture.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi