Despite a last minute Court Order and what has been described as “dirty traditional politics”, the conferring of the paramount Malietoa title on Fa’amausili Moli Malietoa went ahead at one of the traditional villages of the Aiga Sa Malietoa, Malie on Upolu Island.
For more than a decade, the three sub clans of the Malietoa heirs had been locked in talks and court cases, until the Land and Titles Court finally appointed Fa’amausili as the next holder of the title.
Traditional protocols over the years have clouded the actual bestowal ceremony as rival villages in the Tuamasaga District barter and haggle over the right to have the honour of traditional bestowing of the title.
But while the bestowal has taken place, it looks likely to end up in court again.
One of the chiefs of the village of Malie where the title was bestowed, Maualaivao Pepe Seiuli, has been quoted as saying dirty traditional politics are involved which would be heard by the court to set the record straight.
This is the second time the title has been bestowed on Faamausili Moli by Malie which was eventually stripped by the Land and Titles Court.
