While a Samoan matai does not wield the kind of supreme authority you might expect of royalty in other cultures, our fa'amatai - our system of government, our network of chiefs - is still fundamental to the Samoan way of life. For this reason, the bestowing of a matai title...

In the first article of this series, we looked at what it means to be a matai and how you could begin the process of becoming a Samoan chief. So now, let’s say your family has finished deliberating and you are the chosen one… then let’s say you did some soul-searching and...

How does one become a matai, or Samoan chief? The process is a fascinating mix of inheritance and election. You have to be an heir to a title - but all Samoans are heirs to at least one matai title - and then your family has to elect you to the role. That's generally how it...