The transnational matai and the foreign homeland : Does the Toloa still return to the water?
Loading...
Supplementary material
Other Title
Authors
Tominiko, Falaniko
Anae, M.
Fetui, V.
Lima, I.
Anae, M.
Fetui, V.
Lima, I.
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Grantor
Date
2016
Supervisors
Type
Conference Contribution - Paper in Published Proceedings
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Samoan diaspora in New Zealand
faʻamatai
matai
fanua
repatriation
Pasifika
faʻamatai
matai
fanua
repatriation
Pasifika
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Tominiko, F., Anae, M., Fetui, V., & Lima, I. (2016, Nov). The transnational matai and the foreign homeland: Does the Toloa still return to the water? (Ed.), Measina a Sāmoa Fonotaga lona Fitu = 7th Measina Sāmoa Conference Proceedings. National University of Samoa
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/3853
Abstract
The matai and the fanua are explicitly interconnected. The matai not only get their mandate to rule from their aiga, but also from the land to which their aiga and title belong. At the bestowal of their matai title, the new recipient inherits not only a name, but also the land on which their maota or laoa stands. This land becomes their official residence. The adjacent and connecting lands becomes their domain, over which they have complete authority. They command the land and adjoining sea to be farmed and fished, and in times of drought and food shortage, they place tapu over the land, forbidding the consumption of crops and resources allowing it to be replenished. From the day of their bestowal, the matai resides on his/her land, and upon their death, their body returns to the land. The matai is therefore one with the land and vice versa.
The above paragraph describes a relationship and a connection between the matai and the land that is strong and harmonious, however the reality is that in today’s world, that connection between the matai and the land as strong as we expect it to be.
The primary objective of this paper is to examine whether the transnational Samoan matai still has a connection with customary and family land back in Samoa, and whether such connection eventually leads to a permanent return to the homeland for the transnational matai.
According to the popular Samoan saying,
“E lele le toloa, ae maʻau lava I le vai”
- A wild duck may fly away, but will always return to its habitat, the swamp –
alluding to the ideal that when Samoans leave the homeland, they usually return at some later point in time.
This paper asks whether transnational matai actually return to the homeland, hence the subtitle, “Does the Toloa still return to the water?”
To what extent are Samoan matai living away from the homeland returning to reconnect with their lands, villages and homeland?
Publisher
Permanent link
Link to ePress publication
DOI
Copyright holder
Authors
Copyright notice
All rights reserved