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PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 
2.— THE ANCIENT SAMOAN GOVERNMENT. 
By the Rev. S. ELLA. 
A mistaken notion prevails that Samoa had no settled government 
and was without any political constitution, and that a state of anarchy 
and lawlessness characterised its people. This error arose chiefly 
from the constant intertribal wars which distracted the country, and 
the slight amenity to law manifested by the people. The fact is an 
established constitution existed from ancient times, but foreign powers 
have ignored the native constitution, and sought to establish a policy 
of their own construction, and their injudicious interference has 
aroused resentment and opposition in the minds of the natives. 
Much of the disquietude which has recently prevailed might have been 
averted had an effort been made to ascertain what constituted the 
native policy, and how their ancient customs and r&gime could be 
regulated so as to give satisfaction to the people, and maintain a 
government on their own principles. Instead of doing this the 
Americans, in the first instance, with Steinberger as their tool, sought 
to found a government which promised to be most favourable to their 
nation ; and afterwards the Germans, having large commercial interests 
in Samoa, remodelled the plan more in accordance with their views. 
They deposed and exiled the king, and placed another claimant to 
sovereignty in his room. This step gave umbrage to the majority of 
the people, and especially to the ruling chiefs of Atua, the eastern 
division of Upolu, who then put forward the high chief Mataafa, as 
possessing the stronger claim to be made ki ng of Samoa. To understand 
aright these conflicting claims, and to perceive clearly the blunders 
committed, a review of the government of Samoa from ancient times 
will be helpful. 
The earliest form of government appears to have been patri- 
archal. The chiefs were the heads of families or leaders of 
expeditions which first occupied the land. There is no tradition or 
legendary trace to show that the country was inhabited before the 
present race occupied the soil, yet there are some vestiges or signs 
which indicate that other races existed in Samoa prior to the advent of 
the present. As families increased, the heads of families were called 
tula f ale (foundations), and they appointed their head of clans, all is 
and faipules (chiefs and rulers). These, too, after a time varied in 
rank and influence according to differences in their family descent. 
When Samoa became divided into distinct districts or states, a head 
chief of each state or division was appointed and recognised as king 
or lord of that division, and received the title of tui , synonymous with 
kin". The most potent and influential of these were the Tui- Atua 
and° Tui-Aana, ruling over the eastern and western divisions of Upolu. 
The central division of Upolu, Le Tuamasanga, although possessing no 
chief with the title of tui, yet administered the same rights and autho- 
rity through their supreme chief of the head village, which took the title 
oilaumua (the fore-rank). Savai'i also was represented in the general 
government, under the name of Le Tule-o-Scilafai , of which the town 
of Safotulafai, on the south side of Savai’i, is the chief land and seat of 
the authority. Besides these supreme chiefs there were others of 
high rank, distinguished by the title of ali'i-paia (sacred chiefs), 
probably so called on account of their holding the office of priesthood 
