Districts of Samoa

Samoais made up of eleven itūmālō (political districts). These are the traditional eleven districts that were established well before European arrival. Each district has its own constitutional foundation (faavae) based on the traditional order of title precedence found in each district's faalupega (traditional salutations).^[1]

The capital village of each district administers and coordinates the affairs of the district and confers each districts' paramount title, amongst other responsibilities.

Examples of district governance

Aʻanahas its capital atLeulumoega.The paramount title of A'ana is the Tui A'ana. The orator group which confers this title – the Faleiva (House of Nine) – is based at Leulumoega. The paramount tama-a-'āiga title of A'ana is Tuimalealiifano of Falelatai.

There is currently no holder of the Tui A'ana title as the orator polity of Leulumoega is yet to decide.

InTuamasaga,the paramount matai title of Malietoa is conferred by the Sa Malietoa of Malie. The pāpā titles of Gatoaitele and Vaetamasoalii are known as pāpā fafine, owing to their roots with the original female occupants. Both titles are conferred by the Fale Tuamasaga based in Afega and Safata respectively.

The current holder of the Malietoa title is Malietoa Moli, son of former Head of State,Malietoa Tanumafili II.The current Gatoaitele holder isSavea Sano Malifa,owner of theSamoa Observernewspaper. There is no current holder of the Vaetamasoalii pāpā title.

Atuahas its capital atLufilufi,a former part ofFalefathat was designated as its own village following the events that gave it its name.^[2]The paramount pāpā title and sovereign of Atua is the Tui Atua. The orator group which confers this title is the Faleono (House of Six) senior orators of Lufilufi.The two paramount matai - called tama-a-'āiga - are Tupua Tamasese, which is conferred by the Aiga Sa Fenunu'ivao (Descendants of Fenunu'ivao, mother of Tupua Fuiavailili) of Falefa and Salani; and Matā'afa, conferred by the Aiga Sa Levālasi (Descendants of Levālasi, mother of Salamāsina) of Lotofaga and Āmaile. Samoa's first Prime Minister,Fiame Matā'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u IIwas a holder of the Matā'afa title.

The current holder of the Tupua Tamasese and Tui Atua titles is former Prime Minister and Head of StateTui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi.

Political districts


Nr.	District	Capital	Area (km²)	Population (Census 2016)^[3]
Upolu(including minor islands)
1	Tuamasaga	Afega	479	95,907
2	Aʻana	Leulumoega	193	23,265
3	Aiga-i-le-Tai¹⁾	Mulifanua	27	5,029
4	Atua²⁾	Lufilufi	413	22,769
5	Vaʻa-o-Fonoti	Samamea	38	1,621
Savaiʻi
6	Faʻasaleleaga	Safotulafai	266	13,566
7	Gagaʻemauga³⁾	Saleaula	223	7,840
8	Gagaʻifomauga	Aopo	365	4,878
9	Vaisigano	Asau	178	6,543
10	Satupaʻitea	Satupaʻitea	127	5,261
11	Palauli	Vailoa	523	9,300
	Samoa	Apia	2,831	195,979
¹⁾including islandsManono,ApolimaandNuʻulopa
²⁾including theAleipata IslandsandNuʻusafeʻeIsland
³⁾Exclaves SalamumuandLe'auva'aonUpolu

Exclaves of political districts

Note that several districts include multipleexclaves:

Gaga'emauga:besides the main part onSavai'i,there are two small exclaves onUpolu:SalamumuandLe'auva'a– this is the only district with areas on both main islands
Satupa'itea:consists of two separate areas on the south side ofSavai'i
Palauli:consists of two separate areas on the south side ofSavai'i
A'ana:besides the main part, there is a small exclave (Satuimalufilufi village)
Va'a-o-Fonoti:besides the main part, there is a small exclave (Faleāpuna village)
Aiga-i-le-Tai:includes the islandsManono,ApolimaandNu'ulopa
Atua:includes theAleipata IslandsandNu'usafe'eisland

Electoral districts

Theitūmālōare further subdivided in 51faipuledistricts. They have no administrative function, but serve as single-member electoral constituencies. Thefaipuledistricts are also used as regional units forstatistics.

Thefaipuleelectoral districts are based loosely on the traditional sub-districts of theItūmālō.For example, thefaipuledistricts ofAnoama'a WestandAnoama'a Eastare based on the traditional sub-district of Anoama'a in the northern half of theAtuadistrict.

Villages

At the local level, there are 265 villages. Additionally, there are 71 villages inTuamasagadistrict thecapital Apiais composed of (58 villages in Vaimauga West and 13 in Faleata East electoral districts). Apia does not have a common administration, the local power rests with the constituent villages.

References

^"About Samoa".Government of Samoa. 15 July 2014.Retrieved30 December2017.
^Williamson, Robert Wood, 1856-1932. (1967).The social and political systems of central Polynesia.Anthropological Publications.OCLC 465257532.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Census 2016 Preliminary Count Report Archived2017-07-23 at theWayback Machine,Samoa Bureau of Statistics.

External links

Map: election districts

[1] "About Samoa".Government of Samoa. 15 July 2014.Retrieved30 December2017.

[2] Williamson, Robert Wood, 1856-1932. (1967).The social and political systems of central Polynesia.Anthropological Publications.OCLC 465257532.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[3] Census 2016 Preliminary Count Report Archived2017-07-23 at theWayback Machine,Samoa Bureau of Statistics.

[1]

[2]

[3]