Tupua Tamasese

State dynasty and one of four paramount chiefly titles of Samoa

Tupua (known as Tupua Tamasese) is a state dynasty and one of the four paramount chiefly titles of Samoa, known as the Tama a Aiga or 'Sons of the Great Families'). It is the titular head of one of Samoa's two great royal families Sā Tupua, the lineage of Queen Salamasina. The 'Tupua' refers to Salamasina's descendant, King Tupua Fuiavailili, who was the first to unite both of Salamasina's descent lines in his personage and ascended to the Kingship of Samoa in c.1550, upon the death of his adoptive father, King Muagututi'a. Tupua Fuiavailili was adopted by his aunt, Fenunu'ivao (daughter of Leutele and wife of King Muagututi'a) and named as the King's successor. Tupua's rise also led to the first usage of the term "Tama a 'aiga" by the orator polity of Leulumoega and Lufilufi, in reference to his many genealogical connections to the great families of Ātua. The 'Tamasese' part refers to his descendant Tupua Tamasese Titimaea, whose prowess in battle and generosity won favour with many of his followers and whose actions restored the Salamasina line's prestige. All subsequent Tupua title holders have thus carried the two names together since then. Throughout most of Samoa's history, the root cause of civil unrest was the struggle for titular supremacy among these families. The senior of the two, Sa Tupua dominated the office since the time of its titular ancestor, Queen Salamasina, in the 1500s. Sa Malietoa rejoined at the beginning of the 19th century, coinciding with the collapse of Manono's dominance and the arrival of British missionaries. Through this careful process, it was revealed that Fuiavailili's biological father Fuimaono was both a relative of Fenunu'ivao and also a direct descendant of Queen Salamasina's second child, Tapumanaia (also known as Tapusatele). Through his ancestry and adoption, Tupua Fuiavailili united both Salamasina lineages through his biological ancestor and King Muagututi'a's ancestor Fofoaivao'ese, Salamasina's first child. Having satisfied the requirements of having strong linkages to Samoa's royal lineages and noble families, Fuiavailili was named Tupua and proclaimed as the first Tama a 'Āiga (lit. 'son of the families') by the orators of Tumua, succeeding his adoptive father as the next King.

The ancestor of the Tupua Tamasese title was Samoa's first ruler to possess all four pāpā titles Queen Salamasina. She was the daughter of Vaetofaga (a granddaughter of the Tu'i Tonga Kau'ulufonua II) and the Tui A'ana Tamaalelagi. She was entrusted to the care of Levalasi So'oa'emalelagi, wife of the Tui Atua Māta'utia. She was betrothed to marry Tonumaipe'a Tapumanaia in order to form a political alliance with the influential Tonumaipe'a faction in Savai'i. Salamasina instead, eloped with her love, Alapepe. This relationship brought forth a daughter named Fofoaivaoese, who grew to become Tuia‘ana and the ancestress of Fonoti and Tupua. Alapepe, however, was pursued by the furious Tonumaipe‘a clan to the Tongan island of Tongatapu where he was killed for “defiling” the taupou. Salamāsina's son by Tapumanaia was named after his father and later received the Lesātele title of the Salani and Sālesātele villages in Falealili, thereafter known as Tapusatele. All aloali'i title holders are eligible to hold the Tupua Tamasese title, subject to the approval of Aiga Sa Fenunuivao. Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole Samoa's co head of state at the time of the country's independence in 1962 served as Tupua Tamasese from 1929 until his death in 1963. Mea'ole was succeeded as Tupua Tamasese by his nephew Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV,
Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV (1922–1983). The nephew of Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole and elected 2nd Prime Minister of Samoa. Later ascended to the Council of Deputies. Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi formerly served as the 3rd Prime Minister of Samoa. He was selected by Aiga Sa Fenunu'ivao to succeed his first cousin, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV in 1984. He was sworn in as Samoa's O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State) on June 16, 2007, until 2017. He is now a patron of the arts, culture and history and a celebrated scholar of Samoa.