Fiame Naomi Mata'afa

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa (born 1957)[2] is a Samoan politician and high chieftess (matai). She was Samoa's first female Cabinet Minister, and from 2016 to 2020 served as Samoa’s first female Deputy Prime Minister. She is the daughter of Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II, Samoa's former Prime Minister. She is a former member of the Human Rights Protection Party.

Fiame Naomi Mata’afa
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa in 2013
Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa
In office
19 March 2016 – 11 September 2020
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Preceded byFonotoe Pierre Lauofo
Succeeded byOffice Vacant
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
In office
19 March 2016 – 11 September 2020
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Preceded byFaamoetauloa Ulaitino Faale Tumaalii
Succeeded byTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi (Acting)[1]
Minister of Justice
In office
21 March 2011 – 18 March 2016
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Preceded byUnasa Mesi Galo
Succeeded byFaaolesa Katopau Ainuu
Minister of Women, Community & Social Development
In office
2006–2011
Prime MinisterTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Succeeded byTolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua
Minister of Education
In office
1991–2006
Prime MinisterTofilau Eti Alesana
Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi
Member of the Samoa Parliament
for Lotofaga
Assumed office
22 February 1985
Preceded byAsiasiau Sausoo
Personal details
Born1957 (age 63–64)
NationalitySamoan
Political partyIndependent
(2020-present)
Other political
affiliations		Human Rights Protection Party
(until 2020)
MotherLaulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa
FatherFiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa speaking at the Advancing Gender Justice Programme BRIDGE training workshop, in Samoa, 19 January 2014
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa (standing, far left) at a meeting of Pacific Islands leaders with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (center), in Samoa, 26 July 2008

Career

Mata'afa was educated at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School and Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand.[2] She was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in the 1985 election,[3] representing the constituency of Lotofaga previously held by her mother. She has been re-elected in every election since, and is one of the longest-serving members of Parliament.[4] In 1991 she was appointed Minister of Education, becoming Samoa's first female Cabinet Minister.[5] She held that position until 2006, when she was appointed as Minister of Women, Community & Social Development.[3] From 2011 to 2016 she served as Minister of Justice.[4]

In March 2016 Mata'afa was elected deputy leader of the Human Rights protection Party, defeating Faumuina Tiatia Liuga in a caucus vote.[6] On 19 March 2016, she was sworn in as Samoa's first ever female deputy prime minister.[7] She was also appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

Mata'afa and Fuivaili’ili Egon Keil, Commissioner of Police, represented Samoa on August 16, 2019, at the acceptance ceremony in Henderson, Western Australia, for the Nafanua II.[8][9] Present at the handover ceremony, representing Australia, were Linda Reynolds and Melissa Price, Australian Minister for Defence and Minister for Defence Industry.

On 10 September 2020 Mata'afa was publicly rebuked by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi after announcing that she would follow the wishes of her constituency and vote against the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill, Land and Titles Bill, and Judicature Bill.[10] On 11 September 2020 she resigned from Cabinet.[11][12] Following her resignation she was invited by the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party to become its leader. She declined as she wished to complete the parliamentary term.[13] On 13 January 2021 Mata'afa announced that she would be joining F.A.S.T. after Parliament has risen for the election.[14][15]

Mata'afa has represented Samoa on the executive board of UNESCO. From 2006 to 2012 she served as Pro Chancellor and Chairperson of the University of the South Pacific. She is currently President of the Samoa National Council of Women.[4]

Awards

In 2017 she was awarded the Stars of Oceania Individual’s Award.[16] In December 2018 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of the South Pacific.[17]

Family

Her father, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu’u II, a paramount chief, was the first Prime Minister of Samoa. Her mother, Laulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa, was a diplomat, educator and politician. Her maternal grandfather, Le Mamea Matatumua Ata was one of the framers of the Samoan constitution.

She was studying at university in New Zealand when she was recalled by her 'aiga (extended family) to take up one of her father's matai titles, Fiame from Lotofaga.

Her mother, Laulu Fetaui, had entered parliament in 1975 from the constituency of Lotofaga, following her husband's death. On Laulu Fetaui's retirement from politics Fiame Naomi contested the seat and was elected.

Mata'afa is a member of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Lotofaga.[18]

See also

References
  1. "Cabinet of Samoa" – via cia.gov.
  2. "Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata'afa". RNZ. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  3. "FIAME Naomi". Legislative Assembly of Samoa. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  4. "Hon Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa". New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  5. "First woman in Cabinet". Canberra Times. 16 May 1991. p. 7. Retrieved 11 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia (6 March 2016). "Fiame topples Faumuina, elected Deputy Leader". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  7. "Samoa swears in first female deputy PM". New Zealand Herald. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  8. Ridzwan Rahmat (2019-08-16). "Australia hands over Guardian-class patrol vessel to Samoa". Jane's Navy International. Singapore. Retrieved 2019-08-16. Nafanua II will be operated by the Police Maritime Wing of the Samoan Police Service. The vessel is part of the Australian government’s Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (SEA 3036) programme, which will see the donation of 21 new patrol vessels to 12 Pacific Island countries, and Timor-Leste.
  9. "Samoa receives Guardian-class Patrol Boat". Mirage News. Henderson, Australia. 2019-08-16. Retrieved 2019-08-16. The Australian Government has today handed over the newest Guardian-class Patrol Boat Nafanua II to the Samoan Government at a ceremony in Henderson, Western Australia. Nafanua II was received by Samoa’s Deputy Prime Minister the Honourable Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and the Commissioner of Police Mr Fuivaili’ili Egon Keil.
  10. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (10 September 2020). "P.M. Tuilaepa rebukes Fiame for opposing L.T.C. Bills". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  11. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (11 September 2020). "Deputy P.M. Fiame resigns from Cabinet". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  12. "Samoa's deputy prime minister quits cabinet over controversial bills". RNZ. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  13. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (13 September 2020). "Fiame says she won't join another party". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  14. "Samoa's former Deputy PM to join new political party". RNZ. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  15. Soli Wilson (12 January 2021). "Fiame, F.A.S.T. to make it official". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  16. "Deputy P.M. honoured". samoa Observer. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  17. "Acting P.M. to be awarded Doctor of Letters". Samoa Observer. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  18. "Deputy Prime Minister – Sui Palemia". Retrieved 2020-09-12.
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