| Once one nation, the two island groups of | | | | the Westminster System, whilst under the Village |
| Western and American Samoa were separated | | | | Fono Act 1990, the Village Council has authority |
| by a treaty between the three nations fighting to | | | | over such community issues as the development |
| control them; Britain, Germany and America. | | | | of customary land as well as punishment of |
| This treaty, known as The Treaty of Berlin 1899, | | | | members of the village who disobey the village |
| gave control of the Eastern Samoan islands to | | | | council. The village fono can impose punishments in |
| America, and the larger Western islands to | | | | the way of fines of money, food or fine mats |
| Germany. Britain settled with no claim to Samoa in | | | | and also order an offender to perform any work |
| exchange for Fiji and some small Melanesian | | | | required on village land. Women's issues are |
| islands. | | | | delegated to the women's committee who also |
| In 1997 'Western Samoa' was finally recognized | | | | has its own fono. |
| as simply Samoa, the name for which it had been | | | | Sometimes these two systems of government |
| known by the United Nations since 1976. | | | | clash but all in all the system works well together. |
| Samoa consists of eleven districts which were | | | | Samoa's position of Head of State was originally |
| well established long before European settlement. | | | | granted as a life time position to two of the four |
| Each district has a main village and a group of | | | | paramount (princely) chiefs in 1962 at the time of |
| lesser villages, and each village has a group of | | | | Independence. The first, High Chief Tupua |
| chiefs that hold particular titles and responsibilities | | | | Tamasese Lealofi was shot and died whilst trying |
| within their specific community. The main village | | | | to bring peace during a demonstration, a day that |
| administers the affairs of the villages within its | | | | became known as Black Saturday. The second, |
| district. | | | | Chief Malietoa, Tanumafili II passed away in 2007 |
| A Samoan chief is known as a Matai, and can be | | | | after serving as a well loved Head of State for |
| either man or woman, and until 1991 only the | | | | 45 years. |
| Matai's could vote for the members of the Fono | | | | At the death of Malieto, Samoa became a |
| (parliament). Now all Samoans over the age of 21 | | | | republic, whose Head of State may serve for a 5 |
| are eligible to vote, however, it remains that only | | | | year period as stated in the constitution. The |
| Matai's can run for parliamentary office. | | | | position is currently held by Tuiatua Tupua |
| Samoa's political and legal system (Fono) is a | | | | Tamasese Efi and was decided on after lengthy |
| combination of a modern day parliament and an | | | | meetings by the village matais to determine his |
| elaborate ancient tribal system, known as faa' | | | | suitability based on his existing village titles, |
| Samoa, meaning Samoan way. | | | | ancestry and service to the people. |
| The criminal and civil courts are operated following | | | | |