Malietoa Tanumafili II

Who was Malietoa Tanumafili II?

Malietoa Tanumafili II, GCMG, CBE, also called Susuga, was the Malietoa, the title of one of Samoa's four paramount chiefs, and the head of state, or O le Ao o le Malo, a position that he held for life, of Samoa from 1962 to 2007. He was co-chief of state in 1962 and became the sole head of state on 15 April 1963. At the time of his death, he was the oldest national leader in the world. It is a common mistake that the Malietoa title is a title equivalent to a king-ship. Malietoa is known as the first warrior title, and is respected not as a King but as a Tamaaiga or Ao Mamalu ole Malo.