CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Unbekannt
1887 - 1919
About the object
Malietoa Laupepa (1841–1898)
This portrait depicts Susuga Malietoa Laupepa, king of Sāmoa during Euro-American settlement in the 19th century. Hailing from Sapapali’i, Savai’i, he was born into the esteemed Sā Malietoa family, which is one of the four district titleholder families in Sāmoa. He received a Christian education at Malua College in Malie. Laupepa’s father was high chief Malietoa Semoanaifea Mōli who held the Malietoa title in 1858 until his death in 1860. After Mōli died, the Malietoa title became vacant. Mōli’s younger half-brother, Malietoa Talavou Tonumaipe’a, and Mōli’s son, Laupepa contested the title. The rivalry culminated in various title disputes.
This portrait depicts Susuga Malietoa Laupepa, king of Sāmoa during Euro-American settlement in the 19th century. Hailing from Sapapali’i, Savai’i, he was born into the esteemed Sā Malietoa family, which is one of the four district titleholder families in Sāmoa. He received a Christian education at Malua College in Malie. Laupepa’s father was high chief Malietoa Semoanaifea Mōli who held the Malietoa title in 1858 until his death in 1860. After Mōli died, the Malietoa title became vacant. Mōli’s younger half-brother, Malietoa Talavou Tonumaipe’a, and Mōli’s son, Laupepa contested the title. The rivalry culminated in various title disputes.
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Coinciding with the tumultuous Sāmoan politics was an influx of Euro-American settler arrivals who grappled with Sāmoa’s form of government. Due to competing imperial interests, the Western factions quickly imposed a central, unified government that ruled over Sāmoans and Euro-Americans with one head of state - a king. The position was equated to the Sāmoan Tafa‘ifā title, which traditionally ascribed all four district titles to one person. This was based on familial relations and a rigorous consultation process undertaken with a select group of Sāmoan high chiefs. In contrast, Europeans saw the king as a custodial role, while political power remained with a European governor. Thus, definitions and responsibilities of “king” and Tafa‘ifā differed greatly.
The meddling of Euro-American officials in Sāmoan politics and the establishment of a king as the supreme ruler further aggravated confrontations between Talavou and his nephew Laupepa. Both competed for the king title. As a devout Christian, Laupepa gained support from Britain, and was crowned king by Western powers in 1879. Talavou was declared his advisor, and the two shared the Malietoa title until Talavou’s death in 1880. Their seat was installed in Mulinu’u, Apia.
In the 1870s, Sāmoa found itself at the crossroads of Euro-American influence and indigenous resilience. Political turbulence and internal strife continued, and Laupepa’s title and position was contested yet again, this time by titleholders from other districts: Tupua Tamasese Titimaea and Mata’afa Iosefo. Disputes ensued in 1876 yet Laupepa held his position as king, with Titimaea being appointed his deputy by Britain, Germany and the US. This arrangement didn’t last long, however. Germany, under Governor Eugen Brandeis, had its own ambitions and supported Titimaea’s pursuit to become king. Although Britain and the United States backed Laupepa, Germany exiled him to the Marshall Islands in 1884.
Following the cyclone in 1889 that left most of the anchored vessels in Apia harbor shipwrecked, the three Euro-American powers signed the Treaty of Berlin in 1889 to settle their conflicts, forming a Tridominium between 1889 and 1899. Laupepa returned to Sāmoa and was reinstated as Tafa‘ifā in 1889 until his death in 1998. He died in Mulinu’u, Tuamasaga, at the young age of 57. One of his children, Malietoa Tanumafili I (1879–1939), was crowned king between 1898 and 1939 following Laupepa’s death.
The portrait was likely taken by John Davis in his studio in Matafele, Apia. Laupepa is adorned with an ‘ulafala and his torso is wrapped in a cotton ‘ie lavalava. The oval paper mount emphasizes his high rank and significance in colonial Sāmoa.
Author: Charlotte Klinge, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The meddling of Euro-American officials in Sāmoan politics and the establishment of a king as the supreme ruler further aggravated confrontations between Talavou and his nephew Laupepa. Both competed for the king title. As a devout Christian, Laupepa gained support from Britain, and was crowned king by Western powers in 1879. Talavou was declared his advisor, and the two shared the Malietoa title until Talavou’s death in 1880. Their seat was installed in Mulinu’u, Apia.
In the 1870s, Sāmoa found itself at the crossroads of Euro-American influence and indigenous resilience. Political turbulence and internal strife continued, and Laupepa’s title and position was contested yet again, this time by titleholders from other districts: Tupua Tamasese Titimaea and Mata’afa Iosefo. Disputes ensued in 1876 yet Laupepa held his position as king, with Titimaea being appointed his deputy by Britain, Germany and the US. This arrangement didn’t last long, however. Germany, under Governor Eugen Brandeis, had its own ambitions and supported Titimaea’s pursuit to become king. Although Britain and the United States backed Laupepa, Germany exiled him to the Marshall Islands in 1884.
Following the cyclone in 1889 that left most of the anchored vessels in Apia harbor shipwrecked, the three Euro-American powers signed the Treaty of Berlin in 1889 to settle their conflicts, forming a Tridominium between 1889 and 1899. Laupepa returned to Sāmoa and was reinstated as Tafa‘ifā in 1889 until his death in 1998. He died in Mulinu’u, Tuamasaga, at the young age of 57. One of his children, Malietoa Tanumafili I (1879–1939), was crowned king between 1898 and 1939 following Laupepa’s death.
The portrait was likely taken by John Davis in his studio in Matafele, Apia. Laupepa is adorned with an ‘ulafala and his torso is wrapped in a cotton ‘ie lavalava. The oval paper mount emphasizes his high rank and significance in colonial Sāmoa.
Author: Charlotte Klinge, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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References
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Peter Swain: Fono: the contest of the governance of Sāmoa. 2022.
Hilke Thode-Arora: From Sāmoa with love? Völkerschauen im deutschen Kaiserreich: eine Spurensu-che. 2014.
Robert MacKenzie Watson: History of Sāmoa. .