February 12-14 2018 Pacific Law, Custom & Constitutionalism (PLCC) Conference I Samoa: Exploring Traditional Leadership, Customary Land Tenure & Religious Rights Conference Proceedings Publication October 2018 2018 PLCC Conference Committee February 12-14, 2018 Pacific Law, Custom & Constitutionalism (PLCC) Conference I Samoa: Exploring Traditional Leadership, Customary Land Tenure & Religious Rights Conference Proceedings Publication October 2018 2018 PLCC Conference Committee: Judge Ida Malosi Associate Professor Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni Helena Kaho Dr. Julia Ioane Sonia Pope 2018 PACIFIC LAW, CUSTOM & CONSTITUTIONALISM (PLCC) CONFERENCE I © 2018 PLCC Conference Committee © 2018 Cover Design & Publication Formatting: Kodaweb Web Design & Development Ltd and the 2018 PLCC Conference Proceedings Chief Editor: Dr Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni & Research Assistant: Sonia Pope Text copyright © the authors 2018 Printed 2018 This report is distributed for educational purposes only by 2018 PLCC Conference Committee https://pacificcustomlawconference.blogs.auckland.ac.nz/ ISBN: 978-0-473-46014-3 All rights reserved. This report is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the Chief Editor, Dr Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni, nor be circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on subsequent Publishers, Printers and/or PLCC Committees. Printed by Print Plus Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand. 2018 PACIFIC LAW, CUSTOM & CONSTITUTIONALISM (PLCC) CONFERENCE I Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Welcome to our Conference Proceedings! Some Introductory Comments ..................................................................... 9 By Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni & Sonia Pope on behalf of PLCC Conference Committee DAY ONE: 1. Formal Opening Remarks ................................................................................................................................................. 15 By Sir Anand Satayanand Theme One: Traditional Leadership 2. Taofi Sā: Leadership and Discretion ................................................................................................................................ 17 By His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi 3. Traditional Leadership ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 By Dame Tariana Turia DAY TWO: Theme Two: Customary Land Tenure 4. Law, Custom and Constitutionalism: Customary Land Tenure, Samoa ...................................................................... 35 By Teleiai Lagipoiva Dr. Lalotoa Mulitalo Silipa Ropinisone Seumanutafa 5. Customary Land Tenure in Samoa: A Community Advocate’s Perspective ................................................................ 48 By Fiu Mata’ese Elisara Theme Three: Religious Rights 6. Religion, Law, Custom and Constitutionalism in Samoa: ‘E Tala Lasi Samoa, E Mau Eseese A’ana’ - Samoan Universality, Diversity, and Particularity .......................................................................................................... 56 By Sister Vitolia Mo’a 7. Reflections on Pacific Church Leadership and Pacific Law, Custom and Constitutionalism from the perspective of a Teacher of Theology ....................................................................................................................... 66 By Jenny Te Paa Daniel POST-CONFERENCE: 8. O fea le alofa? Where is love? ........................................................................................................................................... 75 By His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi 2018 PACIFIC LAW, CUSTOM & CONSTITUTIONALISM (PLCC) CONFERENCE I 9. Why The ‘Land Titles Registration Act 2008’ (LTRA) is Incapable of Alienating Customary Land ............................. 87 By Teleiai Lagipoiva Dr Lalotoa Mulitalo Silipa Ropinisone Seumanutafa 10. Community Consultations – Farce and/or Fiction: The ADB, EPC, Alaoa Multi-Purpose Dam Project and Customary Land .......................................................................................................................................... 94 By Fiu Mata’ese Elisara 11. Conclusions, Reflections and Recommendations .................................................................................................... 107 By Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni, Julia Ioane and Sonia Pope on behalf of 2018 PLCC Conference Committee Appendix One: PLCC Conference I, Programme ............................................................................................................. 115 Appendix Two: Brief Biographies of Conference Speakers & Conference Organising Committe ............................ 118 2018 PACIFIC LAW, CUSTOM & CONSTITUTIONALISM (PLCC) CONFERENCE I Acknowledgements We are grateful to so many who gave of their time and resources to make this first conference in our series happen. We acknowledge the generous support of all our sponsors and funders: The New Zealand Law Foundation (our main sponsor), The New Zealand Institute of Pacific Research (NZIPR), The Gaualofa Trust, The Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS), Pacific Lawyers Association (PLA), Kayes Fletcher Walker, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Office of Pacific Advancement and School of Public Health and Psychosocial Studies, and University of Auckland Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Arts School of Social Sciences. To all our distinguished keynote speakers: Your Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi; Your Excellency, The Right Honourable, Sir Anand Satayanand; Dame Tariana Turia; Teleiai Dr. Lalotoa Mulitalo; Fiu Mata’ese Elisara; Sister Vitolia Mo’a; and Dr. Jenny Te Paa Daniel, faafetai tele. To our distinguished panellists and panel facilitators: Ms Khylee Quince, Professor Tony Angelo, Aliimuamua Sandra Alofivae, Ms Natalie Baird, Inspector Peter Stokes, Mr Sosefo Bourke, Faumui Penelope (Lope) Ginnen, Fuimaono Karl Pulotu-Endemann, Tagaloatele Professor Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop, and Dr. Laumua Tunufa’i – faafetai, faafetai tele. To our conference Pastor, Orators, and Mihi Whakatau and ‘Ava Ceremony organisers: Pastor Maafala Koko, Mr Geremy Hema, Salevao Faalua Savea Faauuga Manase, Tauanuu Perenise Tapu and Jennifer Tapu, faafetai tele for supporting our kaupapa and at such short notice. To our dedicated helpers: Fabiefara Filo, Taeao Filo, Sosefina Filo, Yvonne Ualesi, Fetaui Iosefo, Avis Lamkam, Camille Johnson, Karen Lupe (who also generously gave of her time to do the copy editing of this manuscript), Dr. Tim Fadgen (who also provided invaluable feedback on the final draft) and Kathleen Ata Samu Forrest, faafetai tele for your tautua (selfless service). We thank 5.31PI Radio, Capital Coast Radio (Wellington), Radio New Zealand, the Samoa Times newspaper, and University of Auckland Communications and Media, for the coverage they provided of our conference. Lastly, we are grateful to Laulu Mac Leauanae and Fonoti Seti Talamaivao of the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, and to the Fale Pasifika Crew, Professor Andrew Stockley, Dean of the Faculty of Law, and Professor Robert Greenberg, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Auckland, for your support and participation in our conference. We were and are honoured for the support you all gave; may God bless you all. 2018 PLCC Conference Committee 2018 PACIFIC LAW, CUSTOM & CONSTITUTIONALISM (PLCC) CONFERENCE I 5 6 Welcome to our Conference Proceedings 7 8 Some Introductory Comments… Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni & Sonia Pope On the 12th of February an innovative and exciting three-part conference series – the first of its kind – on Pacific law, custom and constitutionalism (PLCC) kicked off at the University of Auckland, Fale Pasifika. This began the first of the three PLCC conferences, and it focused on Samoan law, customs and constitutionalism. The second conference in the PLCC series will focus on Tonga and is planned for the end of 2019, and the third is planned for 2020 and will focus on the three New Zealand territories of Niue, the Cook Islands and Tokelau. This conference proceedings booklet records the main speeches delivered at this first conference, as well as some post-conference Samoa newspaper publications written by three of the keynote speakers. These newspaper articles offer evidence of how the conference themes and debates have continued in the public arena since the conference. The PLCC conference series was the brainchild of a group of enthusiastic Samoan and Tongan women, all of whom currently work in different areas of justice in Aotearoa New Zealand: from the courts to community-based Photo credit: Yvonne Ualesi social justice intervention programmes to academia. They formed what their formidable leader, Judge Ida Malosi, called a ‘Brown Swell’. Judge Malosi spoke briefly during the opening formalities on the first day about the formation of this group at the suitably named Te Wahi Ora Women’s Retreat site in Piha, Auckland, in August 2017. And, of how they dreamed of a forum where Pasifika peoples – lay and legal experts alike – could participate in, where they would come to listen, learn and dialogue with each other about pressing law, custom, justice