Malietoa Tanumafili II

摘要

Somewhere between Fiji and French Polynesia, if you are looking at a map, or St Vincent and San Marino, if it is a reference book, you will find Samoa. Used to such micro-state company, the Samoans do not seem to mind much that foreigners find them difficult to pin down. They take pride in their island culture, and also in the tranquillity of their politics, which keeps them off the front pages of the world's press. That blessing they owe, to a large extent, to Malietoa Tanumafili II, who nursed Samoa to independence in 1962 and then presided as head of state, jointly for 16 months and thereafter on his own for the following 43 years.