Constitution of Samoa 1960, as amended to 2020
Customary Law
  • English

    …
    WHEREAS the Leaders of Samoa have declared that Samoa should be an Independent State based on Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition;
    … (Preamble)

  • Samoan

    …
    ONA ua faaalia e Taitai o Samoa le tatau ona avea Samoa ma Malo Tutoatasi e faavaeina i luga o talitonuga faa-Kerisiano ma tu ma aganuu a Samoa;
    … (Uputomua)

Customary Law
  • English

    Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, customs may be taken into account in all courts under this Part. (Art. 71)

  • Samoan

    I le noatia ma le fai fuafua i aiaiga o lenei Faavae, o aganuu e mafai ona amanaia i faamasinoga uma i lalo o lenei Vaega. (Mataupu 71)

Customary Law
  • English
    A Matai title shall be held in accordance with Samoan custom and usage and with the law relating to Samoan custom and usage. (Art. 100)
  • Samoan
    O le a faaaogaina se suafa Matai e talafeagai ai ma aganuu faa-Samoa ma lo latou faaaogaina ma e tusa ai ma le tulafono, e uiga i aganuu faa-Samoa ma lo latou faaaogaina. (Mataupu 100)
Customary Law
  • English
    (1) All land in Samoa is customary land, freehold land or public land.
    (2) Customary land means land held from Samoa in accordance with Samoan custom and usage and with the law relating to Samoan custom and usage.
    … (Art. 101)
  • Samoan
    (1) O eleele uma i Samoa o eleele tau le aganuu, eleele umia saoloto (fanua na faatauina mai), po o eleele tau le Malo.
    (2) O eleele tau le aganuu o lona uiga o eleele e umia mai ia Samoa e talafeagai ai ma aganuu faa-Samoa ma lo latou faaaogaina ma e tusa ai ma le tulafono e uiga i aganuu faa-Samoa ma lo latou faaaogaina.
    … (Mataupu 101)
Customary Law
  • English

    (1) There shall be a Land and Titles Court comprising of:
    (a) Land and Titles First Court;
    (b) Land and Titles High Court; and
    (c) Land and Titles Court of Appeal and Review,
    and all appointments and with such jurisdiction in relation to matai title and customary lands provided in this 'Part IX Land and Titles Court' of the Constitution, or an Act of Parliament.
    (2) The Courts in this Part IX Land and Titles Court has special jurisdiction, it governs a legal system different and separate from that of the Civil and Criminal Courts in Part VI; and has special individual jurisdiction over the subject of Samoan customs and usages in relation to matai titles and customary lands.
    (3) All persons are entitled to the protection of their custom rights the subject of the jurisdiction of the courts in this Part. (Art. 104)

  • Samoan

    (1) O le a i ai se Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e aofia ai:
    (a) Faamasinoga Muamua o Fanua ma Suafa;
    (b) Faamasinoga Maualuga o Fanua ma Suafa; ma le
    (c) Faamasinoga o Talosaga ma Iloiloga o Fanua ma Suafa,
    ma tofiga ma lana puleaga faatatau i mataupu e faasino i suafa matai ma eleele faa-le-aganuu ua aiaia i lenei 'Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa' o le Faavae, po o se Tulafono a le Palemene.
    (2) O Faamasinoga i lenei Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, e i ai puleaga faapitoa, na te puleaina se faiga faaletulafono ese ma e tu ese mai i Faamasinoga o Mataupu Tau le Va o Tagata ma Solitulafono o i ai i le Vaega VI; ma e i ai le puleaga toatasi faapitoa i mataupu tau i tu ma aganuu faa-Samoa ma Jo latou faaaogaina e faatatau i suafa matai ma eleele faa-le-aganuu.
    (3) E agavaa tagata uma i le puipuiga o a latou aia tatau i aganuu faa-Samoa, o le mataupu autu o le puleaga a Faamasinoga i lenei Vaega. (Mataupu 104)

Customary Law
  • English
    (1) In this Constitution, unless it is otherwise provided or the context otherwise requires:
    …
    "Law" means any law for the time being in force in Samoa; and includes this Constitution, any Act of Parliament and any proclamation, regulation, order, by-law or other act of authority made thereunder, the English common law and equity for the time being in so far as they are not excluded by any other law in force in Samoa, and any custom or usage which has acquired the force of law in Samoa or any part thereof under the provisions of any Act or under a judgement of a Court of competent jurisdiction:
    … (Art. 111)
  • Samoan
    (1) I lenei Faavae, vagana ai ua ese ona aiaia po o le ese ai le aano e manaomia:
    …
    “Tulafono” o lona uiga o so o se tulafono ua faamamaluina mo lenei vaitaimi i Samoa; ma e aofia ai lenei Faavae, so o se Tulafono a le Palemene ma so o se faaaliga faasalalau, tulafono faatonutonu, poloaiga, tulafono-iti po o se tasi tulafono o le pulega faavae ua faia ai i ina, tulafono tau le aganuu a Egelani ma le faamasinoga tonu tau le loto fuatiaifo o lo o faaaogaina mo lenei taimi i se tulaga e oo atu i ai pe afai e le o tuuesea e se tasi lava tulafono o lo o faamamaluina i Samoa, ma so o se tu ma aganuu ua i ai le malosi faapei o le tulafono i totonu o Samoa, po o se tasi o ona vaega i lalo o aiaiga o so o se tasi o Tulafono po o lalo o se faaiuga a se Faamasinoga tau le puleaga tomai;
    … (Mataupu 111)
1

Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa 1960, as amended to 2019 (English), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2024); Amendment to the Constitution 2020 (English), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2024).

2

Constitution of the Independent State of Samoa 1960, as amended to 2019 (Samoan), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2024); Amendment to the Constitution 2020 (Samoan), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2024).

Documents last visited 8 January 2024