People

Susau Fanifau Konousi-Solomona
Ta’ita’i o le Polōketi

‘O Susau Fanifau Konousi-Solomona o le faiā’oga i Mūsika ma Fa’atinoga o Pese ma Siva, i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa. Sā ia ā’oga ‘iā Ueta Solomona, ‘o se tagata e fiafia i mūsika fa’aleaganu’u, ma sā ia a’oa’oina mūsika i le Iunivesitē o le Pasefika i Saute i totonu o Fiti mo le tolusefulu tausaga. ‘O lona poto māsani i mea tau mūsika i atumotu o le USP, ‘ua  fa’alauiloaina ma fa’atamāo’āigaina ai lana mūsika ‘olo’o ia a’oa’oina atu. ‘O ia e fa’atautaia le ‘aufaipese a le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa ma ‘olo’o fa’afofogaina ai pesega māsani, e tāina i mea faimūsika a Sāmoa ma atumotu o le Pasefika. ‘O le Fa’aili a le Fa’alāpotopotoga o Tagata Lautele i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa lea e iai i lalo o lana ta’ita’iga, ‘ua fa’aaogā fa’atasi ai fo’i mea faifa’aili tetele a ‘Europa ma mea faimusika a Sāmoa pei o le foafoa, fagufagu, fala ma le pātē o itū’āiga lāpopo’a ese’ese. 

Susau Fanifau Konousi-Solomona
Project Leader, Samoa

Susau Fanifau Konousi-Solomona is a lecturer in Music and Performing Arts at the National University of Samoa. She had studied under Ueta Solomona whose area of interest was traditional music and had taught at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji for thirty years. Her experience in music of the USP Island countries informs and enriches her music appreciation and is influential in her teachings. She conducts the NUS Community Choir which features traditional songs accompanied by musical instruments of both Samoan and Pacific Islands. The NUS Community Orchestra under her directorship also merges European classical instruments and musical instruments of Samoa such as the foafoa (the conch shell), fagufagu (the nose flute), the fala (the rolled mat) and the pate (wooden slit drums) of different sizes.

Rosaivitilesaualofaoleola Konousi Solomona
Tagata Su’esu’e fesoasoani, Sāmoa

‘Olo’o ‘avea nei ‘o ia ‘o se faiā’oga lagolago i mea tau mūsika ma siva mo le toeitiiti sefulu tausaga, i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa, ma e fiafia tele i  pese fa’aleaganu’u, fa’apēnā ma su’esu’ega ‘olo’o fa’amoemoe e fa’atupuina atili ai le fiafia ma le talisapaia o le mau’oa o tala’aga o mūsika a Sāmoa mo lana augātupulaga ma isi e mulimuli mai. E tāina e Rosaviti le vaiolini, piano, ‘o le foafoa, ma le fagufagu ma ‘o ia ‘o le ta’ita’i o pesega ma le toleniga o leo. Na te fa’aaogāga mea ‘ese’ese faimusika i le gaosiga ma le fa’atinoga o ana mūsika.

‘O Rosaviti Konousi Solomona ‘o se tama’ita’i e iai se tomai poto māsani ma e fiafia i mūsika fa’aleaganu’u o le Pasefika ona sā ia molimauina le fa’atinoga o mūsika fa’aleaganu’u e aofia ai siva i tulaga fa’aneionapō, ma na ‘āmata mai lava ‘a‘o la’itiiti ‘o ia. 

Rosaivitilesaualofaoleola Konousi Solomona
Research Assistant, Samoa

Rosaiviti Konousi Solomona has a rich experience of and interest in cultural music of the Pacific region having witnessed and participated in performances of cultural music and dance in both contemporary and traditional platforms since she was very young. 

Currently at the National University of Samoa as a tutor in both music and dance for almost 10 years, she is keen on ethnomusicology and research aiming to contribute further interest and appreciation of Samoa’s rich music history for her generation and the ones to follow. Rosaiviti plays the violin, piano, the foafoa (the conch shell) and the fagufagu (the nose flute) and leads choral and vocal training. She incorporates varies instruments in her dance productions and musical ensembles.

William Young
Tagata Suesue Fesoasoani, Sāmoa

‘O William ‘o se ali’i ā’oga ‘olo’o fa’amāe’a lana PHD i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa ma ‘olo’o fa’apitoa ai ana sa’ili’iliga ‘i mea tau lotu ma le si’osi’omaga. ‘Olo’o galue nei e fa’amāe’a ana a’oa’oga i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa ma ‘ua ‘āmataina nei se polōketi fou e fa’avaeina i Sāmoa ‘olo’o gālulue fa’atasi ai i lalo o le Iunivesitē o Newcastle ma le failautusi o le Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP), i lalo o le vāega fou a le Pasefika PHD, e aofia ai ma nisi tagata a’o’oga ‘olo’o su’e fa’atasi a latou PhD. ‘O le su’esu’ega ‘olo’o galue ai nei, ‘olo’o va’ai ai ‘i le so’otaga o fa’alavelave e ono āfua mai i itū’āiga manu nini’i mai tagata ‘ese’ese mai fafo o le si’osi’omaga o tagata i totonu o le Pasefika. ‘Ua silia ma le 10 tausaga o galue William i gāluega tau atina’e i totonu o nu’u ma afio’aga. I le ‘avea ai ma se tagata e fiafia tele i mūsika fa’aleaganu’u a le Pasefika ma le mālosi o le nu’u i mea e fai ai, ‘ua fa’aosofiaina e tagata lona fiafia ma tōsina mai lana lagolago i lenei polōketi. E ofoina fo’i e William ona taimi ma fefa’asoaa’i lona poto su’esu’e i le polōketi su’esu’e fai fa’atasi lenei i le vā o le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa ma le Iunivesitē o St Andrews.

William Young
Research Assistant, Samoa

William is a PhD candidate with the National University of Samoa focussing on the research interests of Religion and Environment. He is now working to complete his studies with NUS and has already embarked on a new project based in Samoa working with the University of Newcastle and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP) under a new Pacific PhD cohort. The current research he is working on looks at the human invasive species relationship in the Pacific. William has been involved in development work within grassroots communities for more than 10 years. As an avid lover of traditional Pacific music and the strong community engagement component, all have piqued his interest and drew his support to this project. William volunteers his time and shares his expertise in research to the research project collaboration between National University of Samoa and University of St Andrews.

Dr Matāvai Tautunu 
o le Fa’atonu o le Laumua o Su’esu’ega o Matā’upu Tau Sāmoa i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa

‘O Ta’iao Matiu Dr Matāvai Tautunu o le Fa’atonu o le Laumua o Su’esu’ega o Matā’upu Tau Sāmoa i le Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa. Sa fa’au’uina lona fa’ailoga o le Foma’i o le Tōfāmanino i Matā’upu Tau Sāmoa i le tausaga e 2021 ma o le tūsiga muamua lea ua tūsia i le Gagana Sā’moa. O loo ia ‘ūmia suafa matai tulafale o le Ta’iao mai le nu’u o Tiavea i Aleipata ma le suafa Matiu mai le nu’u o Safune i Savai’i. E tolu tusi ua ia tūsia i le gagana Sāmoa ma ana tusitusiga (articles) ua lōmia i isi lōmiga fa’avaomālō e pei o le Journal of Pacific Studies, Journal of Sāmoan Studies, Journal of Pacific History ma le Research Gates Publications. O ia foi o le Faiā’oga Sinia i le Gagana ma le Aganu’u ma o lo’o ia te ia le tomai i le aganu’u, talafa’asolopito, su’esu’ega i Tala’eli ma Aganu’u Tu’ufa’asolo ma le toe fa’aolaolaina o aganu’u ma agaifanua a Sāmoa. O lona auai i lenei Polōketi o se avanoa lelei lea e fa’asoa ma tatala mai ai lona silafia i le fa’aaogāina o le LOGO (LALI) ma isi meafaifaili i aganu’u ma agaifanua a Sāmoa, e pei o fa’afiafiaga, maliu, tapu ma vavao, aufaipese, tapuaiga ma isi.

Dr Matāvai Tautunu 
Director of the Centre for Samoan Studies at the National University of Samoa

Ta’iao Matiu Dr Matāvai Tautunu is the Director of the Centre for Samoan Studies at the National University of Samoa. He graduated with a PhD in Sāmoan Studies in 2021 and the first to write a PhD thesis in the Sāmoan language. Dr Matavai holds traditional chiefly titles from his villages of Ti’avea in Aleipata and Matiu from Safune. He has published three books in the Samoan language. Among his many roles as director of the Centre, he teaches Samoan Culture and oversees the restoration, revival and preservation of customary knowledge and skills. Dr Matavai brings to the research team a wealth of experience in the Samoan culture. His role and influence in the research is an important factor in the realization of the making and housing of the much historical Logo, slit drum instrument, and other near extinct musical instruments. He also oversees the traditional rituals and ceremonies to be accorded to the makers and builders of the instruments. 

Tavu’i Dr Niusila Faamanatu-Eteuati 

Dean of the Faculty of Education at the National University of Samoa

Tavu’i Dr Niusila Faamanatu-Eteuati is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the National University of Samoa. She is a senior lecturer in the Teacher Education Department teaching courses in English, Social Science, Literacy, and Language and Applied Lingusitics in both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Niusila’s researches are in the areas of teacher education, education psychology, behaviour management, language learning, intercultural communications and applied translations.

Dr Niusila Faamanatu-Eteuati was educated at Waikato University in New Zealand, Roehampton University in London and Victoria University in Wellington New Zealand. She is from the villages of Samusu Aleipata and Vaegā Satupa’itea, Savaii with connections in other villages of Solosolo, Lepā and Salani i Falealili. She is married to Leiataua Joe Eteuati and has a 20 year old son named Johanius Alailima Faamanatu Eteuati

O le susuga a Tavu’i Dr Niusila Faamanatu-Eteuati o le Faauluuluga o le Saofa’iga o A’oa’oga i le Iunivesite Aoao o Samoa.

O ia o se faiā’oga sinia i le Vaega o A’oa’oga mo Faia’oga ma o loo ia a’oa’oina mata’upu o le Igilisi, Va Fealoa’i, Tomai i le Faitau ma Tusitusi, Iloiloga o Gagana ma uiga loloto Faaliguisi mai ulua’i faailoga Tikerī aga’i i isi laasaga o tikeri maualuluga. O sa’iliiliga a Niusila e lilifa aga’i i vaega mo le a’oa’oina o faia’oga, a’oa’oga tau filosofia faalemafaufau, faatonutonuina o amioga, feso’ota’iga faaleatunu’u, ma le tomai loloto i le Faaliliuga o gagana.

O le susuga a Niusila sa a’oa’oina i le Iunivesite o Waikato i Niu Sila, Roehampton i Peretania ma Victoria i Ueligitone Niu Sila.  E sau o ia mai alalafaga o Samusu Aleipata ma Vaegā Satupa’itea, faatasi ma isi ona so’otaga i alalafaga o Solosolo, Lepā ma Salani i Falealili. Ua faaipoipo atu o ia ia Leiataua Joe Eteuati ma lo la alo ua 20 tausaga o Johanius Alailima Faamanatu Eteuati.

Lemalu Kuinimeri Tamati Masinalupe
Fa’aleaganu’u/Nu’u Ta’ita’i Fesoasoani

‘O Lemalu Kuinimeri ‘o se Matai. ‘Olo’o ia ‘umia le suafa matai o Lemalu ma ‘o lea na te tautuaina ai lona nu’u fa’apea lona ‘āiga. ‘Olo’o ‘avea nei o ia ma Peresetene o le Fono a Ā’oga ‘Āmata a le Atunu’u ‘Ātoa, ‘o se tulaga sā ia ‘umia mo le 10 tausaga talu ai. Na ia fesoasoani ‘i le fa’atinoga o le polōketi su’esu’e “O le Early Childhood” ma lona Aogā i le aotelega o Ā’oga ‘Ausia o tamaiti i  Ā’oga Tūlaga Lua, ‘o Kolisi ma Iunivesitē. ‘O ia sā faufautua mo su’esu’ega i le Alliance of Biodiversity International ma International Centre for Tropical Agriculture.

Fa’atasi ai ma isi tofiga i a’oa’oga, na tula’i Lemalu i tulaga ta’ita’i i le ‘Ekālēsia Fa’apotopotoga Kerisiano i Sāmoa, ma ‘o se faletua o le faife’au o le ‘ekālēsia, ‘o le Peresetene o le mafutaga a tinā ma le kulupu o le Tautua i Puapuagā o Tagata (tautuaina ē mātitiva ma ē ‘olo’o mana’omia le fesoasoani, ma ‘o ia ‘o le ta’ita’ifono o fafine o le ‘ekālēsia o le Mafutaga Aoao a Tinā.

Lemalu Kuinimeri Tamati Masinalupe
Cultural/Community Lead Facilitator

Lemalu Kuinimeri is a Matai (Samoan Chief). She holds the chiefly title of Lemalu by which she serves her village and family. She is currently the President of the National Council for Early Childhood Education, a position which she has held for the last ten years. She assisted in the facilitation of the research project for The Early Childhood Developments and its Effectiveness on the overall Educational Achievements of children in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education. She was consultant for research on Alliance of Biodiversity International and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture.

Amongst other roles in education, Lemalu had risen to leadership positions in the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa as a wife of a church minister, President of the church women’s group the Tautua i Puapuaga o Tagata (Serving the poor and Needy) and Chair of the church Women’s Group, the Mafutaga Aoao a Tina. 

Porōfesa Emma Sutton
Polōketi Muamua, St Andrews

‘O Emma Sutton ‘o le Porōfesa o le ‘Igilisi i le Iunivesitē o St Andrews i Sikotilani, ma e fiafia fo’i o ia i su’esu’ega o tusitusiga ma musika. ‘O ia ‘o le Fesoasoani a St Andrews i le Nofoaga ‘autū mo Su’esu’ega o le Pasefika lea ‘ua leva ona tu’u fa’atasia i le itūlagi i le tausaga e 2015, sā talimālō fo’i St Andrews mo le Oceania Dance Theatre a le USP ma le Pasefika Voices’ Moana: The Rising of the Sea fa’aalia e Tuilagi Seiuli Ailani Allan Alo Vaai ma Tuilagi Igelese Ete. ‘O Emma e tupuga mai i Aotearoa, Niu Sila ma o ia fo’i o le ‘Ausetalia māo’i, ma na te a’oa’oina se vasega i tusitusiga o le Pasefika i St Andrews. ‘Olo’o ia tūsia nei se su’esu’ega mo le sao o le musika i le tala’aga fa’asolopito i taimi o le fa’akoloneina, ma sā taula’i lenei su’esu’ega i feso’ota’iga a tagata Sāmoa ma isi tagata fai musika o le Pasefika, lea fo’i sā faia e le tusitala Sikotilani o Robert Louis Stevenson i le tausaga e 1880 aga’i mai i luma, ma le tausaga e 1890 aga’i mai ‘i luma. Sā ‘amata ona fiafia ma fia iloa atili e Emma mea fai fā’aili i le taimi o lana asiasiga ‘i Sāmoa i le tausaga e 2015 ma le 2019, e uiga lea i tusitusiga a Stevenson’s: ‘o fautuaga mai iā Susau Solomona na musuia ai lenei polōketi, fuafuaina ma fa’atonutonuina e Susau ma ana pa’aga.

E fa tusi a Emma ‘ua māe’a ona lolomiina, fa’atasi ai ma ana tusitusiga e tele, e uiga i tagata tusitala, fai musika ma ‘atisi o le sefuluiva ma le luasefulu seneturi. ‘O ia fo’i na Fa’avaeina ma ‘avea ma Fa’atonu o le Virginia Woolf ma le Polōketi o le Musika, latou te gālulue fa’atasi ma tagata fai musika i luga o koniseti, tautalaga ma komisi o musika fou. ‘O le ‘upega tafā’ilagi o lana Iunivesitē, o i’inei.

Professor Emma Sutton
Project Lead, St Andrews

Emma Sutton is Professor of English at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, with research interests in literature and music. She is an Associate of St Andrews’ Centre for Pacific Studies which has long-standing collaborations in the region: in 2015, St Andrews hosted USP’s Oceania Dance Theatre and Pasifika Voices’ Moana: The Rising of the Sea featuring Tuilagi Seiuli Ailani Allan Alo Vaai and Tuilagi Igelese Ete. Emma is of Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australian descent, and teaches a course on Pacific literature at St Andrews. She is currently writing a study of music’s role in colonial history, focused on the networks of Samoan and other Pasifika musicians with whom Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson made music in the 1880s and 1890s. During visits to Samoa in 2015 and 2019, Emma became interested in the instruments about which Stevenson writes; guidance from Susau Solomona inspired this project, devised and directed by Susau and her colleagues. 

Emma has published four books and many essays on writers, musicians and artists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She is also Founding Director of the Virginia Woolf & Music project, collaborating with musicians and composers on concerts, lectures and commissions of new music. Her university website is here. https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/english/people/ess2/