Information about Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole

Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole CBE was the Tupua Tamasese from 1929 to 1963, a Samoan paramount chief. He held the post O le Ao o le Malo (Head of State of Samoa) jointly with Malietoa Tanumafili II from 1962 until his death in the next year.

He was born in 1905 as the one of three sons of Tupua Tamasese Lealofiaʻana II, whom he succeeded the title upon his brothers death Tupua Tamasese Lealofiaʻana III in 1929.

Under the New Zealand Trusteeship of Samoa (1914-1962), he was one of the two Fautuas (Advisers) to the New Zealand Administration, along with Malietoa Tanumafili II. He was one of the Framers of the Constitution of Samoa upon its independence.

In the 1957 New Year Honours he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

He was succeeded by Tupua Tamasese Lealofiaʻana IV, his nephew and Lealofi III's son, as Tupua Tamasese who was succeeded by Mea'ole's son, Tupua Tamasese Tupuola Taisi Tufuga Efi, the former 3rd Prime Minister of Samoa and the former O le Ao o le Malo.