Taisi Olaf Frederick Nelson

Socialist Mau Leader in New Zealand: Taisi Olaf Nelson

Taisi Olaf Fredrick Nelson, also known as "Taisi Olaf", was born February 24th 1883 in Safune Western Samoa, and died February 28th 1944. Mr. Taisi was a successful businessman, but more importantly a heavy political player in New Zealand politics during the World Wars, upholding his position in the Mau Socialist Rise.

Taisi Olaf being Samoan and Swedish, was one of the founding members of the Mau Movement, In 1926, Mr. Taisi created the newspaper "The Samoan Guardian", to further his campaigns, labeled a considerable risk by the Imperial British, being that he was one of the richest men in the entire south Pacific region. His family made their fortune during the The Great Coco exporting years during the first German and Samoan trade, and he himself owned stations at docks to move along overseas goods.

Mr. Taisi was then revoked from Western Samoa in 1928 by the new Malietoa Government, allied to Britain and New Zealand, along with many other Samoan Mau leaders, some of which left to Saipan beginning campaigns there, an allied German region. The Samoan Mau Socialist main councilmen though, still were centered in Western Samoa, and new campaigns remained steadfast.

Towards 1928, Taisi published "The Truth about Samoa". The Samoa Guardian Newspaper, founded by him, was then re-established as the "New Zealand Samoa Guardian" in Auckland New Zealand. In 1929, Taisi Olaf Nelson helped form the Samoa Defense League in Auckland New Zealand, in contact with Samoan Mau Counsels overseas, who worked with the NZ Labour Party. 

Western Samoa, at the beginning of the 1930s became observers of a New Zealand economic collapse that caused the 1930s NZ riots, under administration of the Reform Party Government. New Zealand fell with the rising of influenza epidemics, great economic depressions, with the fall of Britain, and the rise of the United States. The Socialist Labour party took over the New Zealand Government in 1935 with the help of Maori Unionists, Nz Colonial Trade Unions, Australian Socialists, and Samoan Mau Socialists, and in 1936, NZ Labour Party delegates were sent to Western Samoan Government houses, negotiating ties and reuniting. 

Mr. Taisi returned to Western Samoa, who saw his son in-law (a fellow Mau and future Mau President), Tupua Tamasese Meaʻole hold a joint Head of State position with Sa' Malietoa Tanumafili II. His grandson, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Tufuga Tupuola Efi, would later become the third Prime Minister of Western Samoa from 1976-1982, and then also a Head of State [O le Ao o le Malo o Samoa] in 2007.

Posted in: A.P.I. A. Studies,Samoa Pacific Islander Studies