KEY POINTS:
National Party deputy leader Bill English infuriated Independent Mangere MP Taito Phillip Field in Parliament last month by refusing to use his chiefly name.
Twice Mr English called Mr Field, who is under investigation by police, by his Christian name, omitting Taito.
Mr English was asking questions about
Mr Field's behaviour - he is being investigated by police over allegations he personally gained by helping immigrants.
The former Labour MP raised a point of order challenging Mr English's behaviour and Speaker Margaret Wilson ordered him to use Mr Field's full name.
Mr English refused to say why he had taken the stance: "I'd prefer not to make any public comment on that," and Mr Field also declined to say why he felt so strongly.
However, academic Galumalemana Alfred Hunkin said the incident offended him.
"It's quite rude really to be called by something else when you already have your own name which has been given to you by society - your culture and your village ... [as] a sign of respect."
Mr Hunkin is senior lecturer and programme director for Samoan studies - Va'aomanu Pasifika at Victoria University. Galumalemana is his chiefly name.
People often confuse chiefly names with titles such as Sir or even Mr or Ms but once a chiefly name is conferred it becomes the person's proper name. "They come right at the beginning of their names and are registered at the Land and Titles Court in Samoa."
However, Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, a Labour MP since 1999 and Mana MP since 2002, is philosophical.
"In a Samoan context they use Luamanuvao all the time because that's very much the norm ... in other contexts sometimes in Parliament they'll use Luamanuvao and sometimes people forget, and I think sometimes people are a little nervous about pronouncing it, so you understand that."
She is not offended when people fail to use it and compares that to Sir Edmund Hillary not worrying about his title or Prime Minister Helen Clark not always being called Right Honourable.
"I'm quite flexible and okay about it. It's just important that people feel comfortable with the way they address you and that's fine - must be a Kiwi thing too."
But she is proud of the matai name, bestowed on her in 1992 at a ceremony in Samoa during which she wore traditional dress and pigs were killed in her honour.
"Titles are bestowed on you by chiefs and leaders of extended families of villages and districts, so they usually talk among themselves and they work out somebody who is ready to be titled and you are given the title because you serve the community and the extended family well."
Literally her name means two birds, forest.
"A lot of the Samoan language is very metaphorical and some of the titles are hugely metaphorical but it's usually linked to the environment, to the stars, to the cosmos and I like that title because it's got a pretty meaning."
Ms Laban's name is a high chief's name and is a parent name from a village called Vaiala in Apia in Western Samoa.
Once a name is given the person keeps it for their life but when they die it is passed on to someone else.
Mr Hunkin said there were two broad distinctions of the names of high chiefs and orators, and within those there was a heirarchy.
A fall from grace, such as a police conviction, would not affect the name.
Mr English, whose wife Mary is part-Samoan, was asked if the possibility that Mr Field could be charged was the reason why he did not use the name.
"It's not up to me to decide whether he deserves the title," he said.
"It's a title that applies in Fa'a Samoa and it's up to whoever confers it and recognises it on him."
Ms Laban is tolerant about the use of her name, but Mr Hunkin said the incident in Parliament may have a positive outcome if people become more considerate about using the name.
"It takes public incidents like this with high profile people to actually bring it to view and focus."
- NZPA