Salu Hunkin-Finau (born ?) is an

American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the Internatio ...

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...

, and

academic administrator Academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities. Some ...

. She is the former president of

American Samoa Community College American Samoa Community College (ASCC) is a public land-grant community college in the village of Mapusaga, American Samoa. Only legal residents of American Samoa who have graduated from high school or obtained a General Equivalency Diploma a ...

. In February 2012, Hunkin announced her candidacy for

Governor of American Samoa This is a list of governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government of the United States. Sinc ...

in the November 2012 gubernatorial election, becoming the first female candidate for governor since 2000. Hunkin was born in Vailoatai, American Samoa, to parents, the late Faauaa Eni Hunkin Sr. and Taualaitufanuaimeaatamalii Liufau Tufaga Manu. Hunkin is one of eight siblings, including her brother,

Eni Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. (; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's lieutenant governor (1985-1989) and non-voting delegate to the United States House of Repr ...

, who has served as Delegate to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from

American Samoa's At-large congressional district American Samoa's at-large congressional district encompasses the entire U.S. territorial region of American Samoa. The territory does not have a voting member of Congress but does elect a delegate who can participate in debates and vote in commi ...

from 1989 through 2014. She graduated from

Kahuku High School Kahuku High & Intermediate School, located in Kahuku CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, on the island of Oahu, serves approximately 1,850 students in grades seven through twelve and is part of the Windward District on the is ...

, located on the North Shore of

Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

, and received her

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

in education from the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

. Hunkin, who is married to Alataua Tavita Finau, has ten children. Hunkin announced her candidacy for Governor of American Samoa on February 25, 2012, in front of a small group of supporters and journalists. The announcement was held in the village of Vailoa. Hunkin is the only female candidate who ran for governor in 2012. She is the first female candidate for governor since the 2000 gubernatorial election. At the same press conference, Hunkin announced her running mate, retired United States Command Sergeant Major Iuniasolua Savusa, also known as Iuni Savusa, who served in the United States Army for thirty-six years before retiring on December 31, 2011. Hunkin contacted Savusa just four days after his retirement to ask him to be her running mate for

Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa The government of American Samoa consists of a locally elected governor, lieutenant governor and the American Samoa Fono, which consists of an 18-member Senate and a 21-member House of Representatives. The first popular election for Governor and ...

. The 2012 gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012. She is now the director of the Department of Education in American Samoa. On June 11, 2016, Hunkin formally and officially announced her candidacy for the delegate to the

from

, running as one of the two Democratic tickets, the other being Mapu Jamias.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunkin-Finau, Salu American Samoan educators American Samoan politicians American Samoa Democrats American Samoan women in politics University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 21st-century American women