Tauese Tuailemafua Pita Fiti Sunia (August 29, 1941 – March 26, 2003) was an American Samoan politician who served as the fifth

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. Since ...

from 1997 until his death in 2003. He was the second governor of American Samoa to

die in office A death in office is the death of a person who was incumbent of an office-position until the time of death. Such deaths have been usually due to natural causes, but they are also caused by accidents, suicides, disease and assassinations. The dea ...

;

Warren Terhune Warren Jay Terhune (May 3, 1869 – November 3, 1920) was a United States Navy Commander, and the governor of American Samoa. Terhune was born in Midland Park, New Jersey, and lived in New Jersey most of his life when not posted elsewhere. He was ...

was the first.

Career

Sunia was a member of the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. He won the election of 1996 in a close

runoff Runoff, run-off or RUNOFF may refer to: * RUNOFF, the first computer text-formatting program * Runoff or run-off, another name for bleed, printing that lies beyond the edges to which a printed sheet is trimmed * Runoff or run-off, a stock market ...

with Lealaifuaneva Peter Reid (51%-48%). The runoff was caused by a split in the Democratic Party in American Samoa between Sunia and incumbent governor Lutali Aifili Paulo Lauvao, who received third place, with no candidate gaining a majority. Sunia won another close victory against Reid in the 2000 election, 50%–48%, with no runoff. During Sunia's term of office a protest was issued against

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...

, formerly named Western Samoa, for changing its official name to the shorter form. The official view in

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 International ...

is that such a form detracts from the Samoan identity of American Samoa, and public officials and documents from

still refer to Samoa as "Western Samoa".

Personal life

Sunia married

Fagaoalii Satele Sunia Fagaoalii Lefagaoali'i Satele Sunia (c. 1946 – September 5, 2015) was an American Samoan literacy advocate and educator. She served as the First Lady of American Samoa from January 1997 to March 2003 during the tenure of her husband, former Gove ...

in 1969. They moved back to American Samoa in 1981 after living in

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 settled in

Leone, American Samoa Leone is the second-largest city on Tutuila Island's west coast.Clayville, Melinda (2021). ''Explore American Samoa: The Complete Guide to Tutuila, Aunu'u, and Manu'a Islands''. Page 70. ISBN 9798556052970. The village is on the south-west coast o ...

Death

Sunia died during his second term, on March 26, 2003, while on a flight to

to receive medical treatment, becoming only the second governor of American Samoa (after

), and the first civilian one, to die in office. In 2012, the Utulei Convention Center was remodeled and renamed for Sunia. His wife, Fagaoalii Satele Sunia, died on September 5, 2015.

References

External links

Obituary
* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Sunia, Tauese 1941 births 2003 deaths 20th-century American politicians American people of Samoan descent American Samoa Democrats American Samoan Congregationalists Democratic Party governors of American Samoa Governors of American Samoa Lieutenant Governors of American Samoa People from Pago Pago