Aumoeualogo Te’o J. Fuavai (November 24, 1936 – June 12, 2019) was a former American Samoa politician who represented the

Republican Party of American Samoa Republican Party of American Samoa is the affiliate of the U.S. Republican Party in American Samoa. It is based in the territorial capital of Pago Pago. The party was founded by Peter Tali Coleman. Coleman was in 1956 the first Samoan to be ap ...

and served as a member of the American Samoa House of Representatives, as a territorial

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, and Speaker of the House of Representatives. He has also been the Commissioner of Public Safety, Director of Public Works, President of the American Samoa Rugby Union (1976-2019), Chairman of the Catholic Diocesan Council, and Chairman of the Republican Party of American Samoa. He received the nickname “Tiger” from former Governor Peter T. Coleman, referring to his “fighting spirit and no-nonsense style.” He was also described as one who "ruled with an iron hand." He was one of the initial supporters of the movement to elect American Samoa Governors, as opposed to Governors being appointed by the federal government. He sponsored a resolution that asked the

Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...

to permit elections.

Biography

Personal life

Te’o J. Fuavai was born on November 24, 1936. His father was a school teacher and Fuavai attended faife’au and elementary schools in several villages. He later attended the Marist School at Atu'u and completed at Le'ala and

Samoana High School Samoana High School (SHS) is a prominent high school in Utulei,History
" Samoana High School at Cyb ...

. He was married to Fatuiva Allen and they have ten children and 18 grandchildren (as of 1998). Their traditional family home was located at Asofitu in Nu'uuli village on

Tutuila Island Tutuila is the main island of American Samoa (and its largest), and is part of the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific. It is located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Au ...

Professional career

He began working for the American Samoa Government General Supply in 1956. Two years later, Fuavai became a Customs Officer and in 1964, he replaced John Faumuina, Sr. and became the Chief Customs Officer. At that time, the Customs Office was a division of the Department of Port Administration. He first entered the

Fono The Legislative Assembly ( sm, Fono Aoao Faitulafono a Samoa), also known as the Parliament of Samoa ( sm, Palemene o Samoa), is the national legislature of Samoa, seated at Apia, where the country's central administration is situated. Samoan P ...

in 1970. During his first term, he was successful in persuading the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

to establish a post of “Vice-Speaker of the House.” Fuavai later became the first Vice Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives in 1973–74. Fuavai became

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

the following year, 1975–76. He served from the 12th through the 17th Legislatures, having won five consecutive House elections. During his time as Speaker of the American Samoa House of Representatives, he also served on the executive committee of the Pacific Conference of Legislators, which consisted of politicians from the

Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territory and commonw ...

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...

, American Samoa,

Hawai'i 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 the

Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...

. In 1980, Fuavai left the Fono as he had been appointed Commissioner of Public Safety by Governor Peter T. Coleman. He was re-appointed to the same position by Governor

A. P. Lutali Aifili Paulo Lauvao (December 24, 1919 – August 1, 2002), was twice governor of American Samoa (1985–1989, 1993–1997). The founder of the U.S territory's Democratic Party, he had a long career in the legislature and the judiciary in Amer ...

in 1984 despite Lutali being a Democrat. He was once again appointed Commissioner of Public Safety by another Democratic Governor when

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

appointed him in 1997. He stepped down in 2001 in order to become a

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

member representing

Vaifanua County Vaifanua County is a county in the Eastern District 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 ...

. He ran unsuccessfully for Governor in the 2004 elections. Before his death, he was an advisor for Senate President Gaoteote Palaie.

Other work

He was the Director of Public Works from 1989 to 1992 and the General Manager of the

Rainmaker Hotel Rainmaker Hotel was a 250-room luxury hotel in Utulei, American Samoa, Utulei, Pago Pago, American Samoa. It was the only proper hotel in American Samoa and was operated by the government. The hotel was at its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, when it w ...

in 1991–92. He also chaired a number of gubernatorial campaign committees, including for Governors Peter T. Coleman and

. He was also the Chairman of the

for a number of years. In 1997, Fuavai was elected Chairman of the Diocese of Samoa-Pago Pago and served as treasurer for the Alao Parish for several years. Fuavai was the President of the American Samoa Rugby Union from 1976 until his death. He was a member of the federal

Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...

Death

Fuavai died in

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

on June 12, 2019.Our Campaigns.com.-Te'o Fuavai
/ref>

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuavai, Te'o 1936 births 2019 deaths American Samoa Republicans American Samoa Senators Speakers of the American Samoa House of Representatives