Galea'i Peni Poumele (December 18, 1926 – July 27, 1992) was a Republican

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 ...

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 traditional leader. Poumele served as the fourth

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 ...

from 1989 to 1992. He was the first Chairman of the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa and instrumental in its establishment in the 1980s.Sunia, Fofō I. F. (1998). ''The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa: In Commemoration of the Golden Jubilee 1948-1998''. Pago Pago, AS: Legislature of American Samoa. Page 262. .

Biography

Personal life

Poumele was a

paramount chief A paramount chief is the English-language designation for the highest-level political leader in a regional or local polity or country administered politically with a chief-based system. This term is used occasionally in anthropological and arc ...

of the village of Fitiuta, where he was born, located on Tau in the Manu'a Islands. After graduating from Papatea, Poumele joined the Fitafita Guard in 1943, the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

in 1950, where he served there for thirty years. He moved with his family back to American Samoa in 1967 in order to work with the Office of the

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

. He was later appointed Director of Civil Defense for American Samoa. From 1971 to 1979, he served as the director of personnel at StarKist. The title "Galea'i" was bestowed upon him in Fitiuta on September 26, 1972. The chiefly title of ''Galea'i'' became vacant upon Poumele's death in 1992. He is buried in Nu'uuli.

Political career

Poumele served one term in the American Samoa House of Representatives representing Itu'au County in the 12th Legislature. In 1972, Ta'u, Fitiuta and

Faleasao Faleāsao is a village in American Samoa. It is located in Manu'a District, on the northern shore of Ta'ū Island. It is divided into two subvillages the eastern side being called Si'ua'i while the western half being called Tufulele (Tufu). The ...

elected Poumele to the

American Samoa Senate The American Samoa Senate is the upper house of the American Samoa Fono. The Senate, like the lower House of Representatives, is a nonpartisan body. It is composed of 18 senators, serving a four-year term. History American Samoa became a Unit ...

, where he was re-appointed for five consecutive terms. He was the President of the American Samoa Senate for six years. In 1985, he was also appointed to Secretary of Samoan Affairs by Governor A. P. Lutali. In 1988,

Peter Tali Coleman Peter Tali Coleman (December 8, 1919 – April 28, 1997) was an American Samoan politician and lawyer. Coleman was the first and only person of Samoan descent to be appointed Governor of American Samoa between 1956 and 1961, and later became ...

and his running mate, Galea'i Peni Poumele, were elected

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and Lt. Governor of

. Coleman and Poumele were

inaugurated In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugur ...

on January 2, 1989. Poumele became the third elected Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa, while the 1989 inauguration marked Coleman's fourth nonconsecutive term as governor. Lieutenant Governor Galea'i Peni Poumele died in office on July 27, 1992, at the age of 65. His term was then finished his wife, Gaioioi Tufele Galea'i. He was succeeded by

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 d ...

, who was inaugurated Lt. Governor on January 4, 1993, with incoming Governor A. P. Lutali.

References

External links

Samoa News (republished): Court awards Galea'i title to Moaaliitele Tuufuli
{{DEFAULTSORT:Poumele, Galeai Peni 1926 births 1992 deaths Place of death missing Lieutenant Governors of American Samoa American Samoan politicians American Samoa Republicans 20th-century American politicians American Samoan chiefs