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

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

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and traditional leader. Poumele served as the fourth lieutenant governor of American Samoa 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 a king or queen or the highest-level political leader in a regional or local polity or country administered politically with a Chiefdom, chief-based system. This term is used occasionally ...

of the village of Fitiuta, where he was born, located on

Tau Tau (; uppercase Τ, lowercase τ or \boldsymbol\tau; ) is the nineteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless alveolar plosive, voiceless dental or alveolar plosive . In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 300 ...

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 naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

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 (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

. He was later appointed Director of Civil Defense for American Samoa. From 1971 to 1979, he served as the director of personnel at

StarKist StarKist Tuna is a brand of tuna produced by StarKist Co., an American company formerly based in Pittsburgh's North Shore that is now wholly owned by Dongwon Industries of South Korea. It was purchased by Dongwon from the American food manufact ...

. 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 Nuʻuuli.

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 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. The first name for the upper house of ...

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

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

and Lt. Governor of

. Coleman and Poumele were inaugurated 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, 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 Samoa Republicans 20th-century American politicians American Samoan chiefs Members of the American Samoa House of Representatives