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(UTULEI: Friday, February 5, 2010) – Governor Togiola Tulafono today paid tribute to Tualauta Senator Tuana’itau Fa’atamala Tuia at State funeral services held at the Fale Samoa of the American Samoa Legislature in Fagatogo.

Joined by First Lady Mary Ann Tulafono, Chief Justice Lealaialoa Michael Kruse, Senate President Gaoteote Palaie Tofau, House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale, lawmakers, Cabinet members, and children of the late senator, Governor Togiola said in honoring a great leader, it is more important to celebrate the memory of his achievements as a lawmaker, in his village of Pava’ia’i as the sa’o, in his church, in the courts as a counselor, where he helped many people he never knew.

“He helped so many, even those who refused to vote for him,” said Governor Togiola. “His departure is indeed painful, but the memory of his service and his achievements, lightens the burden of sadness. He was a political star and if politics is an art, then Tuana’itau is Michelangelo of Samoan politics.”

In honor of Senator Tuana’itau, all flags in the Territory were ordered by Governor Togiola to fly at half staff until after interment on Saturday.

The following is the full text of Governor Togiola’s remarks in English and Samoan at the State funeral services for Senator Tuana’itau:

A Tribute to Senator Tuana’itau Tuia
by Governor Togiola Tulafono
February 5, 2010
The Fono, Fagatogo, American Samoa

Today is for those who dedicate their lives to their calling – and in the case of this father of our land, Senator Tuana’itau Fa’atamala Tuia, his calling was his service to his people. 

For 50 long years, he gave his all to that service – as a lawmaker, in his village of Pava’ia’i as the sa’o, in his church, in the courts as a counselor, where he helped many people he never knew, even those who refused their votes to him. This man never learned how to say a simple “No” to anyone who asked for his help. He truly earned his reward. And that’s what we are celebrating today.

This political star was born in the election booths of Tualauta in November of 1960. Two months later, on his first day in the legislature, he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives – a monumental political feat, brought off by a man who was then known only to a handful of people outside of his village and county. He was to be Speaker nine times, another marker in our history. Five members of the House intervened in that string of nine, but Tua would always come back to retake the Chair; a demonstration of perseverance and staying power. He would not be denied for long, the post he loved best, until he himself decided it was time to move on, on up the Senate.

It was there in the senate that I witnessed Tua’s brand of politics, at close range, for I had the pleasure of serving with him for our years. By then, he was seasoned and experienced, but never mellowed, and never moved without careful calculation. He was cunning and clever, sometimes a bit foxy. His brand of politics, as we all know, was bang, bang, bang! His famous advice to me when I was irate about a bill I was pushing hard and got disapproved: “There’s a million ways to skin the cat.” I don’t even know the first thing about skinning a cat, much less a million ways. But if Tua said it, then it must be true. His expressed wisdom has taught me how to persevere in the face of adversity, and to never give up on something you believe is right.

On the other hand, the Senator had a soft side and would soften his approach when softness was called for to move ahead. He was a man of emotions – many and varied, and was not ashamed to show them publicly, or to help achieve his purposes. If, as they say, politics is an art, then Tua was the Michelangelo of Samoan politics. That is why I am proud to say I learned a few lessons from a true professor of the art.

As Governor, it was always a nice treat when someone tells me that Tua wants to speak with me. When he does, I would always pretend that it’s just casual between us. But I am at the same time running furiously in my head all scenarios that I think are coming at me and what it is that is going to cost me for that compromise. For Tua would never finish such a meeting empty-handed.

In his fifty years in politics and government leadership, he participated in every major move and change in our government – the Constitutional revision; the First Political Status Study; gubernatorial elections; the fight for legislative powers, vis a vis the Executive Branch; for American Samoa’s voice to be heard in budget considerations before congress; for a fulltime Fono and more. Whatever the search for political advancement and security, Tua was at the forefront.

With all the confidence I have, I dare say that there is no American Samoan alive today, whose life is not touched by the service of this great leader.

Now he has departed. He is gone from sight, but not from mind. He will dwell in our consciences for a long time, if not, for our own lifetimes. He will be remembered always with a sincere spirit of admiration.

Let’s not mourn and stay in sorrow. Think of tomorrow. I believe that’s what Tua would want us to do now.

Farewell, my friend. Enjoy the heavenly reward you so richly deserve.

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Saunoaga Faamaise ma Molimau
KOVANA TOGIOLA T.A. TULAFONO
i le
Tuumalo o le Afioga i le Senatoa Tuana’itau F. Tuia
Fale Samoa o le Maota Fono, Fepuari 5, 2010
Fagatogo, Amerika Samoa

Lau Susuga i le Toeaina Fiti, ma le Aufaigaluega pa’ia a le Atua.

Tupu ma e’e, ma le pa’ia o le Faleagafulu ma le Manu’a Tele.

Lau Afioga i le Peresetene, lau Afioga i le Fofoga Fetalai, ma le mamalu o le Fono Faitulafono; lau Afioga i le Fa’amasino Sili ma le Lala o Fa’amasinoga; lau Afioga i le Failautusi o Mata’upu Tau Samoa, Kovana o Falelima ma le Malo Faalotoifale o Tutuila ma Manu’a; le Kapeneta ma le Malo o Amerika Samoa.

Ua ta’oto i lagotonu upu i ou pa’ia le Faleagafulu ma le Manu’a Tele, i le fetalaiga teuteu a le tofa i le Tauto’oto’o, le Fofoga Fetalai, o lea ua na ia fa’atautai i le aso ma le fa’amoemoe. A o upu i ou lagi, ou te fa’atofamalie o le a ou le o’o lava i ai. Tau ia ina ou fa’atulou atu, tulou, tulou, tulouna lava.

O lo’u tula’i, o se Fa’amaisega a le Malo o Amerika Samoa. Fa’afeai i le avanoa ua tu’uina mai.
 
Fa’amaisega i Lau Afioga i le Peresetene, lau Afioga i le Fofoga Fetalai ma le Fono Faitulafono, ina ua usufono i lagi, le na fa’amatua i le saofa’iga, sa tatou utuvai i ai i le tofa loloto ma le fa’autaga tu’umamao.

Fa’amaisega i lau Afioga i le Punefu ma le nofo a Sa’o, o e na Ta’imatali’i, fa’apea le Nofoapule i le Tualauta – ina ua sautia i Malae o le Talu le u na e fili.

Fa’amaisega i le Fale o Latea, aua ua tulolo mauga, fuli le la’au sa mafala, ua lia’iina fo’i ona a’a. Ua tu’u avanoa le pou o le ali’i Sa’o.

Fa’amaisega i ou gafa tupu, gafa taumalo, paolo ma taupega ‘afa, fa’apea itu tetele ma itu taulagi.

Fa’amaise i le pa’ia o aiga ua asaasatai’a mai vasa. Ua e le fia tagi mai ala, a ua e asa se’i utu fa’atasi ou loifofoga ma o matou loimata.

Mo i ma’ua ma Mary: E momoli atu alofa’aga ma faimaisega i le nofo a alo ma le aiga fa’avauvau.

Ou te si’itia ma tu’u le tautua a le Afioga a Tuana’itau i se tu’ugalamepa, e susulu ai pea, o le ta’iala – i ta’ita’i fotua’i o le atunu’u, ma i tatou uma o lo’o ’au’auna i le Malo ma le lautele; ina ia lealea maualuga pea le tagavai, e tausinio i ai tupulaga ma tupulaga e ulufale mai i lenei Maota, ma alaala i nofoa ia.

O le tautua o le mea a le tupu, o le mea fa’atamali’i; le tautua lena lea ou te fia tautala vivi’i i ai, aua ua tatau ma onomea I le aso.

Ua goto i le aso le la na oso i le tausaga e 1960. E le’i oso tau segisegi pe pupula fa’amatemate. E le’i punapuna a manufou fo’i. A o le ofi mautinoa a le va’atele. Limasefulu tausaga, o le ’afa senituri atoa, o taula mau le va’a o Tuana’itau i le laumua o lo ta Malo. O le Fofoga Fetalai i lona ulua’i aso i le Fono Faitulafono. Ailoga a toe tupu fa’alua lena mea i la ta faigamalo.

E iva (9) nofoa’iga o tali i le vala’au mai le fola: “Fofoga Fetalai!” “Mr. Speaker!” - Sa pei o lona ia suafa mo’i. Ioe, o le la na oso a, tu loa i ulufala. E leai se tasi o soifua mai nei i Tutuila ma Manu’a, e le’i a’afia lona soifua i se gaoioiga fa’amalo a lenei ta’ita’i. E leai se isi o tatou e le’i malu i le paolo lafoia o le tautua a lenei ’au’auna, e ala i tulafono na fafau i le Maota Fono Faitulafono o lea na galue ai I le lima sefulu tausaga..

E molimauina i lona tala’aga, lana filiga tofa, ma le ’au puputoa, paea’iga ua saga mai apouli, i la’asaga tetele uma o le ati’ina a’e o lo ta faigamalo:

1962 na tapena fa’anatinati ai le atunu’u mo le Fono o le Pasefika i Saute, sau ai Kovana Lee ma le poloa’iga a Peresetene Keneti, ia atia’e fa’avave le Teritori, ne’i tu maulalo Amerika i le va’ai a le atuvasa o le a autova’a mai i lea fono. Tuana’itau le ta’ita’i mua’i oso e opogi fuafuaga a le kovana fou. Fai mai lana saunoaga o lo’o fa’amauina, “Kovana Lee, o oe o le Mose ua auina mai e Peresetene Keneti e ta’ita’i ese Amerika Samoa mai Aikupito, mai lo matou nofo pologa.”
Sa i le Komiti o le Iloiloga ma le tusia o le Fa’avae toe Teuteuina o le 1967, lea tatou te soifua ai nei.
O Tuana’itau o le isi sui o le to’aiva o le Ulua’i Komisi Sa’ili Malo a Amerika Samoa, 1969.
O le tasi o ta’ita’i o le Komisi o le Feutaga’iga ma le Initeria, a o loma le palotaga o le Kovana. Le Komisi lena sa Iloilo ai ma toe fa’atulaga le Malo, i lalo o se kovana palotaina.
O le suiga taua e le o matamata tetele i lau silasila Amerika Samoa, o le fa’aofiofi o lo tatou leo i le iloiloga o a tatou tupe fa’asoasoa i luma o le Konekeresi, aua sa leai so tatou leo. Tuana’itau le isi o ta’ita’i na taulamua, na finau ma tu’itu’i, e le’i solomuli pe fa’atafa.
Sa tele lona sao i le finauga ia palota lo tatou Kovana; ma ia maua e le Fono Faitulafono le malosi e paaga tutusa ai ma le Vaega Fa’amalosi Tulafono.

E tele ana tautua. Out e manatu o le a molimauina i lenei aso. O isi vaega o le lisi umi o ana tautua, ua silafia e le atunu’u, aua o lea tatou te soifua ai, ma sa tatou va’aitino i ai.

I le 8 tausaga mulimuli na ‘ou i ai i le Maota Maualuga, e 4 tausaga o ma usufono fa’atasi ma le afioga a Tuana’itau. Fa lena o tausaga pei o o’u a’oga i se kolisi o polokiki, mai le porofesa o polokiki. O la’u molimau, e ma’eu le taleni i le matata o upu fai o malo fa’apolokiki, na foa’i e le Atua i lenei ’au’auna a le atunu’u.

Ua atoa nei le 13 o’u tausaga i le Ofisa o le Lutena Kovana ma le Kovana Sili. O ia tausaga e maniti fiafia o’u tino i taimi uma e fa’apea mai ai le Senatoa, o i ai se mea e fia talanoa mai ai. E maniti tino, ae ta’avili fa’avave le mafaufau – pe fia le tau o lena talanoaga ua mana’o mai ai Tuana’itau. Aua o Tua – o le ua e le fo’ifua.

Sa ou fesili i le tofa a Fofo, po o a ni ona lagona i le tu’umalo o si ana paaga i polokiki o nei tausaga e 50. Fai mai le To’oto’o: “O tatou uma e ta’a’alo i polokiki, e pei o tatou o ni Katapila (afi suafanua), e fa’alauleleia fanua mo le lautele. O le mea e ese ai le Katapila a Tua, e le gata i le kia alu i luma ma le kia solomuli, a e i ai ma kia e fa’atafa ai ma toe fo’i mai, toe alu i luma, se’ia o’o lava ina tau le mana’o o Tua.” O se tamali’i loto mau, ma le le fa’agae’etia i ona lagona ma ana mea e fai.

O la’u va’ai i nai ona toe aso, ina ua tauafiafi lana so’ofa’iga fa’atoe ’ulu taia o le atunu’u – o le ati’ina a’e o Tutuila ma Manu’a, ma le sa’iliga o se lumana’i mautu o ona tagata, sa taula’i i ai nai ana toe asaga. Masalo o la tatou toe fa’alogo lava i le ‘alaga a le liona o le malaefono lenei, le tatalo mo’omo’o a le la ua pulapula la goto - o lana tula’i e tali la’u folasaga e ui i le fa’atauga o le kamupani i’a. E a lau fa’afofoga? E le’i liliua le leo o le toa, le tofa loloto fa’atama, fa’atoea’ina, fa’ata’ita’i e silasila mamao.

Na ‘ou fai atu o le tautua o le mea a le tamali’i. Sa faigofie le tautua a Tuana’itau ona o le loto e toa atoatoa, magafagafa i mea aoga; e le’i solomuli le finau, a e teufatu le alofa i le atunu’u.

Amu’ia le talutalu fou o ta’ita’i fa’amalo o Amerika Samoa, ua i ai se fa’aa’oa’o, se “Sulu o le Tautua”, e pei o le mau a le Afioga a Kovana Uifa’atali; e te fa’aa’oa’o i ai, aua lo’o atagia ai le “Fa’amaoni o lona Alofa” pei o le mau a Kovana Tauese. Ae tu maualuga ai ona fa’amoemoega ina “Ia So’o’ula Aso Lelei a Samoa”, pei o le mau a Kovana Togiola. Ua taunu’u ai lava le mau a Kovana Lutali: “E leo tele Galuega.”

E a’amau le popo e tupu i tafatafa o le la’au na fanautama, pei o le tala i tama’i olive. Outou le nofo a alo o le ali’i Senatoa, lau susuga i le Fa’atonu o A’oga, Dr. Claire Tuia Poumele, uso ma tuagane, tau ane ma outou le sulu o le tautua a lo outou tama, aua ne’i mate, ne’i le so’o’ula. Ua avea le ’au’auamanu. Ua atia le ’ava i le finagalo le ma’alofia o le Silisili Ese – a ia to se ’ata. ‘Aua ne’i fa’apea ane se tasi, “Talofa i le pasina ua motu le iloa. Pe fa’apea ane: Talofa e ua le tupu i fusi se suli.” ’Aua.

O le saunoaga a Peresetene Keneti, “The torch has been passed to a new generation.” Le pa’ia o le Punefu ma le Nofo a Sa’o mo oe le Tualauta, tau ane ma oe le sulu o le tautua ma lona tu’ufa’asolo. Fa’atu mai se isi toa. Ua tele tasi oe i lo tatou Teritori. E mo’omia e aso nei ma ona fa’afitauli se isi Tuana’itau e tele le fatu, e tulitulimatagauina le ufi.

O a’u upu fa’ai’u: Ia tatala le filiali’i o lenei aso, a e noamau pea, aua ne’i matala pe ’afagafaga le agaga fa’afetai, fa’amalo, ma le fa’aaloalo i le tautua malo, tautua atunu’u, a lenei Ta’ita’i.

Tua – le uo pele. Ia manuia lau malaga. Folau ia, folau i lagima.

Soifua.

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