# Tauese Sunia

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American politician

Tauese Sunia 5th Governor of American Samoa In office January 3, 1997 – March 26, 2003 Lieutenant Togiola Tulafono Preceded by A. P. Lutali Succeeded by Togiola Tulafono 6th Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa In office January 4, 1993 – January 3, 1997 Governor A. P. Lutali Preceded by Gaioi Tufele Galeai Succeeded by Togiola Tulafono Member of the American Samoa House of Representatives In office 1969–1970 Personal details Born (1941-08-29)August 29, 1941 Fagatogo, American Samoa, U.S. Died March 26, 2003(2003-03-26) (aged 61) En route to Hawaii Party Democratic Spouse Fagaoalii Satele (1969–2003) Children 10 Education University of Nebraska, Kearney (BA) University of Hawaii, Manoa (MA)

**Tauese Tuailemafua Pita Fiti Sunia** (August 29, 1941 – March 26, 2003) was an [American Samoan](/source/American_Samoan_people) politician who served as the fifth [governor of American Samoa](/source/Governor_of_American_Samoa) from 1997 until his death in 2003. He was the second governor of American Samoa to die in office; [Warren Terhune](/source/Warren_Terhune) was the first.[1]

## Career

Sunia's career in public service began in the education sector, where he held various administrative roles, including Deputy Director of the [American Samoa Department of Education](/source/American_Samoa_Department_of_Education) from 1972 to 1974. In 1974, he became the first vice president of the newly established [American Samoa Community College](/source/American_Samoa_Community_College), and later served as the Director of the Department of Education from 1984 to 1988. His political career began in 1992 when he was elected as [Lieutenant Governor](/source/Lieutenant_Governor_of_American_Samoa) on the Democratic ticket alongside [A. P. Lutali](/source/A._P._Lutali).[2]

Sunia was a member of the [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)). He won the [election of 1996](/source/1996_American_Samoan_general_election) in a close [runoff](/source/Two-round_system) with [Lealaifuaneva Peter Reid](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lealaifuaneva_Peter_Reid&action=edit&redlink=1) (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](/source/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](/source/2000_American_Samoan_gubernatorial_election), 50%–48%, with no runoff. The results were contested by his opponent, Peter Reid, but were eventually upheld by the courts.[3]

During Sunia's term of office a protest was issued against [Samoa](/source/Samoa), formerly named Western Samoa, for changing its official name to the shorter form. The official view in [American Samoa](/source/American_Samoa) is that such a form detracts from the [Samoan](/source/Samoan_people) identity of American Samoa, and public officials and documents from [American Samoa](/source/American_Samoa) still refer to Samoa as "Western Samoa".

In 1997, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by [Golden Gate University](/source/Golden_Gate_University).[4]

## Personal life

Sunia married [Fagaoalii Satele Sunia](/source/Fagaoalii_Satele_Sunia) in 1969.[1] They moved back to American Samoa in 1981 after living in [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii) and settled in [Leone, American Samoa](/source/Leone%2C_American_Samoa).[1]

Tauese Sunia graduated from [Samoana High School](/source/Samoana_High_School) and attended Kearney State Teachers' College in Nebraska, where he later taught. Returning to American Samoa in 1965, he taught Government and History at [Leone High School](/source/Leone_High_School) and on television. In 1967, he was hired by the [American Samoa Department of Education](/source/American_Samoa_Department_of_Education). From 1969-1970, he served one term in the [American Samoa House of Representatives](/source/American_Samoa_House_of_Representatives), representing the first district. In 1974, he assisted the President of the [American Samoa Community College](/source/American_Samoa_Community_College) with its relocation from [Utulei](/source/Utulei%2C_American_Samoa) to [Mapusagafou](/source/Mapusagafou). In 1980, Sunia earned a master's degree from the University of Hawai'i. He returned to American Samoa to support [A. P. Lutali](/source/A._P._Lutali)'s gubernatorial campaign and was subsequently appointed Director of Education by Governor Lutali. In 1992, he joined Lutali’s administration as [Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa](/source/Lieutenant_Governor_of_American_Samoa) in 1993. Sunia was awarded the High Orator title Tauese of the village of [Taʻū](/source/Ta%CA%BB%C5%AB) in 1984. He also served as chairman of the Annual General Assembly of the Christian Congregational Church in 1996, 1998, and 2000.[5]

## Death

Sunia died during his second term, on March 26, 2003, while on a flight to [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii) to receive medical treatment, becoming only the second governor of American Samoa (after [Warren Terhune](/source/Warren_Terhune)), and the first civilian one, to die in office. In 2012, the Utulei Convention Center was remodeled and renamed for Sunia.[6] His wife, Fagaoalii Satele Sunia, died on September 5, 2015.[7]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-samoanews_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-samoanews_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-samoanews_1-2) Feagaimaalii-Luamanu, Joyetter (September 9, 2015). ["Former First Lady "Faga" Sunia, passes away"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150925004328/http://samoanews.com/content/en/former-first-lady-%E2%80%9Cfaga%E2%80%9D-sunia-passes-away). *[Samoa News](/source/Samoa_News)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/former-first-lady-%E2%80%9Cfaga%E2%80%9D-sunia-passes-away) on September 25, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Craig, Robert D. (2011). *Historical Dictionary of Polynesia*. Scarecrow Press. Page 263. ISBN 9780810867727.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Craig, Robert D. (2011). *Historical Dictionary of Polynesia*. Scarecrow Press. Page 263. ISBN 9780810867727.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Craig, Robert D. (2011). *Historical Dictionary of Polynesia. Scarecrow Press*. Page 263. ISBN 9780810867727.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Sunia, Fofō Iosefa Fiti (2001). *Puputoa: Host of Heroes - A record of the history makers in the First Century of American Samoa, 1900-2000*. Suva, Fiji: Oceania Printers. Page 148. ISBN 9829036022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["State of the art ocean center dedicated to Tauese Sunia"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150910101936/http://samoanews.com/node/8013). *Samoa News*. August 20, 2012. Archived from [the original](http://www.samoanews.com/node/8013) on September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Former First Lady Fagaoalii Sunia passes away"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150924130824/http://www.talanei.com/Former-First-Lady-Fagaoalii-Sunia-passes-away/21943325). *Talanei*. September 8, 2015. Archived from [the original](http://www.talanei.com/Former-First-Lady-Fagaoalii-Sunia-passes-away/21943325) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.

## External links

- [Obituary](https://web.archive.org/web/20071010082718/http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2003/03/28/american-samoa-mourns-death-of-governor-tauese-sunia)

- [Office of Insular Affairs obituary](https://web.archive.org/web/20041107225943/http://www.doi.gov/oia/Islandpages/inmemorium.htm)

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?53746) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

Political offices Preceded by Gaioi Tufele Galeai Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa 1993–1997 Succeeded by Togiola Tulafono Preceded by A.P. Lutali Governor of American Samoa 1997–2003 Party political offices Preceded by A. P. Lutali Democratic nominee for Governor of American Samoa 1996, 2000 Succeeded by Togiola Tulafono

v t e Governors of American Samoa Commandant (1900–1905) Tilley Sebree Minett Underwood Naval (1905–1951) Moore Parker Crose Post Stearns Post Woodruff Poyer Terhune Evans Pollock Kellogg Bryan Graham Lincoln Spore Emerson Lincoln Landenberger Latimore Dowling Fitzpatrick Milne Hanson Wallace Wild Larsen (alongside Wild) Moyer Hobbs Hungerford Canan Houser Huber Darden Civil (1951–1978) Phelps Elliott Ewing Judd Lowe Coleman Lee Aspinall Haydon Mockler Ruth Barnett Lee Elected (since 1978) Coleman Lutali Coleman Lutali Sunia Tulafono Moliga Mauga Pula

v t e Lieutenant governors of American Samoa Liamatua Faleomavaega Poumele Galeai T. Sunia Tulafono F. Sunia Mauga Ale Ae

Authority control databases VIAF GND

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