Fano Solinuu Shimasaki (May 22, 1888 – April 17, 1958) was an

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 ...

n traditional chieftess and politician. Shimasaki was the first woman to serve as a Senator in 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 ...

, the upper chamber of the

American Samoa Fono The American Samoa Fono is the territorial legislature of American Samoa. Like most states and territorial legislatures of the United States, it is a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate. The legislature is located ...

. She held the chiefly title of "Fano", from the family's home village of Fagaʻalu. Solinuu Shimasaki was born on May 22, 1888, in the village of

Utulei Utulei or Utulei is a village in Maoputasi County, American Samoa, Maoputasi County, in the Eastern District, American Samoa, Eastern District of Tutuila, the main island of American Samoa. Utulei is traditionally considered to be a section of Fag ...

on the island of

Tutuila Tutuila is the largest and most populous island of American Samoa and is part of the archipelago of the Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific. It is located roughly northeast of Brisba ...

, present-day

, to Tuiaimo'o Fano and Tausisi'i Leta'a. In 1907, she married Masaitchido "Frank" Shimasaki (1877–1962), who was one of the first

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese businessmen to immigrate to American Samoa. The couple had at least fourteen children, including Fano Frank Shimasaki (1913–1984), their last surviving son who also served as a member of the

. Fano Solinuu Shimasaki died in Fagaʻalu, Maʻopūtasi County, Eastern District, American Samoa, on April 17, 1958, at the age of 69. She was buried in Fagaʻalu village. In March 2021, U.S. Congresswoman

Amata Coleman Radewagen Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen ( ; born December 29, 1947), commonly called Aumua Amata ( ), is an American Samoan politician who is the current delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republi ...

released a statement paying tribute to Fano Shimasaki, as well as Mabel Coleman Reid, the first woman elected to the

American Samoa House of Representatives The American Samoa House of Representatives is the lower house of the American Samoa Fono. The House consists of 21 members serving two-year terms, with 20 popularly elected representatives, and one delegate from Swains Island elected in a publ ...

, to mark

Women's History Month Women's History Month is an annual observance to highlight the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. Celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with Internationa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimasaki, Solinuu 1888 births 1958 deaths American Samoa senators American Samoan women in politics People from Faga'alu People from Eastern District, American Samoa