Afioga Afoafouvale Misimoa (25 September 1900 – 18 February 1971), also known by his European name Harry William Moors, was a Western Samoan businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly in two spells between 1951 and 1967, and was the first Pacific Islander to become Secretary-General of the
South Pacific Commission
The Pacific Community (PC), formerly the South Pacific Commission (SPC), is an international development organisation governed by 27 members, including 22 Pacific island countries and territories around the Pacific Ocean. The organisation's hea ...
. He also founded the
Samoa Rugby Union
Rugby Samoa () is the governing body of the sport of rugby union in Samoa. Founded as the ''Apia Rugby Union'' in 1924, it was affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union the same year.Jones, p10 It joined the International Rugby Board as ...
.
Biography
Misimoa was born in September 1900, the son of Harry Jay Moors, an American trader and friend of
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...
. He attended
Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School (often simplified to Auckland Grammar, or Grammar), established in 1869, is a State school, state, Day school, day and Boarding school, boarding secondary school for Single-sex education, boys in Auckland, New Zealand. ...
in New Zealand and Belmont Military Academy in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
before studying at
Stanford University
Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
. During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
he served in the American military in France and Germany.
After returning to Western Samoa, Misimoa joined the civil service, working for the Department of Samoan Affairs. A keen sportsman, he founded the
Samoa Rugby Football Union
Rugby Samoa () is the governing body of the sport of rugby union in Samoa. Founded as the ''Apia Rugby Union'' in 1924, it was affiliated to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union the same year.Jones, p10 It joined the International Rugby Board as ...
in 1924 and built the first golf course in Western Samoa. In 1928 he joined O.F. Nelson and Co, working for his brother-in-law Olaf Frederick Nelson, before leaving in 1934 to establish a dairy firm. He was also a founder member of the
Apia
Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of Tuamasaga.
The Apia Urban A ...
Chamber of Commerce. He joined the Samoa Defence Force in 1938, serving as Commander of the group of Samoan troops that joined the
Māori Battalion
The 28th (Māori) Battalion, more commonly known as the Māori Battalion (), was a light infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army that served during the Second World War.
The battalion was formed following pressure on the Labour government ...
. He was subsequently seconded to the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
, training American army personnel in bush tactics and jungle warfare.
Misimoa entered politics in the early 1950s. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a European representative in
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the Uni ...
, and was re-elected in
1954
Events
January
* January 3 – The Italian broadcaster RAI officially begins transmitting.
* January 7 – Georgetown–IBM experiment: The first public demonstration of a machine translation system is held in New York, at the head ...
as the most voted-for candidate. He was appointed to the Executive Council, and when a
Member System
The Member System, modeled on the cabinet system, was created by British authorities in the Federation of Malaya to provide self-governance. Like the Communities Liaison Committee, it drew on members of different communities, and was later descri ...
was introduced in 1956, he became Member for Works.Lauofo Meti (2002) ''Samoa: The Making of the Constitution'', p39 However, he lost his seat in the 1957 elections. Prior to the 1961 elections he renounced his European status and contested the Samoan constituency of Palauli East, defeating former Minister
Tualaulelei Mauri
Tualaulelei Mauri (12 June 1903 – 8 September 1961) was a Samoa, Western Samoan chief and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly of Samoa, Legislative Assembly between 1943 and 1961, and as Minist ...
by 46 votes to 42. However, Mauri submitted a petition seeking to overturn his defeat,Results of Samoan Elections in Dispute ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', April 1961, pp118–119 claiming that a death oath had been placed on voters by a local chief if Misimoa was not elected. Mauri's case was later dismissed due to contradictory evidence. He was re-elected in
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
, but surprisingly lost his seat in the 1967 elections.
Having served as Senior Commissioner for Western Samoa on the
South Pacific Commission
The Pacific Community (PC), formerly the South Pacific Commission (SPC), is an international development organisation governed by 27 members, including 22 Pacific island countries and territories around the Pacific Ocean. The organisation's hea ...
, in January 1970 Misimoa became the organisation's Secretary-General, the first Pacific Islander to hold the post.Secretary-General of the SPC dies in Tarawa ''Pacific Islands Monthly'', March 1971, p25 He died during an official visit to
Tarawa
Tarawa is an atoll and the capital of the Republic of Kiribati,Kiribati ''
Gilbert and Ellice Islands
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean was part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976. It was a British protectorate, protectorate from 1892 to 12 January 1916, and then a crown colony, colony until 1 January 1 ...