(HONOLULU) — In a heart wrenching display of brotherly love, former Honolulu Mayor Muliufi Hannemann cried in closing his big brother’s eulogy in the Samoan language, bidding Afimutasi Gustav Hannemann a blessed journey during his memorial service Saturday, Jan. 17 in Hawai’i Kai.

Family from near and far, friends, officials from the American Samoa Government and members of the Samoan and Tongan communities in Hawai’i, packed the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Hawai’i Kai Ward chapel for the viewing and service.

“The Guzman” as dubbed by Mufi, called Gus by most, was remembered as a servant, teacher, super salesman, the ultimate family man, loving “Papa”, the best-looking of the Hannemann brothers, and above all – a fiercely proud Samoan. Gus was a nurturing, loving and supportive force in the life of the future mayor.

“[I]f I were to encapsulate my brother’s life, I would say first and foremost, he was fiercely proud of his Samoan heritage and culture. You know he was indeed ‘Fofoga o Samoa’, the Voice of Samoa and he took great pride in introducing people to his culture, to his heritage, or, to make sure people like (Seiuli) Dwayne The Rock Johnson in his maiden trip to Samoa would understand the importance of this culture, of that blood that flows through his veins to make sure that his investiture ceremony was one that he would never forget,” said Mufi.

“In fact, The Rock’s mother Ata said to Lydia that ‘Gus was The Rock’s Rock.’ And indeed that trip was something that he’d never never forget. [Gus] also had a special feeling and passion to promoting the Samoan athlete time and time and time again.”

It’s no wonder, said Mufi, that Gus eventually became a faipule (House Rep.), “an amazing feat when you consider the fact that his residence most of the time was here in Hawai’i but he managed to get elected to the House of Representatives there. And it was no… small wonder that Gus assumed the title of Afimutasi.”

“Gus was the ultimate family man,” said Mufi. Afimutasi is survived by his wife Lydia, son T.K., daughter Teuila Kaimikaua, son-in-law Wilbert Kaimikaua; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

“If you were to ask Gus’ children and grandchildren what was the common word that came out of your grandfather’s mouth, they would say ‘Lydia’, ‘Lydia’, ‘Lydia’…totally totally dependent on her. It even went so far as when the repairman was summoned to repair their washing machine and dryer, guess what? Gus had to call Lydia… and say ‘hey where’s the washing machine and dryer? He didn’t even know where that was. That was Gus, the Guzman.”

On behalf of Afimutasi’s widow Mrs. Lydia Leimomi Hannemann and the family, Mufi thanked and acknowledged everyone for taking the time to attend his brother’s service, extending his gratitude to everyone around the world who conveyed their sympathies via letter, email and text.

“Gus” as he was called by family and friends, was a “unique individual, one of a kind,” Mufi said. It was his big brother’s looks, appearance, charm and brilliance that made him “The Guzman.”

Speaker after speaker remarked on how Gus often asserted that he was the “best looking” of the Hannemann brothers – Gus, Miller, Nephi and Mufi. Mufi, the youngest of the siblings said “it wasn’t always that way” and took the audience back to Nu’uuli, American Samoa where Gus was born.

Afimutasi was the eldest of seven children born to Gustav and Faiaso Hannemann. Faiaso was the daughter of High Chief Pinemua Mulifui Soliai of Nu’uuli. Nine months after Gustav and Faiaso were married, they had Gus on Christmas Day in 1936.

“[U]pon Gus’ birth, my grandfather…said: ‘Faiaso, makua’i auleaga kele lenei pepe. Makua’i uliuli kele’,” Mufi said. “Well my grandfather said to my mother: Faiaso, what an ugly baby.”

Gus had a knack for turning weaknesses into strengths, even at a young age back in Nu’uuli, Gus knew how to use his brilliance and charm. High Chief Pinemua, Mufi noted, was a “working chief” who “labored long and hard on his plantations” and it was the duty of all the young men to help on the plantations. Typically, they’d start early in the morning with Pinemua leading the way up the mountain to the farm.

“I’ll give you one guess what Gus’ duty was,” said Mufi. “He somehow was able to escape hard labor. Why? Because he was able to convince my grandfather that he knew how to count and somebody had to count the number of taros and bananas that they needed to bring back. That was Gus’ responsibility. And as they came down from the mountain with bags of bananas and taros, what have you, Gus’ job was to carry my grandfather’s clothing and personal effects. He got away with it. But you see that is what Gus was all about, in terms of making sure he maximized that which he did best.”

Gus “left an indelible impression on me,” said Mufi. He was the movie star in the family and Mufi the youngest of the seven was in awe of his oldest brother, a “boy wonder” who at the age of 26 was called to be a Bishop for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the spiritual leader for a congregation of 300-400 people. Gus wowed Mufi when he was named to the Board of Directors for the Polynesian Cultural Center, the youngest member of the board. Mufi said PCC was “Disneyland” when it first opened up on the North shore of O’ahu. His uncle David was the first General Manager for PCC. Gus, “came very close to becoming Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa when he was in his thirties”, said Mufi. Gus also joined the U.S. Air Force serving the United States in Japan and Germany.

He was also remembered as a “miracle worker.” Mufi, after graduating from Fern Elementary School, was set and ready to enter Dole Intermediate School. He planned to be like his brother Nephi, play football and basketball for the Farrington High School Governors.

“All I know is Gus came home the day before school and said to my parents: ‘Tomorrow he’s (Mufi) going to ‘Iolani School,” Mufi recalled. “On the strength of a letter from my sixth grade teacher Thelma Takimoto, Gus somehow did his magic and I ended up at ‘Iolani and I graduated from ‘Iolani. Gus can fill you in on the details when you see him in the life hereafter.”

Gus was a terrific teacher, said Mufi, adding when they had to give talks in church, they had to be prepared and they had to do it well. Gus was the teacher, a perfectionist who expected the same from his siblings when it came to public speaking. When people remarked on Mufi’s exceptional speaking and debate skills, for which he never took a class, he would credit Gus, a proud Farrington graduate. And people would be flabbergasted, Mufi said.

“Gus was a cultural icon,” said Mufi. ”I marveled at his ability to be bilingual. I marveled at his ability to communicate in both languages. I marveled at his ability to move between both cultures. [A]s fiercely proud Gus was of being a Samoan he had a lot of palagi friends and many of them have come today. In fact, one of the circles of friends that Gus had was a group of palagi media types that would gather once or twice a week for lunch at Columbia Inn or at Sunset Grill and that’s because Gus was able to be so conversely in both languages and I marveled at that. I said when I grow up I want to be just like that…to be able to move with both cultures and do it so seamlessly and effortlessly.”

As a “super salesman”, Gus earned awards in selling insurance and automobiles and “later in life he did a great job of selling some 6’7” Samoan dude to become the mayor of Honolulu,” Mufi said.

“But you had to be careful what you said to him. Give you a story. Gus loved to go door-to-door with Lydia and knock on his neighbors’ doors and say ‘Hey, I want you to vote for my brother.’ Be careful that you didn’t say this because one time I heard somebody say: ‘Oh Gus of course we’re going to vote for your son, you did such a great job of raising him.’ That was it. He shut the door and I lost the votes.”

Gus “was all about service,” and he never looked for compensation or reward, said Mufi. Gus was impatient and wanted things done yesterday. Gus would say he was not doing it for himself but for that person because for them that’s the most important desire for that person to make sure that individual was in a better place.

Gus was also a big brother to many, said the former mayor. Mufi quoted a prophet from his LDS faith, the late President Spencer W. Kimball.

“Service to others deepens and sweetens this life while we are preparing to live in a better world. It is by serving that we learn to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we also put our own problems in a fresher perspective,” said Mufi. “When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves. In the midst of serving there is the promise of Jesus and by losing ourselves we find ourselves. Oh yeah, my brother found himself in the service of others. My brother was all about making sure people were put in a better place.”

Mufi shared a message written to Lydia from one of Gus’ “admirers”, the Director of Port Administration in American Samoa Dr. Claire Tuia Poumele, former director of the American Samoa Department of Education.

“You know Gus is going to be remembered for his consistent response to requests from the American Samoa Department of Education for assistance with students traveling to Hawai’i,” wrote Dr. Poumele. “Whether it was ground transportation, accommodations or an opportunity to perform in Hawai’i – Gus was always there.”

Gus also traveled to Manu’a Islands in American Samoa to personally deliver football equipment collected from Hawai’i schools like Punahou and ‘Iolani. He introduced to the Fono, the lawmaking body in American Samoa, urging for Fono support to send students from American Samoa to the Job Corps program in Hawai’i. He coordinated and facilitated the donation and delivery of books to American Samoa to encourage young people to read and to be educated. In 2013, Afimutasi also arranged for the family of a two-week old child born with a defective heart in American Samoa to travel to Hawai’I for medical attention. Today, that child is a healthy happy baby, said Mufi.

His Samoan farewell was a sad ending to an entertainingly humorous account of Afimutasi’s life and Mufi’s growing up as Gus’ little brother.

Mufi said his brother had an undeniable testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was an ultimate man of prayer, a man of faith “and he believed that it was so essential to have faith in your life.”

The last week of Gus’ life they spent it together, went to Las Vegas and met up with brother Nephi in L.A. The last Sunday they went to church and it was as if he knew his time had come to go home.

“My brother was a remarkable man…as we bid farewell to Gus today, he leaves behind a legacy, a legacy of service, a legacy of charity, a legacy of fellowshipping,” said Mufi, noting Gus will be remembered by many many people here in Hawai’i, in Samoa and throughout the Pacific Rim for what he did.

“I, for one, will miss a brother, a father figure, a patriarch, someone who always had my back, someone who’s always there through thick and thin and like you, will love and cherish it for decades and years to come,” said Mufi. “Manuia lau malaga le uso pele. Fa’amolemole…momoli atu alofa’aga mo Mama, Daddy ma Titi. Oute alofa ia outou uma, tatou feiloa’i i se aso o i luma. What I just said to my brother was have a safe journey and please give my love to Mama, Daddy and my sister Titi. I love you all. Until we meet again.”

AMERICAN SAMOA GOVERNMENT

Government officials from American Samoa arrived Saturday morning to honor the service of Afimutasi to the people and government of American Samoa as director of the ASG-Hawai’i Office.

Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, First Lady Cynthia  Moliga, Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie, House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale, Sen. Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono and Sen. Nua Saoluaga comprised the ASG contingent. Taotasi Archie Soliai, former House Rep., traveled with the contingent.

Lt. Gov. Mauga spoke on behalf of the government and people of American Samoa. He greeted Lydia, the Hannemann family and gathering with traditional Samoan salutations.

“Much…we have witnessed and heard about Afimutasi,” said the Lt. Gov. “His service to the Samoan people and many of us reminded me of a connection in an ancient story told by His Highness Tuiatua of the potential war between Tagaloa Fulife’ai and Tuiatua Fepulea’i that was prevented by the acceptance of what we call ifoga, a traditional ritual that is performed when seeking the pardon or mercy of an offended party.”

The ritual was performed by the wife of Tuiatua, Puletufaasili who took a si’i to her father Tagaloa on behalf of her husband, people and their unborn child. With child, Pule went out to the ocean when her father who was ready to go to war with her husband. She pleaded with her father for his mercy.

In her plea, the Lt. Gov. said, she whispered the famous Samoan saying ‘E leai se gau mata’u ga’o le alofa.’ In English, what you do in the name of hatred will not survive. But what you do in the name of love will live forever.

“As we witnessed today along with Gus, his spirit, the love he had touched throughout his life, the service, that he has helped each and every one of us here today, and especially the people of American Samoa who we are here to represent. And that to me, the leaders of American Samoa, people of American Samoa – this is Gus’ legacy in this world. E leai se gau mata’u na ge alofa. What you do in the name of hatred will not survive. But what you do in the name of love will live forever.”

He said “Gus will always be remembered as our Samoan ambassador in the Western World and he gave his whole heart to the Samoan people.”

Addressing the non-Samoan audience members, Lt. Gov. Mauga said for those who saw Afimutasi wearing a formal lavalava, he pointed out “it’s not a skirt” it’s a lavalava, or, ie. Lt. Gov. Mauga said Afimutasi protected and promoted the Samoan indigenous heritage; knew his roots, genealogy, family and Samoa.

He invited the gathering to join him in the singing of “Ua Fa’afetai” to thank Afimutasi for his service.

“On behalf of Governor Lolo M. Moliga, First Lady Cynthia, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, leaders and people of American Samoa, we’d like to express our sincere condolences Lydia Hannemann, family, Mufi and of course High Chief Soliai, may you find comfort, peace and strength from our loving Father. God bless, manuia, soifua.”

Afimutasi’s great grandfather was High Chief Muliufi Pinemua Soliai, one of the original signatories of the Deed of Cession that ceded eastern Samoa to the United States of America. His son was Afimutasi’s grandfather Pinemua Muliufi Soliai who held the Soliai title until his death in 1978. In 1981, a new chief was called – the current High Chief Soliai Tuipine Fuimaono, a senator in the Fono.

On behalf of the Hannemann family, in the Samoan language, Soliai greeted ASG officials and the audience thanking LDS church leaders, visiting spiritual leaders and the audience for joining them to remember Afimutasi.

BURIAL SERVICE—PUNCHBOWL NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC

Amid a small gathering of family and friends, Afimutasi was interred at the Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific Monday, Jan. 19 on the Martin Luther King holiday when the country honored King and highlighted service.

A former Airman for the United States Air Force, Afimutasi received military honors, the playing of “Taps” and the United States flag presented to his wife Lydia, by a member of the U.S. Air Force.

His siblings Gafanua Memea, Nephi, Mufi and Lady Va Maughan bid their brother farewell with a final song, “Tofa My Feleni.”

Fili Sagapolutele contributed to this report.