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Survivors, friends and families remember the 34 lost in 2009 tsunami

[l-r] Rotary Club of Pago Pago president Agnes Polu, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga, CCCAS Fagatogo Rev. Iasepi Ulu, Dept. of Human and Social Service official Lupe Sunia Fiso, a female guest, and Hawaiian Airlines representative Voloti MalietoaIoasa Pese, whose sister Folalela Lauofo, was among the 34 victims of the 2009 tsunamiAmerican Samoa Power Authority executive director Utu Abe Malae
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA —  “I bring a very simple message from our Crisis Counseling program. Three very important reminders for all of us because we all deal with trauma, we all deal with pain, we all deal with tragedy,” said Lupe Sunia Fiso of the Department of Human and Social Services in her remarks at last Saturday’s Memorial Remembrance Service for the 34-victims of the Sept. 29, 2009 tsunami.

“And we are reminded to never forget healing, to never forget hope, and to never forget recovery,” she said during the hour-long service hosted annually by Rotary Club of Pago Pago and Hawaiian Airlines at the Tsunami Memorial Family Picnic Shelter at Lion’s Park with the support of others in the private sector and government including DHSS.

Fiso, who represented DHSS director Muavaefa’atasi John Suisala who was unable to attend the ceremony, shared with the audience of more than 20 people, “They say that healing comes in a lot of different forms. We heal physically, we heal psychologically, and we heal emotionally. But healing is a very important process and experience for all of us dealing with pain and trauma.”

She noted that the message of healing is for everyone “in what ever way that works for you … healing brings us to a place of acceptance of what we have lost and gives us hope to move forward.”

Regarding the message of “hope”, she explained, “Hope is important because it reminds us that there’s always a tomorrow, that the sun will always rise. Hope reminds us, that together we can move forward. I particularly like the word ‘hope’ because no matter what difficulty comes our way, it’s a reminder that we can get through this together.”

And lastly for “recovery”, she explains that the DHSS service program works very closely with many survivors and families of trauma and that the department’s Crisis Counseling program ‘Aapa Atu’ is currently working with the families impacted by Tropical Storm Gita.

“We remind families about recovery,” she said and shared with the audience that earlier this year, she worked with a mother, who lost her son at the “tragic accident” at the Manu’a Store last year.

“It was very difficult to watch her (the mother) go through her pain, but her recovery almost two years later, has been absolutely phenomenal to experience and witness,” she said. “But that recovery didn’t happen on its own. So recovery is a process that we all go through together.”

She reminded the community of the services offered by DHSS, noting that “as we celebrate, the lives of those who we lost... nine years ago, recovery is possible. But that recover works as we do it together, as a community and as a people.”

As part of the annual ceremony, family members of those who were invited to attend the service were given the chance to share their story about their loved ones. This year, it was Ioasa Pese, whose sister, Folalela Lauofo, was among the tsunami victims.

Pese recalled that his sister had worked at the Territorial Administration on Aging office in Pago Pago and she always went into work early to turn on the computers at the TAOA office. And that morning nine years ago, she was at work, early as usual, when the tsunami came ashore.

Because she was very honest in her work and went in early, the tsunami claimed her life that day, he said, but quickly added, that it was God’s will. Pese says many of his sister’s adult children are in the military and reside off island.

The only other survivor who spoke at the service, was Ma’atulimanu Gaea who resides in Pago Pago and recalled, that morning when he was on his way to drop off his wife at work. He remembered the earthquake because rocks were falling down from the hill where the Governor’s Mansion is located.

After dropping off his wife, he headed back home but made a stop at the little restaurants, which at the time were located at Pago Pago Park, next to Asuega’s guest house. He recalled chatting with an Asian woman, who was always at the restaurant when he picks up food or coffee.

Not long thereafter, he said he noticed the wall of ocean out in Pago Pago harbor moving fast towards Pago Pago. He rushed off to get to higher grounds in his car, and others were doing the same — heading to higher ground.

After the tsunami had passed he returned back to the village to see where he could help with the recovery efforts, only to discover the body of the Asian woman in the park area. He help moved her body to await authorities to arrive about two hours after the tsunami. Gaea said he was at the service to represent this kind Asian woman who had no family.

At the start of the service, Master of Ceremonies, Sualauvi Su’a noted that “we are here today to remember our loved ones” who were taken nine years ago by the tsunami.

He pointed out that it was just last Friday that another tsunami claimed the lives of 384 people at central Sulawesi in Indonesia where hundreds were also injured and thousands displaced.  (According to recent news reports, the death toll is now much higher.) Sualauvi called on the community to “remember them in our prayers.”

(Samoa News notes that American Samoa Government and the Provincial Government of North Sulawesi in Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding with the Lolo Administration is 2013 establishing a “sister-province” relationship, which was first initiated by the Togiola Administration in early 2012.)

CCCAS Fagatogo Rev. Iasepi Ulu, who offered the invocation and benediction as well as words of encouragement to those who lost loved ones nine year ago, describes the “memorial” monument where all 34-names are written as a “sanctuary of peace and healing.”

Rev. Ulu has presided over the memorial service for the last seven years since the monument was first dedicated.

Rotary Club president Agnes Polu also offered brief remarks, saying,  “…We are here today to reaffirm our faith in human goodness and hope.”

Hawaiian Airlines was represented by Voloti Malietoa, who said that nine years ago, “our people were covered with darkness, sadness and grief... in the aftermath of the tsunami. That darkness and grief brought us together today to remember and to heal.”

Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga, who is also the acting governor, offered words of comfort and encouragement to the survivors and their families.

A moment of silence was observed as Sualauvi recited names of the 34 lives lost in the tsunami.