Lest We Forget
First we acknowledge the lives of 74 Tongans whose bodies remain buried undersea with its captive ship the Princess Ashika. It sank shortly before midnight on the 5th of August. A Royal Commission of Inquiry is now underway in Tonga.
Rest in Peace.
Ua gagana le matagi
Ua malele le eleele ile lotomomoia
Ua taape le galu ma lona toasa
The winds have uttered their strength
Earth has spoken their grief
The waves have scattered its anger
Prime Minister of Samoa Sailele Malielegaoi Tuilaepa, address to the nation, Wed 1 Oct 2009
This Rembrance page is in honour of the families of all the dead, and missing, who perished in the Quake and tsunami that hit Samoan islands at at approximately 6:48am Tues(local Samoa time) 29 Sept 2009. The earthquake measured 8.3 on the Richter scale and was felt throughout Samoa, American Samoa and the Tongan island of Niuatoputapu. This was followed by a tsunami that severely battered the islands living scores dead, many missing, and desseminated villages, homes, the lot. The official death toll will be added to this page when the search for the dead and the missing is complete. Until then, the search for loved ones continues.
Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things
Memoria est thesaurus omnium rerum e custos
As at th 4th October, more than 310 were confirmed injured in the South Coast of Upolu.
Official death toll is provided by the Samoa Police. The latest official figures state 142 dead in Samoa.
This includes those who have been missing, presumed dead.
This list does not include the names of those whose bodies were buried by loved ones without authorities being notified.
The following names were read out at Samoa’s National Memorial Funeral Service at Apia Park
Thursday 8 October 2009.
At least 70 of the bodies recovered were children. The eldest victim was 106 years old.
1. Abish Schwalger
2. Alavina Aiotaota
3. Alema Tofu
4. Alice Annie Star Meredith
5. Alo’alo Sa’oleititi
6. Amataga Tiotio
7. Ana Iulai
8. Anna Schafaussen
9. Aneanea Anetone Tafia
10. Anesone Tafia Mau
11. Aneti Alesana Luafitu
12. Anita Sulusi Fetu Nuualiitia
13. Ardmore Meredith
14. Asipau Faofua Alataua
15. Baby Tsunami
16. David Sootaga
17. Eliza Taamilo
18. Etimani Junior Tafua
19. Faanunu Talapa
20. Faapopo Auro Touli
21. Falevalu Segifili
22. Feagai Fatuesi
23. Felisi Tavita Lupeamanu
24. Fili Tialeaiga Petelo
25. Frazer Faaleaga
26. Gali Anesone Tafia
27. Gali Tafia Mau
28. Gardenia Meredith
29. Gwenalyn Taufua
30. Hatonaina Lauvai
31. Iafeta Steven Saoleititi
32. Jason Siu
33. Jerry Schwalger
34. John Junior Simo Ulugia
35. Joseph Purcell
36. Junior Livigisitone
37. Kapeneta Viiga
38. Keleise Pati
39. Lafitaga Suafai Sasulu
40. Lafotua Aiesi
41. Laumoe Aleki
42. Lauti Sio
43. Logo Letone Uili
44. Logotaeao Faaaliga
45. Lolagi Ikenasio Tevaga
46. Losivale Faapoi
47. Lote Fale Suiono
48. Lua Sia’u Tavale
49. Lutia Faapoi
50. Leueta Lesafoti
51. Mafatua Sua
52. Maka Tuumaga Esera
53. Maliumai Anetone Tafia
54. Malo Maryanne Maiava Vai Mikaele
55. Malo Fanene Uili
56. Malo Vai
57. Manino Salauta Fauena
58. Maria Tinei
59. Marilyn Ulugia
60. Masela Lafaua
61. Matala Taufua
62. Mauapi Amosa
63. Mauapi Mafoe Seuala
64. Maupenei Tofilau
65. Merina Lesa
66. Metita Sui (Goretti) Schwalger
67. Milo So’o
68. Milo To’o Paipa
69. Miriama Faletoi Fatu Satui
70. Moanalei Sarah Long
71. Mupenei Tofilau
72. Naiuli Faaaliga
73. Nifo Siu
74. Niusilani Mania Agalenuu
75. Nonumaifale Tofilau
76. Olosepu Anae Simone Anae
77. Otto Leuluaialii
78. Paepae Faia Ioane
79. Palenapa Moeaia
80. Pelesasa Etimani Taufua
81. Peter Letiu
82. Pili Poo
83. Precious Malaga Aiotaota
84. Pritchard Siu
85. Pula O K Sepelini
86. Punitafau Afoa
87. Rachel Jemaima Ioane Leuelu
88. Ranui Simanu
89. Ronaldo Aleni
90. Rosa Afaua Uili
91. Quenzon Lesa
92. Saeni Ioana Purcell
93. Salamina Talosaga Lopau
94. Sapi Peresia
95. Sara Amosa
96. Satelite
97. Seea Peilua
98. Sefulu Taamu
99. Selau Farani
100. Sesa Toomalatai
101. Shanna Faith Lanu
102. Siaea Areta
103. Sieni Ropeti
104. Siimoa Taufua Lauina
105. Sili Junior Apelu Taufua
106. Siliva Eteuati
107. Sima OK Sepelini
108. Simamao Suani Sagapolutele
109. Sivaisua Livigisitone
110. Soaai Jerry Schwalger
111. Sue Taufua
112. Sui Fuaiupu Esera
113. Taimane Tapuloa
114. Taua Sagale Lauiliu
115. Tauaipolu Purcell
116. Tauavaga Tupuola Logo
117. Leifi Fuimaono LT Taufua Sio
118. Tautua Silupe
119. Teancum Charles Schwalger
120. Teleise Aiesi
121. Tiloni Sio Pati
122. Tini Suafai
123. Togafalea Alesana Luafitu
124. Tuese Peilua
125. Tui Joe Annandale
126. Tusipepa Hanipale
127. Ulalia Siatualauvao Lauvai
128. Va’imoana Fui Fasavalu Lupeamanu
129. Vaisigano Lauvai
130. Vinesa Toa
131. William Tau Faaaliga
132. Willie Leio TumuaFor countries in which names have already been published, they are listed below:
New Zealand Citizens (9 confirmed dead, one missing)
- Mary Ann White, age 55, of Raglan
- Rebecca Martin, age 24, of Matamata
- Petria Martin, age 22, of Matamata
- Taua’avaga Tupuola, age 84, of Otara
- Simon Anae, age 56, of Mt Wellington
- Alfie Cunliffe, age 2, of Nelson (missing, presumed dead)
Australian Nationals
Five persons confirmed dead of which two are children, one of Spanish descent.Brazilian National
Ana Isabel Pinheiro da Silva, 41.Germany
Information unavailable.
TSUNAMI DEATH TOLL IN NIUATOPUTAPU TONGA ( 9 dead)
1. Losalio Lefai
2. Sefo Lefai
3. Toni Lefai (child)
4. Tina Lefai (infant)
5. Kalolo Kivalu
6. Lesina Tupouto’a
7. Tu’ulomia Tavake
8. Heneli Losalu
9. Lupe Pukenga
TSUNAMI DEATH TOLL IN AMERICAN SAMOA (34 dead)
No official casualty list released
i’m also a samoan but i am from a village called savaii
thanks to ya people for kind words
hello i am francella i came from savaii my family died when i was 5 years of age i never forgot them i have loved them sooo much.
Our Condolences to all the families that lost their love ones….but just want to correct that 18. Etimani Junior Tafua, you got his last name worng, he is, Etimani Junior Taufua. May you all Rest In Peace……
We are wondering about the families we knew in Malaela when we were Peace Corps Volunteers in the 1970′s. We saw Leute on TV news one night, but know nothing about others of the family of Valaile. We would appreciate any information about them, and how we might contact them.
Fa’afetai lava,
Lagi ma Loi
Tulouga ia lau faafofogaaga samoa lou pele e tasi lava oe i lou agaga.ua malo le onosai,malo le lava papale,ua tau mou malie atu le pogisa na ufitia ai si tatou atunuu,ae ua amata ona tafa mai ata o tauleleia e pei o lea foi mua gagana,ua matou maua le tala o loo fasolosolo lelei lava le taualumaga o le faasoasoaina o fesoasoani mo nai aiga o loo mafatia,aemaise lava si matou itumalo o Aleipata faapea foi le ATU Falealili.O loo malosi lava le agaga tatalo ma faatoga mo si o tatou atunuu ina ia malu pea samoa i aao alofa o le Atua.Momoli atu ou alofaaga i nai ou aiga i lalomanu,vailoa,faapea foi satitoa,ia faapea foi nai ou aiga o loo i le itu i Falealili.Faapitoa foi alofaaga i si ou tina o Marina Fuauli Faasalele TAUTALI,O LOO ALALA I LE NUU PELE LEA O VAILOA Aleipata,ia loto tele pea oe si ou tina se taimi oi luma tatou feiloai fiafia,foi le viiga i lo tatou matai o alofaaga e le uma mo aiga uma o samoa,aemaise uo ma e masani.
Samoa o oe o lou fatu,alofaaga mo le nuu pele o Vailoa Aleipata ma le aiga sa Saumalu.
Fr:MARETA PERCEL FEGAIMALII TAUTALI UNUTOA.
LOVE ALWAYS AND GOD BLESS
This past White Sunday, I went with my sons Ben and Jr to Lalomanu to pay our respects to our beloved Aunt Vinesa Toa. She was swept by waves and her grandson Feagai and baby granddaughter. We attended the solemn White Sunday service. It was the first step to bringing healing in our loss, although it will be a lifetime of memories we have to cherish.
Our faith in our Lord will help us embrace and move forward in life. God Bless to all who have been touched by this travesty.
Thank you for your post Benjamin.
Everything you said is so true.
Lots of love
Vienna Richards
This is so sad and I am so sorry for your loss. Such beautiful people and such a beautiful place. I am glad that friends I knew in Saleapaga (Fao Fao) and Lalomanu (Romeos Beach Fales) on the South coast W. Samoa did survive. I wonder about the folks at Vaotaua Beaches Fales on manono Island, the home of Vai Ali-ilima on Manono Island, and the folks at Jane’s Beach Fales on Savaii Island. If anybody knows please write me at ELSOL102@verizon.net
To all the Family and Friends in samoa and around the world, that has been affected by the Tsunami,
our thoughts and prays are with you all.
Even to those that havn not been affected as you have, we still feel that we have been affected by the Tsunami, as we are all 1 big family.
Our condolences to all the people of Samoa! You are in our prayers and thoughts……….