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American Samoa Government - PR002-10072025
Posted: October 07, 2025
Governor Pulaali’i Attends Opening of “Tiu Lelatasi Training”
by Pae ma le Auli Organization
PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — Governor Pulaali‘i Nikolao Pula and First Lady Lois Pula attended the opening ceremony of the “Tiu Lelatasi Training” hosted by the Pae ma le Auli Organization. The event, held in partnership with the American Samoa Alliance Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs (DYWA), and other civil society organizations, marks another milestone in the ongoing effort to address and prevent domestic and sexual violence in the territory.
The multidisciplinary training is funded through the Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) under the VAWA-STOP Grant Award, and aims to strengthen collaboration among community organizations, government agencies, and advocates working to end abuse and violence.
In his remarks, Governor Pulaali‘i commended the leadership of the Pae ma le Auli Organization for their steadfast commitment to combating violence and promoting healing within the community. He also acknowledged their President, High Chief Leiataua Leuga A. Turner and Vice President Ipu Avegalio Lefiti for their many years of service to our community through their organization. “This is a very important training and mission as it supports and includes every family in our territory,” said Governor Pulaali‘i. “It is often our relatives that abuse—and it should stop. I hope this training on these sensitive issues will help resolve, minimize, and ultimately eliminate abuse in our community.”
The Governor also emphasized the importance of compassion and mindfulness, urging everyone to be sensitive to those suffering from pain and trauma, particularly families, children, and women. “We must stop violence and abuse against women and children,” the Governor added. “This is not what God intended for our people or our families.”
Governor Pulaali‘i concluded by encouraging all participants and organizations to continue their mission of education, advocacy, and healing affirming that true strength lies in unity, respect, and the protection of every member of the community.
The Tiu Lelatasi Training runs from October 6–8, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. The program is designed to build system-wide responses to domestic violence, strangulation, child physical and sexual abuse, and human trafficking. In addition to justice-based topics, the training features sessions on motivational interviewing and addressing trauma and resilience through art.
On October 8, the program will also include a partnership with Compassion and Choices, a national organization focused on access to end-of-life planning resources. These sessions will explore motivational interviewing and culturally responsive ways to discuss end-of-life transitions with families, as well as how to approach these sensitive topics through the lens of art.
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Tatalaina o le “Aoa’oga Tiu Lelatasi” e le Fa’alapotopotoga
o le Pae ma le Auli
PAGO PAGO, Amerika Samoa - Na ‘auai atu le afioga i le Kovana Sili Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula ma le Tinā o le Atunu’u ia Lois Pula i le sauniga e tatala ālōa’ia ai le “‘Aoa’oga Tiu Lelatasi” i lalo o le ta’ita’iga a le Fa’alapotopotoga o le Pae ma le Auli. O lenei fa’amoemoe sa faipa’aga faatasi ai le Ofisa o le Tete’e atu i Sauaga i le tino ma Fa’afeusuaiga i totonu o Aiga, Matagaluega o Tinā ma Tupulaga talavou atoa ai ma isi Sosaiete ma Fa’alapotopotoga ma tagata lautele. Sa fa’ailoa ai le tāua o le tete’e atu i sauaga ma faiga fa’afeusuaiga i totonu o aiga ma le Teritori.
O nei a’oa’oga sa fa’atupeina ma fuafua lelei e le Ofisa o Fa’amasinoga o Soligatulafono e maua mai lea i le fesoasoani ale VAWA – STOP GRANT, ma le naunauta’iga ina ia fa’amalosia pea le galulue ma le lagolago ina ia taofia le fa’atinoina o sauaga i totonu o le atunu’u.
O le saunoaga a le afioga i le Kovana sa ia fa’afetaia ai le vaega o le Pae ma le Auli i le tofā ma le fa’autautaga mau mo le fa’amausalī’ina o le tete’e atu lea i sau’aga faia fa’amalosi i aiga. Na ia fa’afetaia ma tō atu le pulou i le Peresetene le afioga ia Leiataua Leuga A. Turnor, ma le Sui Peresetene le susuga Ipuavegalio Lefiti i le tautua matavela i tausaga e tele. Sa saunoa foi le afioga i le Kovana ona o le tāua tele o lenei ‘ao’aoga ma lana misiona e aofia ai uma le Teritori, i le va’aiga lautele o mafuli lava le tele o nei fa’afitauli i totonu o aiga, ma ua o’o i le taimi e tatau ona taofia loa. Ia avea nei ‘ao’aoga e tu’u iti’itia ai ma fa’amuta ai sauaga.
I lea lava finagalo fa’aalia o lana Afioga i le Kovana, sa augani ma tatalo atu i le atunu’u ina ia taofi ma tu’u loa nei uiga ma’ale’ale ma ia alo’alo ese ma le fa’atinoina o sauaga. Sa ia fa’amalosi’au ma lapata’i malosi atu i sui o fa’alapotopotoga ina ia fa’auau pea lenei fa’amoemoe tāua ma ana ‘ao’aoga auā lava le laveaina mai o tatou aiga ma nu’u mai i nei uiga matagā.
O le Polokalama o le Tiu Lelatasi o le a fa’agasolo pea i le masina lenei o Oketopa 6 – 8, 2025 amata mai le 9:00 ile taeao ae fa’ama’ea i le itula e 4:00 i le afiafi o aso ta’itasi. O lenei a’oa’oga o lo’o fa’amalosia le taofia o le faia o sauaga ma faiga fa’afeusuaiga ma fefa’afetaua’iga i alo ma fanau. Ia fa’aopo’opo atili pea nisi o faiga fa’avae mo le taofia lava o nei sauaga ma faiga matagā.
O le aso 8 o Oketopa, 2025 o le a tu’u faatasi ai ma le Fa’alapotopotoga o le Agaga’alofa ma Filifiliga, o nei a’oa’oga o le a faia ai ni su’esu’ega ma fa’atalanoaina ai tū ma aga, ma e ao ona tali atu ai, ma ia avea o se fa’aataata manino a’o agai atu i le i’uga o le soifuaga.
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