Amoa Tausilia

Tausilia was born Samusu on Upolu in August 1922.^[1] He was educated at the Marist Brothers School in Apia and subsequently worked as a teacher, serving as headteacher of Chanel Primary School between 1943 and 1947.^[2][1] From 1948 to 1951 he worked as a merchandise manager for Samoa Traders.^[1] He was conferred with the chiefly title Amoa in 1950,^[1] and later joined the civil service, working for the Registrar of Co-operative Societies.^[3]

Tausilia contested the Aleipata Itupa-i-Lalo constituency in the 1957 general elections and was elected to the Legislative Assembly. The following year he was elected Deputy Speaker.^[4] As a member of the Legislative Assembly, he was part of the 1960 Constitutional Assembly that drew up the independence constitution, to which he was a signatory. After being re-elected in 1961, he was elected Speaker. He remained Speaker following the 1964 elections, serving until the 1967 elections.

After being re-elected again in 1970, Tausilia was appointed Minister of Education. In a cabinet reshuffle the following year, he became Minister of Justice.^[5] He lost his seat in the 1973 elections.^[6] He contested the seat unsuccessfully again in 1976, 1979 and 1982.^[7]