Samoa’s High Commissioner to Australia, Lemalu Tate Simi, passed away on Easter Friday at his family home, Fagali’i.
A family relative who declined to give his name said Lemalu was in the country to spend the Easter holidays with his family.
“He died in his sleep on early Friday morning,” said the relative.
“We are not certain what caused his death but he was scheduled to leave (for Australia) at the beginning of this week.” His wife, Peseta Noumea Simi, confirmed details of Lemalu’s final service. She said the family service would be held at the National University of Samoa at 4 o’clock on Thursday.
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“The final service will be on Friday, 10 in the morning at the Fagali’i-tai E.F.K.S. before he is brought home for his burial.” Lemalu is survived by four children. A poet and a well-known public servant, Lemalu held many positions in the government of New Zealand and Samoa.
Prior to his appointment as the High Commissioner to Australia in 2009, he held the position of Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour in 2003.
He replaced Dr. Le’iataua Kirifoti Eteuati as High Commissioner of Samoa to Australia. A former student of Samoa College, Lemalu later attended Wellington Polytechnic from 1972 to 1975 and continued his education at New Zealand Central Institute of Technology. Lemalu held the Presidency at the Red Cross of Samoa from 1995 to 2009.
His career stretched to the Samoa Rugby Union where he was an executive from 1987 to 2007. In those years he was elected as Manu Samoa Manager.
Following his education Lemalu was employed at Head Office of the Ministry of Works in Wellington New Zealand from 1972- 74 before moving to the Housing Corporation from 1974 until 1977.
Lemalu was well known for his famous poem called Identity. The poem was especially significant to the dilemma faced by Samoans who emigrate to a different country and culture.
IDENTITY
Educate yourself enough
So you may understand
The ways of other people
But not too much
That you may lose
Your understanding
Of your own
Try things palagi
Not so you may become palagi
But so you may see the value
Of things Samoan
Learn to speak Samoan
not so you may sound Samoan
but so you may
feel the essence of being Samoan
Above all
Be aware and proud
Of what you are
So you may spare yourself
The agony of those who are asking
“What am I?”
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