Afoafouvale Misimoa

Afioga Afoafouvale Misimoa (25 September 1900 – 18 February 1971), also known by his European name Harry William Moors, was a Western Samoan businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly in two spells between 1951 and 1967, and was the first Pacific Islander to become Secretary-General of the South Pacific Commission. He also founded the Samoa Rugby Union.

Biography Misimoa was born in September 1900, the son of Harry Jay Moors, an American trader and friend of Robert Louis Stevenson. He attended Auckland Grammar School in New Zealand and Belmont Military Academy in the United States before studying at Stanford University. However, he lost his seat in the 1957 elections. Prior to the 1961 elections he renounced his European status and contested the Samoan constituency of Palauli East, defeating former Minister Tualaulelei Mauri by 46 votes to 42. However, Mauri submitted a petition seeking to overturn his defeat, claiming that a death oath had been placed on voters by a local chief if Misimoa was not elected. Mauri's case was later dismissed due to contradictory evidence.

Having served as Senior Commissioner for Western Samoa on the South Pacific Commission, in January 1970 Misimoa became the organisation's Secretary-General, the first Pacific Islander to hold the post. He died during an official visit to Tarawa in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in February 1971.