My Story, my journey from Tokelau to New Zealand
My name is Lise Dannies Hope-Suveinakama and I come from Atafu, Tokelau. I have five beautiful children and I am a proud grandmother.
I was born in Wellington on 25 January 1972 by my birth mother Teati Clearly. I was gifted to my parents Fenualoa Sini and Lise Sini. They moved back to Tokelau a year after I was born and took me with them. I was raised in Atafu alongside my grandparents Hope Uale and Teleo Uale together with my siblings – my two sisters and four brothers. Our family was a big family and we were all raised together with our whole extended families with my cousins, aunties and uncles.
I was so blessed, and I praise God for my loving parents Fenualoa and Lise. Both have passed away.
However, I want to showcase their love and dedication to raising me and the woman I have become. My father Fenualoa Sini was a master fisherman and a community leader and a member of the Village Governance (Taupulega). My father was a hardworking man; he was the breadwinner for our family. As a master fisherman, my father was rarely at home. He was always out fishing on the ocean or on the reefs or out in the islands. He did not have labouring or office work, but he was always working for our family. He made sure we had fish as that was the main diet at the time. I recalled my father leading our cricket team Puamelo at one time. He was kind, hardworking and committed. In his commitment, sometimes he would go out fishing out on the ocean for almost the whole night. My father was a happy man.
My beautiful mother Lise Sini complemented my father Fenualoa Sini. She was my rock and she was also hardworking. She was one of the finest weavers in my village of Atafu and was known for her talents. We would always have something nice to eat like “pepetu” or pancakes and some other special island dish. My mother was a Sunday School teacher and a member of the Women’s Committee. As the “Fatupaepae” or foundation stone of our extended family, she was responsible for caring for and looking after the whole extended family. Her main task was to share and allocate any family resources to all members of our family. My mother was a strong and very confident woman. Whenever she spoke, she was heard and looked up to. I was so proud of my mother.
As I was growing up, I was determined to make my parents proud. My parents taught me and my siblings strong values. These values are linked to their faith: Love, Honesty, Patience, Diligence, Hard work. My parents raised us by the word of God. Their teachings and faith helped me and my siblings to become good and excellent human beings. They raised us to honour them as our parents, love one another, love our families, love other people, and more importantly to love God.
Regarding my education, I went to Matauala School for primary and college. Since I came from a small village Atafu, I kept telling myself that I would get a school prize at the end of the school year. In addition, I would receive a scholarship to further my education overseas. These were huge goals to aspire to. To the glory of God all my aspirations were met.
I left Atafu to take up a government scholarship. I studied in Tonga High School from 1988-1989, Samoa College in 1990 and then moved to New Zealand on another scholarship to complete College at Wairarapa College from 1991-1992.
Leaving home was the most difficult thing to do. I was so homesick. I used to cry myself to sleep. But the images of my parents where I would see them back in the islands doing their chores, my father fishing and my mother weaving or cooking. These images comforted and encouraged me during my difficult times.
I attended Wairarapa College Boarding School for two years then the University of Waikato. My journey at Wairarapa College was not an easy one but I persevered. Since English is my second language I struggled with my accent and with limited English. I kept committing myself to going to University and to studying law. This goal was in my heart, mind and soul. There were many challenges, but God was so merciful.
As I was a scholarship student, I managed to save up my allowance to bring my parents to my first graduation in 1996. My father also came to my graduation in 1999 and to my admission as a Barrister and Solicitor to the High Court of New Zealand. My admission as lawyer to the High Court of New Zealand was a phenomenal experience. It was announced during my admission that I was the first Tokelauan to be admitted to the High Court of New Zealand. This was a big accomplishment and I owed this to my parents and God. I recalled my desires during college to become a lawyer; there were many obstacles. Despite the many challenges, I was able to do everything I needed to do to get into law school and to become a lawyer.
Returning to Tokelau with a big catch was another experience. As a young, inexperienced woman, going back to live and work in Tokelau was quite challenging. This was after being away from home, Atafu, for about 11 years. I was so isolated from any law practices or legal support that could have helped me with my new journey as a lawyer. At the time, I was 27 years old. I was married to Jovilisi Vulalai Suveinakama with a child, my first born Alowesi Neiliko Vulailai Suveinakama.
I managed to secure my first role as a legal support officer at the Office of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau. Over the years I got to really enjoy my work especially as a lawyer and working with the villages. After my admission in 1999, I was able to hold other duties where I was coordinating work for the women’s groups or Fatupaepae in Tokelau and with the Youth & Sports. I am fluent in my local language Tokelauan and am an Interpreter/Translator. I can speak and read Samoan as well. I enjoy working with the communities.
There was a time when I left Tokelau and moved to Fiji with my husband. Whilst in Fiji, I got admitted to the High Court of Fiji and I worked as the legal adviser to the Office of the Ombudsman. This opportunity was cut short as I had to return to Tokelau to support my mother due to my father’s passing.
I managed to go back to the Office of the Council on an attachment under the Transfer of Knowledge of Tokelau Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) funded by UNDP. From then until 2002 I worked for the Government of Tokelau and made my way up to becoming Senior Legal Adviser in 1998. I worked for the Office of the Council for more than 15 years. I was a Judicial Trainer and a Governance Trainer. My contract ended.
In 2002 I gave birth to my daughter Hefenua Niulele Vulalai Suveinakama. I was blessed in 2003 with a son Tawanavanua Suveinakama. In 2005 my daughter Makarika Jessica Vulailai Suveinakama was born and in 2010 my youngest Semi Suveinakama. At the time, my husband was the General Manager National Apia and the Director of the Office of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau.I praise God for His mercies specifically for what He had helped me accomplish over the years. I contributed to some major constitutional developments in Tokelau. To mention a few, the Nationalising of the Tokelau National Elections. This was a significant achievement for the people of Tokelau. I was also the secretariat to the National Symbol Committee and was involved with the establishing of the national symbols of Tokelau: the flag, emblem, and the national anthem. Tokelau was able to tell the whole world about its identity. As a territory of New Zealand, this was anexcellent move. Another accomplishment is the Tokelau Handbook for the Law Commissioners of Tokelau. Since our Law Commissioners are appointed without any law experience nor law qualification, this Handbook was a great resource to help them. As Senior Legal Adviser, I worked closely with Professor Tony Angelo, and contributed to making new laws in Tokelau, drafting, translating and taking them to the villages for consultations before submission to the General Fono for endorsement. This assistance was also provided to the Villages for the Villages Bylaws. As a Tokelauan, I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to contribute to the developing of Tokelau, as a Territory of New Zealand. It is my desire that Tokelau will one day become a self-reliant nation and remain closely associated with New Zealand.
In 2020, an unexpected event occurred in my life and career. The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown held me back in New Zealand. The borders of Tokelau were closed, and I was not able to travel back to Tokelau. During the first lockdown, I decided to stay in New Zealand with my children who were already in New Zealand. At the time, I was given strict instructions from my boss to return to Samoa. I was not able to do that due to my children’s living circumstances. I decided after many prayers that I would stay back with my children. In September 2020 I received a letter from my boss that he was not renewing my contract. I was sad but at the same time I was grateful, and I praised God. I was given a verse by the Holy Spirit from the book of Isaiah 43:19 “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”
I was comforted and I put my trust in God. I went on the solo parent benefit and at the same time sought guidance from the Lord on my next move. I was contemplating whether to apply for work or to start up my own business.
I pondered and thought about the many years I had worked for the Government of Tokelau, and the many timesI left my children and family due to travel and work commitments. I had worked under people for so many years and I thought of becoming my own boss. I felt good and smiled at the thought that I could become a director for my own company. These thoughts became so strong, and led to the birth of Olatia Legal Consult as a Sole Trader Business in 2019. I was grateful to have found and connected to the Pacific Business Trust, to help me build my sole trader. In 2021 I moved to create a company, Olatia Consulting Ltd.
I was keen to move to starting a business to use my skills, knowledge and experience that I had gained over the years. As a registered lawyer of Tokelau, an enrolled lawyer in the High Court of New Zealand, a Tokelau Interpreter/Translator, and a Judicial and Governance Trainer, I was encouraged to have a business. I believe with these traits and experiences over the years, I can deliver services to our communities or anyone needing help.
I have learned many lessons about doing business through the training and the support of my business mentors. As a business owner, it is so important that I know my purpose, why my business exists and what goals I want my business to accomplish. My first two years of creating my business and operating it were not always smooth sailing. As a new business owner, I encountered many challenges from the day I started. However, it was important to keep moving and to follow my business plan. Since the day I set up my business in September 2020 and in 2021 I managed to get 4 business clients. These clients greatly helped generate income for my business. The income from my business for the two years helped me purchase our first family car in New Zealand. This was a goal accomplished. I had declared to my daughter Hefenua that I would purchase a car before she gave birth to my first grandchild. On the second week of July 2021, I purchased by making a cash paymentfor my car. This was an excellent accomplishment that was made possible from the income generated by my business Olatia Consulting Ltd.
I am so blessed to have so many mentors who have supported me over the years. My parents were my best mentors, and they were excellent role models. It was through their hard work and love for me and my siblings that I am the woman that I am today. Their values of love, respect, integrity, hard work and caring/helping others helped build me. Despite the fact that I was away from them for a very long time during my studies overseas, those values kept me going. I was always reminded of the sacrifices my parents made for me and my siblings. Their hard work and genuine love for me and my siblings motivated me to work hard in school, get a scholarship, go to university, graduate and get a job. I can still clearly recall that when I was at college and then university, I promised myself that I would make my parents proud. I would not make them cry. I also made a commitment that my parents would come over to New Zealand for my graduations. I give God all the glory because I was able to fulfil all these plans.
I have also received mentoring support over the years from Professor Tony Angelo and Tagaloa Enoka Puni. My Pastors from the Redeemed Christian Church of God Discovery Center Auckland are also my Mentors.
I am grateful to the Pacific Business Trust that provided the resources by engaging business advisers like Sara Jane Elika and Filipo Levi. They have helped me develop and build my business. I praise God for my Destiny Helpers, my many Christian sisters and brothers who encourage and supported me.
Regarding my social skills, I was in the B Netball Team at Wairarapa College. I was also in the Volleyball Team.
At home, I am a homemaker. I like a beautiful home and I am a good cook and a baker too. I make nice and yummy pineapple pies and chocolate cakes. This is also something I plan to do with my daughter Makarika Suveinakama to have a bakery online business as another generational activity.
On my Ministry Work, I translate the Open Heavens daily devotions into Tokelauan. I also make audio recordings of the translations and upload them to my podcast. This is for my evangelism work and winning souls to the Kingdom of God.
This year I also composed gospel songs straight from the Word of God. These are songs of praise and worship to glorify God.
