Paul Pedro, Jr.
BOARD PRESIDENT, TREASURER
Paul is the son of Paulo Pedro and Lesia (Veniale). He is a founding member of Te Taki and serves as the Treasurer. He is a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant JG and a retired Hawaiian Electric Co Supervisor of Regional Planning. Paul recently served as a Lead Apprentice and co-Director for the Ta Le Vaka project that constructed a heke ono, six-seater, Tokelau paopao for the community to revive Tokelau canoe building and sailing knowledge and practices.
Denielle Pedro
SECRETARY
Denielle is the daughter of Patrick Pedro and Angela (Techur). She is a proud Lumanaki School alumnus who holds a BA in English from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. Denielle is a talented writer and is presently pursuing a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Hawaiʻi’s William S. Richardson School of Law.
Chezerae Lurbe
DIRECTOR
Chezerae is the granddaughter of Lotoata (Tai) and Bud Karnuth and a mother of 3 boys. She is a teacher by profession, but a student of Te Lumanaki. She enjoys spending her free time at the beach with her family and catching up on her favorite favorite shows alone.
Te-Hina Ickes, Esq.
DIRECTOR
Te-Hina is the granddaughter of Paulo and Lesia Pedro. She teaches and develops curriculum content for the “Te La” class; pre-K and Kindergarten. Te-Hina is an alumnus of Lumanaki and is now sharing her knowledge of Tokelau language and culture with its current students. A proud Leilehua “Mule”, Te-Hina holds a BA in Anthropology from Knox College (Illnois) and a Juris Doctor (Law) degree from the University of Hawaiʻi William S. Richardson School of Law. She resides with her family in the beautiful village of Poamoho in the ahupua’a of Kamananui in the mokupuni of Oʻahu.
Mana La'ulu
DIRECTOR
Mana is the son of Nele (Fihaki) and Eddie La’ulu. He began attending Te Lumanaki as a youngster, learning the ins and outs of Tokelau song and dance. He is now a husband and a father to two growing boys, who, he hopes come to love and cherish the Tokelau culture as much as he does. On his free time you can find him perfecting his golf swing at his favorite golf course.
Tava La'ulu
DIRECTOR
Tava is the daughter of Nele (Fihaki) and Eddie La’ulu. She a long time student of Te Lumanaki. She enjoys relaxing at the beach with friends. She is currently learning Korean through her love of K-Dramas and K-Pop.
Gloryana Akapo
DIRECTOR
Gloryana is the daughter of Tinei (Liu) and Akapo Akapo. She is an archivist and resource specialist for Lumanaki School. She is a proud graduate of Tafuna High School (Am. Samoa).
Mass Patelesio
CO-DIRECTOR, NA FAIAOGA
Mahelino is the son of Charles (Kalolo) Patelesio and Vise (Tyrell). He is a founding member of Te Taki and serves as both a Tokelau language teacher for the Middle School-level class and as co-Director for Lumanaki School. Raised in Aoteroa, New Zealand, he has participated in the Tokelau Sports and Cultural Festival since childhood and various Tokelau Community events. He choreographs for and supports Lumanaki School’s kauhiva dance group with the pokihi percussions and has returned to Aoteroa on occasion to participate in the Tokelau Sports and Cultural Festival. Mahelino is a fan of cultural music and enjoys learning how to play indigenous instruments from around the world.
Bonnie Lesia Patelesio
NA FAIAOGA, DIRECTOR
Bonnie is the daughter of Paul Pedro and Lesia (Veniale). She is a founding member of Te Taki and serves as both a Tokelau language teacher for the High School-level class and as Co-Director for Lumanaki School. Bonnie is a Senior Informatics Analyst for Hawai'i Pacific Health. She enjoys composing Tokelauan pehe songs and choreography for Tokelauan fatele dances. Her compositions comprise much of Lumanaki School's performance repertoire and dance competitions at the Tokelau Festivals in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te-Hina Ickes, Esq.
NA FAIAOGA
Te-Hina teaches and develops curriculum content for the “Te La” class; pre-K and Kindergarten.
Sania Fa'amaile Betty Ickes, PhD
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Ickes is the maternal granddaughter of Lesia [Heo] (Tonga, Fakaofo) and Veniale Poasa (Fakaofo); and paternal granddaughter of Sania [Pedro], (Fakaofo, Olohega) and Ben Iosefa Suʻa (Olohega) and Paulo Seaga (Lepea, Lotofaga). She is a founding member of Te Taki where she has served as the pro-bono Executive Director since 2004 and as a Tokelau language teacher for the Pre-K and Kindergarten class. Dr. Ickes is an Associate Professor of History at Leeward Community College. Seventy years ago, her ancestors settled in the Hawaiian Islands; she and husband Warren are part of the Wahiawa community.
Ruth Salausa
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Mrs. Salausa is the daughter of Feleti Suʻa and Apiseka (Kolio) and serves as pro-bono financial officer since 2008. She is native Tokelauan who brings to Te Taki flawless skills in customer service and support and more than ten (10) years of experience in Service Banking and Accounting Investment. Mrs. Salausa is also a licensed Real Estate Agent in the State of Hawaiʻi and a parent-volunteer for Lumanaki School where her children are enrolled. She and husband Allen live with their two children in Wahiawa.
Sania Fa'amaile Betty Ickes
NA FAIAOGA
Dr. Ickes is a substitute teacher for the Pre-K and Kindergarten class also known as ‘Te La.’
Tuiloma Dr. Manumaua Luafata 'Fata' Simanu-Klutz, PhD
NA FAIAOGA
Dr. Simanu-Klutz has been instrumental in training Lumanaki’s language teachers and developing Tokelau language learning curriculum. She completed an MA in Pacific Islands Studies at CPIS in 2001, and later a PhD in History at UH Manoa in 2011. She is a retired Associate Professor of Samoan Language and Literatures in the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. She resides in the ahupuaʻa of Kāneʻohe in the mokupuni of Oáhu.
Gloryana Akapo
NA FAIAOGA
Gloryana is an archivist and resource specialist for Lumanaki School.
Susana Pasini Fihaki
NA FAIAOGA
Granddaughter of Nellie (Tiolu) and Penisimani Fihaki, Susana graduated from Leilehua High School in 2008. She began attending Te Lumanaki as a student, later transitioning to her role as a teacher. She is quite the introvert, but loves to express herself and share her Tokelau culture through her digital art. On her down time, she loves watching television and cuddling with her dogs, Kam & Kahu.
Fita Turano
NA FAIAOGA
Fita is daughter of Ti’eti’e Tuisano and Fareti Turano. She works as an ED Technician at her local hospital. She loves spending time with family. She’s very energetic and is known by her family and friends as “Miss Aloha.” Her favorite thing to help her de-stress is cleaning.
Ruth Salausa
FINANCIAL OFFICER
Vea La'ulu
PROJECT ASSISTANT
Fata Simanu, PhD
CULTURAL CURRICULUM CONSULTANT
(CONTRACTOR)
Susana Pasini Fihaki
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
(CONTRACTOR)
Paul Pedro, Jr.
CO-DIRECTOR
Dr. Patrick Pedro
CO-DIRECTOR
Vasefenua Reupena
TAVAKA/MASTER CARVER
Atafu, Tokelau