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She Leads: Henilietta Suliana & Finau Afeaki

By MiNDFOOD

She Leads: Henilietta Suliana & Finau Afeaki
SHE LEADS is an inspirational multimedia storytelling project presented by Pacific Trade Invest New Zealand. Rooted in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, SHE LEADS highlights the great achievements women in places such as the Cook Islands, Tonga, New Caledonia and Samoa have made in areas as diverse as traditional dance, local art, fashion, business, photography and environmental protection. SHE LEADS inspires women to make meaningful contributions to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Henilietta Suliana & Finau Afeaki
Suliana’s Dance Academy,
Tonga

Traditional Polynesian dance is alive and thriving in the Kingdom of Tonga all thanks to community spirit, Suliana’s Dance Academy, and love. As founder of the Academy, Henilietta Suliana Wolfgramm-Afeaki says, “I just wanted the Tongan kids to learn because I had gained so much confidence with dancing.” Now Henilietta’s youngest daughter Finau Afeaki has joined her as co-director of Suliana’s Dance Academy to help keep the tradition of Polynesian dance alive.

“We have 220 students, but there are so many students on the waiting list because we’ve only got a little space,” says Finau. “But we invite people who love dance, who love to sing. I’m grateful that my mother started the Dance Academy in 1985.

“All I had to do was grab the baton and keep going, but keep going no matter what people may say.”

facebook.com/sulianasdanceacademy

To discover all 49 SHE LEADS videos in the series, view them at pacifictradeinvest.com

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