WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - KALOLAINE FUNGANITAO

KALOLAINE LEPA TALIA ANNE TALEI LOUISE LOKOTUI FUNGANITAO 

Miss Heilala 2018 / Studying Arts (Maori & Pacific Studies) and Law

Tongan 

.

Fakatapu mo e Hou‘eiki ‘oku me‘a ni,

‘Alā si‘i kāinga ‘o Tonga Masani

Kae fai atu ha fakafotufotulā

Ki he kaunanga ni mei he Kolongatatá

Uisa ‘alā mo si‘i Funga Matahivá

Kali-‘o-Paú ‘oku te manatuá

Mate ‘ofa kita he Funga Ofolangá

Ko e huli ‘apē ‘o e Kilikilitefuá

Fakama‘unga he Funga Fāuá

Ka ‘e ngalo ‘afē si‘oto mafu tefuá

Vai ko Latai mo e Hoositeá

Ko au Kalolaine Lepa Talia Anne Talei Louise Lokotui Funganitao

Hoto ‘ofa atu hoto ‘ofa fau

Ngata e tala ni kuo mahino atu.

I greet you by first acknowledging the homes of my ancestors.  This is one that I used in my Pre-Pageant Interview for the Miss Heilala Pageant. I am from the villages of Ha’afeva, Mo’unga’one, Ma’ufanga and Fua’amotu - Tonga.  I also have bloodlines from nations elsewhere, one of those being from Fiji, so Bula Vinaka to anyone hailing from there. I am still finding out more about that part of my heritage, which is unbelievably unexciting! You will find me currently studying at the University of Auckland, specifically Māori studies and Pacific studies under my Arts degree as well as a Law degree. It took me years to figure out which majors were a fit, but finally I found the ones that were right for me.  Ones pertaining to my passion for indigenous peoples and the experiences of those with whom I share many similarities.

You were recently crowned Miss Heilala in Tonga earlier this month.  What was the journey like to get to that point?

Before joining Miss Heilala I was a part of Bou’s Pageant. I had been in tagged in a post looking for contestants and thought I should give it a go.  From what I knew about Tongan pageants, I did not see enough women who were like me. Ones that did not care about these western imposed ideals of ‘beauty’.  Who dispelled myths on such things?  Who was working to dismantle the influence of a heavily patriarchal society?  Who saw the value in education, specifically education that incorporated the Oceanic narrative and was not one of a white man?  I learnt many things during my time there, some great and some not so great. Which resulted in my pulling out of the pageant with the blessing of my family and my sponsors at the time.  I received a phone call from my mum a day after the pre-pageant interviews I was formerly part of.  She had received a call from a lady who had a lot of experience with Miss Heilala and pageants.  She had seen I was no longer part of Bou’s and she wanted to ask if I would join under her for the Miss Heilala pageant.

What made you decide to enter Miss Heilala and why do you think it is a significant event for Tongan women?

My family talked about me going straight to Miss Heilala as a result of leaving the other pageant, so that offer seemed like a nudge from God and I thought that it would be a good opportunity to use that platform to be myself.  To show other girls and women that beauty is not all the junk that we are hit with on a daily basis.  That having informed opinions from foundations of indigenous knowledge is important.  ‘Beauty’ should NOT be based on what you SEE, rather it should be based on what you are DOING.  How you are helping better uplift your peoples and our communities.  Unfortunately many women (previous to my joining it would have included me) do not participate in the pageant.  They do not know, care, or watch it which says that there is something lacking. A disconnect between our females and the pageant.  It has potential to become a significant event.  One that better empowers our Tongan women and celebrates the diversity of beauty and all that it entails.  The winner has the opportunity to live there for six months and work.  The chance to meet people, hear their stories, work alongside them and make a difference – that for me is potential that needs to be tapped into.  This is why I think it can become an event that resonates with all of our women.  It is not yet fully inclusive of all of our women, but we will get there.

With this Miss Heilala pageant in particular there seemed to be quite a bit of social media backlash around it - were you prepared for all the attention and how have you been able to cope with it?

In short - no. I mean, how can you be?  I did not enter with the mindset of winning a crown so of course I did not think of others talking about me, except for the family and friends sending me messages of support.  I stayed off of social media for the most part until after the final night because I wanted to be present with people and the experiences I was having.  A couple of insta stories here and there, but mainly I was wholly in the present.  We tend to lose the value of the present because we are too busy trying to capture it for an audience.  I was just trying to continue being the woman who left NZ, making sure that I stayed true to the person I had been raised to be.  The backlash came from keyboard warriors and people who felt like I had personally wronged them.  It’s amazing how invested strangers and even people you know can be in trying to suffocate someone with negativity.  My family and friends mobilised themselves and bore arms for me (love you guys!!), so coping was easy.  God has given me a plethora of life experiences, some were my lowest of lows and the backlash from the pageant was miniscule in comparison.  When you have the kind of: faith, family, friends and passion for your purpose such as mine, then that stuff is just a passing breeze.

What ways do you think this pageant is able to be a positive platform for young Tongan women?  I know you had said in your speech you would like to use the pageant as a platform to raise issues - are you able to expand on that?

The negative effects of Western society has bled into my homeland.  This pageant could be a way to draw in those who could make significantly positive change to reverse those effects.  Education is a biggie for me because the disparity between the education I have received and that back home breaks my heart.  We take it for granted here in NZ, but basics such as having a small pupil to teacher ratio, stationery and individual school resources are not the reality for many of the students back home.  Youth empowerment is important because these young minds are the future of Tonga.  They need to be equipped to uplift our peoples and be successful in a postive way.  I also hope to observe the legal system as well as the political.  This is where big decision making happens and where power is directed from.  To understand how they affect Tonga, I must first understand how they function.  There is much that I want to do in Tonga, but I also have the opportunity to connect with Tongans in all of our diaspora.  Having this platform means that connections with others who are in positions to affect change is more likely and I’m excited with the connections I’ve made so far and the work I will be a part of.  It’s a way to affect tangible, positive change – you just need to work to make it happen.

What are you most passionate about?

I would need an entire series of books, perhaps videos because talking would be faster and more entertaing, to document what they are and why.  I think with my previous answers though, you would have gathered an understanding of what they are.  At the heart of it all is people.  My Tongan people, My Oceanic peoples, Our Indigenous peoples.  To uplift and champion them in a world where they are being systemically oppressed. Never forgetting that the way I go about this must incorporate those indigenous values and practices. A lot of the time it’s uncomfortable because it’s new, but the old ways are not working for us – why not do something different? Sometimes this might mean a clash our own people because the western/colonial impositions are rooted deep. It’s a work in progress, but I’m lucky that my generation have many that share my sentiments so it’s exciting to be part of this Pasifika wave for progress happening.

What do you hope to achieve during your reign as Miss Heilala?

I’m frightened of jinxing this so I will start here - I know that I can’t achieve all of my goals. There are many and most aren’t easy to achieve because they require time. Those ones don’t deal with symptoms to current problems, but rather decades of toxic roots that need to be dug out and destroyed. At the end of my reign if I am able to look back knowing that I sowed seeds that sprouted positive change, then my reign was meaningful. To spend my time imparting whatever knowledge or skills that I have gathered here in NZ with those back in Tonga. Whether that is volunteering in schools, setting up workshops, being part of initiatives that are already happening – all those things. As well as helping others assert their confidence in who they are and not who society says they should be. Furthermore, to do that with others across our Pasifika diaspora would mean this reign was purposeful. This reign is not necessarily about what I can achieve, I would class it more as how I can best be used to help others achieve and make the most of their potentials. If no one remembers my name, but the work that I was a part of had lasting positive impacts, I did it.

How has your upbringing & culture shaped you into the woman you are today?

My upbringing has been intrinsic in moulding the woman that I am. The values that my mother, grandparents, other family elders, instilled in me show in every aspect of my life. For example, I was always taught to thank people. Sounds inconsequential, but it was not just the saying of the words, but rather showing it. Every year, from the day I started Primary until my final day of High School, my mother would write cards and wrap gifts with my brother and I for our teachers, coaches and principals. That was a way of showing how much we respected and loved them for what they did for us.

Another integral part of my being is my faith. When she was still with us my Grandma (mum’s mumma) always prayed and would hum hymns. My mother made sure we always said prayers when we woke up and before going to bed. If you want to label me, I am a Christian. I believe in God, that Jesus was his son and that he has a purpose for my life. The elders in my family were always praying for me and experiencing my own journey with God has been a big part of why I am the Kalo of today. If you pick me apart, you could trace back every action that I make, things that I say, ways of thinking, back to my faith and the influence of those closest to me. I am the result of generations before as well as those present, it’s amazing when you think of how many generations before led to your own existence.

Who or what is your biggest inspiration and why?

My biggest inspiration is all around me, they are the blessings that I call family. There are too many for this, but they know who they are and I am forever thankful for them. Though the following are not Sisters in blood, they are in all the ways that matter. They heavily inspire me and I am thankful for them and their families because they are wonderful beings. They are of inspiring substance and being in their environments just makes you want to be a better person.

 

Helen, who has a heart for youth and is making positive waves. She is such a strong woman and I learn so much from her everyday. To question what I think is normal, but also to value the things that are important. Palu, who is one of a handful of Pasifika females in IT and making her mark in the commercial sphere. At the same time she helps out with being there for her siblings and her grandma. On top of also volunteering to coach sports at her old high school, but also moulding the young girls to be confident, strong women in the future. Lupi, who is a young creative with a heart for justice and indigenous peoples. She uses her music and words to create change, she inspires on so many levels. She can connect with our young generation as well as those older. These three are the Sisters that are also breathing life into our little organisation, M20 (Mission to Zero).

Caity, who is one of the most well-informed people I know. She dominated law school, maintains a level head and worked for every bit of success. Asena who is finishing her BA/LLB conjoint, a director for Navigators of Success and recipient of the Prime Ministers Leadership and Inspiration Award. Lita, who started up her own fashion brand called Unufe Designs. She has made a plethora of garments with a particular flair for incorporating Pasifika designs. The amount of times she has made things for me (usually last minute) are endless and I am always in awe of the gift that she has. This woman was responsible for all of my looks at the Heilala pageant. She works hard to achieve her goals as a designer and she does everything, she designs, cuts out her patterns, sews – the whole lot. Flo/Neti, who graduated with a conjoint in Property and Commerce last year, then she moved to the Kingdom. She is still there volunteering at one of the schools. She uprooted her entire life, left behind amazing job prospects, all to give back to the kids back home. These are only a few of my sisters, but they inspire me because the work that they are doing epitomises the word ‘goals’.

My brother, Peau, who stepped up to be man of the house when he was at an age that he did it. He inspires me everyday. He treats our mum like the Queen that she is and helps this household function. We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but sometimes you need to see things from a different perspective. I’m proud of the man he has become. Finally, my Mumma. The woman deserves a book series. She raised children on her own. She has loved, nurtured and disciplined us. She has been at games, prize givings, competitions, interviews and every other thing that happened in my 23 years. I am blessed to call her my mother, truly. Her struggles are my inpiration to succeed in all the ways that matter to her, to me and to our family. I’m lucky because I don’t need to look that far for inspiration, they are all part of my story and I continue to be blessed because of them.