Foua TOLOA Obituary

TOLOA, Foua Passed away on 23 June 2015 in California, USA and now at peace after a long health battle. An esteemed, charismatic and eloquent leader and pioneer of Tokelau. Foua will also be remembered for his passion for the oceans and the environment. Foua was an elected member (Aliki Faipule) of the Council for the Ongoing Government (Executive Government) for his home island of Fakaofo, Tokelau from 2008 to 2013. He served as the Ulu o Tokelau (Titular Head) in 2009 and 2011 and held ministerial portfolios in Finance, Telecommunications, Transport and Energy. Foua was re-elected as Aliki Faipule for Fakaofo for 2014 - 2016, a position he continued to uphold until he was no longer able to serve in late 2014. His commitment and drive to champion Tokelau in every way also saw the implementation of the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project whereby his beloved nation became the first in the world to have its electricity totally supplied through solar energy in October 2012. Foua continued to contribute in the fight to raise international awareness of the devastating effect of climate change. He was revered internationally for this and consequently served as a Global Ocean Commissioner and Advisor to the Global Solar Head of State Board, which he still held up to his untimely passing. Foua was a man of high principles blessed with a keen sense of humanity and honour, serving his local, national, regional and global communities. Foua was a perceptive, articulate and impassioned man whose legacy will continue to inspire those who were fortunate to have come into contact with him. Ko te leo e hau mamao. E hagalogalo i te puao o te vaveao. Kua tagi faka-ligoligo te fakanoanoa. Kua lagona i na tokaaga tau aliki o Kava i Pouono. Tagi Pou i ana hakiliga, koloa tau kua to i moana. Healoa taku Fakaofo! Haloa toku Tokelau! Kua lofia ia Fakaofo. Kua gatolotolo foki ia tanumaga o Palapalaga o fenuamau. E tatanu ai o Aliki! Kua to te pa kaina i mulivaka! He fetu foki nae mata ki ei ia fanau nofo akoakoga.Healoa! He laumatagi nae agi malie, fakaola ai te motumotu. Mo fanau a Tokelau, mo hona taeao. Tui Tokelau e! He lagi mo Ohaoha. Ni aua ! Ni aua ko! Ke na he ni paepae gatu. Ke na he ni kilikili uli. Kae ko te kilikili kilei. E liaki ake e te moana i Kogaloto ma Matagi. He tautai e o malae, aua te matua tukua, tama manu, nae malu ai foki te la kehe. E fua tahi! E fua tolu! E fua lima! E fua fitu! E fua iva! E fua agafulu! E naatu e naatu, E tu i loto o te paki nei. E tu, e tu i loto o Fakafotu! E tu i loto o Punamelei. Kua matata kua vahahina. Te vaka ke uli tonu. Te vaka ke faitakia. Foua te tamana pele, moe tu, moe nofo, moe malie. E matea pea i te loto. Ke fafagu koe e Iehu to Aliki i te toe tu. Family service to be held on Monday 6 July 2015 at the Church Unlimited, 3 Te Atatu Road, Glendene at 6pm. Funeral service to be held on Tuesday 7 July at 10am at the same church. Please contact Nathan Pedro on 027 715 2333 for the leo and viewings.