This short speech by Kanakope (who was married to Polevia) was made on the morning of 22 December 1973, at Ane and Kiti’s house. Kope was the leader of the Kau Komiti Faafine of Nanumea, and her group had come to Ane and Kiti singing and dancing, making an Alofa presentation for Christmas. We recorded the faatele and Kope’s speech.

Kope’s parents were Peniata and Noama. Peniata’s parents were Fakaua and Mangale, Noama’s parents Matio and Halaga. Kope was born in New Guinea on August 11, 1909 - we think Peniata was serving there as a missionary. Kope lived there until age 7, then went to school in Samoa, and later moved back to Nanumea. She married Polevia in Nanumea in 1945, just after the Second World War.

Kope was a leader of women in Nanumea, involved in many activities, and frequently made speeches in the Ahiga. She was 64 years old when she made this speech during the Alofa presentation.