JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS
The Ah Kuoi Family Dynasty The Ah Kuoi family are household names in the Grey Lynn area, thanks at least partly, to the Rugby League exploits of several generations. But theirs is a rich history, particularly the origin of the family name-Ah Kuoi.
Siutu is, rightly, extremely proud of all her childrens’ success, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren too.
Ponsonby News visited the family matriarch, Siutu, at her Avondale home. Siutu Ah Kuoi is a sprightly 82-year-old, who lives alone (her husband Fred died some 20 years ago). She still drives, and her mind is as sharp as a tack. Her home is packed with family photos, dating back to her marriage to Fred in Samoa in 1956.
“It was my idea to come to New Zealand,” she told us. “My husband did not want to come”. Siutu was, and still is, a strong, intelligent woman. As a teacher herself, she knew the importance of education, but she could hardly have imagined the success the Ah Kuoi family would enjoy in the intervening 50 years in their newly adopted New Zealand. Fred, named after his father, was head boy, at Mt Albert Grammar, and went on to captain the Kiwi Rugby League team. He is now an evangelical pastor at a large American Sports Ministry. Peter was a prefect at MAGS, and captained the First XV. Paul was also head boy at MAGS, and captained the first XV, while not to be outdone, Liz was head girl and dux at Auckland Girls’. Most of the children are university educated too, Liz perhaps attaining the highest honours, with an honours degree in Law and Commerce.
We asked her about her husband’s legendary father, Fung Kuoi Kee (1877-1951), who came to Samoa from China around the beginning of the 20th century. Although not yet married to Fung’s son Fred Ah Kuoi when her future father-in-law died in 1951, Siutu knew Fung Kuoi Kee, who had become known as Ah Kuoi Ah Kuoi. His was an interesting, but controversial history - being deported back to China for a time, where he founded a second family. This was a time of strong Samoan Nationalism, and some foreigners, especially Chinese had done “too well” for their own good. Eventually forgiven, Ah Kuoi returned to Samoa, made a tidy fortune in business-general stores, restaurants and other commercial ventures. Siutu trained as a teacher in Samoa, but she longed to come to New Zealand to educate her children, and to escape the large family that, although well off, still kept a strong hand on the whole family. Siutu wanted to get away from that claustrophobic environment. While many Samoans came to New Zealand for jobs, the Ah Kuois came to educate their children. Fred and Siutu married in Samoa in 1956, and came to New Zealand late in 1962 with three young children, Fred (six), Peter( four), and Afi ( just two), with Siutu seven months pregnant with soon to be born Andrew. Fred and Siutu went on to have two more children, Elizabeth (known as Liz) and Paul.
But family honours don’t end there. The grandchildren have excelled too. The latest is Liz’s boy Keneti, head boy last year at MAGS. The dynasty continues, and proud grandmother Siutu is surrounded by the photographic evidence of this success. Not only photos though. Siutu showed us two photos of her youngest grandchildren, Paul’s boys Kaemon and Kairo (ages 7 and 8). “These two are always visiting,” Siutu tells us lovingly. “I am really blessed, and the Lord has been good to me.” Tragically, Siutu lost son Afi to cancer some years ago, but the rest of the family is intact, and they are close knit. However, while proud of son Pastor Fred, Siutu misses not seeing much of Fred’s children, and now great grandchildren Talia and Matthew. She does however have four more great grandchildren in New Zealand to dote over. This is a family that is a credit to the strength and foresight of Siutu and her late husband Fred. What a wonderful contribution they have made to their adopted country PN New Zealand. God bless you Siutu Ah Kuoi. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F
Sustainable Coastlines Charity Ball Ponsonby News talked to Sustainable Coastlines multi-award winning CEO Sam Judd about their upcoming Charity Ball. The ball has been cleverly tagged - Let’s Get Cleaned Up - a pun on cleaning up the coast and then shaving, showering, putting on the glad rags and having a fun night. The ball will be held at the Hilton Hotel on Saturday 21 September. Sustainable Coastlines is a charity, has some government funding for specific projects, but relies heavily on sponsorship and donations. Money raised from the ball will go to their education projects. Sam and his team already do a lot in schools, including local school, Ponsonby Intermediate. “We have seen some amazing behavioural changes among our young helpers,” Sam told us. “Litter is a gateway to good behaviour.” Everyone loves the beach, and it is easy to motivate people of all ages to help with cleanups. Sam Judd is particularly proud of the work they have done with offenders - what used to be called periodic detention. These offenders enjoy focussing on something worthwhile, something they can be proud of. None of those who have worked with Sustainable Coastlines has re-offended. Since Ponsonby News did a profile on Sam Judd several years ago, his organisation has gone from strength to strength. Just this year, they have won two prestigious awards. The highlight for Sustainable Coastlines was to be announced as the Supreme Winner of the 2013 Green Ribbon Awards, by Environment Minister, Amy Adams.
38 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2013
The Minister said “The trust has adopted an innovative and broad-reaching approach to environmental education and outreach. Its methods are highly engaging and effective.” And then to cap the year off for CEO and co-founder Sam Judd, he was named Young New Zealander of the Year, 2013. Sam was also named a Good Citizen 2013 by the Waitemata Local Board. This incredibly worthy organisation runs by the seat of its pants. They are roll up your sleeves and get into it types, and they deserve community support. Get a group together and go to the ball. It will be a fun night, for a great cause. Sustainable Coastlines welcomes volunteer helpers too. Says Sam, “Wherever we work our goal is to put ourselves out of a job.” He jokes of course that isn’t going to happen soon, but he does say that the biggest impact they have is by changing people’s behaviour and making them champions of the cause. This is an apolitical organisation focussing on education, and as Sam poetically says, “motivating people to get off their arses to clean up the coastlines they love.” Get a group together - go to the ball, or contact Sustainable Coastlines and offer them help. Special early bird tickets are now available at $135. Organise a table of 10 and get a discount. Email Sam at sam@sustainablecoastlines.org. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN
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