Agnes Mary (Eti) Ivala-Laufiso

Mary Agnes Ivala-Laufiso, known as Eti Laufiso (1939–2009), was a policy writer and lecturer specialising in the education of Pasifika New Zealanders and the teaching of Pacific languages. She was involved in founding several organisations advocating for the Pasifika community in New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands.

Family

Mary Agnes Ivala was born in Sāmoa on 2 November, 1939, the second daughter of Filomena Tua'i and Ivala Leifi.

About 1962, she married Mikaele (Filipo) Laufiso, a worker on the Manapōuri Power Station hydro-electric development at Doubtful Sound / Patea and together they had six children, including local government politician Marie Laufiso and arts advisor Pip Laufiso. At the time of her death, she had eight grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

In 2003 Pacifica Inc honoured Laufiso as a "living legacy". Shortly before her death Laufiso told Tagata Pasifika "I have lived my life to the fullest length and enjoyed it and I thank God for letting me live ... I don't see myself as someone who has something to pass on; we just live."