Lino Nelisi


Lino Nelisi is a Niuean-born New Zealand author and educator.

Background

Nelisi was born in 1952 in Avatele, Niue. Her father Ugamea Levi was from Avatele, and mother, Peko, was Samoan.
Nelisi was the first Pacific Island student to graduate with a Master Degree in Education from the University of Auckland Epsom Campus.

Career

Nelisi is a Niue language and culture expert. She began taught in Niue between 1970–1977, and in Auckland from the late 1980s.

Published works

Nelisi has published in several Pacific languages, including in English, Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Niuean, Tokelauan, Cook Island Māori and Spanish. She has published a number of books for children including:
In the AIM Children’s Book Awards, O le talo Sione was a finalist in 1993 and Fishing with Spiderwebs was a finalist in 1995. Tāne te whetū o te rā was a finalist in the Picture Book category at the 1998 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
In 2015 Nelisi was the writer in residence at St Joseph's School, Otahuhu.