“Interesting fact about my mum, she was the first Indigenous West Papuan model in Indonesia!... She was your ‘70s Melanesian princess with her perfect big Afro!”
first as a solo artist under her performing name Voice of Lele. “Lele was a nickname given to me by my cousins growing up, so ‘Voice of Lele’ literally means ‘my voice’ – I have many roles and wear many hats and I share all that encompasses me as a spiritual human being living on this earth through my music and stories.” Among those many hats is being the mother of four daughters with Mitch – whose ages are 19, 16, eight and three. Another role she is passionate about is advocating for refugees, touring schools and giving workshops for young kids that promote empathy and cultural
PICTURED: Above and left, Lele’s parents Agustinus and Antomina Rumwaropen – in PNG in the late ‘70s when Agustinus was frontman for the Black Brothers band – and top left, in Vanuatu, with three of their five children (from left) Lele, Petra and Rosa
“I just want to come to POM city and make solid connections… share my music with the younger generation as well as talk about how you do have brothers and sisters on the other side of the border who are just like you. I think it’s very important that we reconnect the two
sides. And for me I just want to embrace PNG culture. I don’t get to do that. I don’t have the opportunity or the privilege to do that with my people back home, so I would definitely love to come there and collaborate with other musicians and see what life is like there.
“For me, representing my people and culture is at the forefront of my music. I want Papuan and Melanesian young girls and women to see themselves in me and know they can achieve their dreams on the world stage.” This will be Lele’s fourth visit to PNG, but her
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