"Because of them, I Can"
Tania is the daughter of two pioneering parents who both played important roles in the establishment of Papua New Guinea as a nation - father, George Bale a broadcasting technician and engineer from Australia and mother, Fide Bale (nee Zurenuoc) a business woman and activist from Finschhafen, Morobe Province, PNG.
DAD: George Bale
Tania's father George came to the Territory of Papua & New Guinea in the 1950's as a radio technician for the ABC, tasked with establishing radio services and teaching Papua New Guinea's the skills to run them.
During his time of service he made himself redundant three times as he trained locals into his position, up-skilled himself and then trained more Papua New Guineans with his new skills. The radio and television stations of PNG today are filled with people who learnt their skills from George and the people he taught.
In September 1975 George became a PNG citizen and continued his work in public service for the newly formed National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). George reached the position of Acting Chairman of NBC as well as becoming Acting Secretary for the Department of Communications, forming policy, whilst finding a suitable and qualified Papua New Guinean to take the role.
He left NBC to become the founding Chief Engineer of EMTV, the nations first television station. The studio he built and the tower he erected on Burns Peak in Port Moresby still stands today along with 11 of the NBC's provincial radio stations and transmission towers around the country which were installed by him.
Mum: Fide Bale
Tania's mother Fide was educated in Finschhafen and Queensland, Australia. A trained school teacher, she was seconded to the United Nations in 1963 as an information officer when it first opened an office in PNG. The role took her overseas and included being in the first group of Papua New Guineans to meet Queen Elizabeth II. Fide was also a member of the Papua New Guinea's Constitutional Planning Committee where she played a role in the creation of our nation's constitution.
At the time of PNG's Independence in 1975, Fide became was one of the first Papua New Guineans to start a business, opening a coffee shop and later expanding to open several restaurants and a catering business. She continued to break barriers and blaze a trail as one of a small number of women who stood in the PNG National General Elections in 1977. Although unsuccessful, she repeated her quest to enter parliament standing two more times, in 1982 and 1987.
Fide Bale was a fierce activist against racial discrimination and a campaigner for women's rights. She played a leading role in founding the National Council of Women and served as Port Moresby President. She served on the boards of the Red Cross, YWCA, Soroptimist International and PNG Tourism.
Tania's values and goals are anchored in her parents values, achievements and legacy.
She is truly the sum of George and Fide Bale.
Tania is the grand-daughter of Pastor Zemeleng Zurenuoc, who bestowed her with her traditional name, Fewec when she was born. Fewec is a Koté name meaning, rise or ascend.
"My grandfather died just a month after I was born and I was baptised in the church at Sattleberg where he preached, the day after his funeral. His story and his legacy has loomed large in my consciousness for all of my life."
Zurenuoc Family
Pastor Zurenuoc was the first Papua New Guinean to be ordained as a Lutheran Pastor and was stationed at the Sattleberg Mission Station in Finschhafen. From there he trained scores more Papua New Guineans to become pastors and it was these pastors who travelled into the Highlands spreading the good news and bringing Christianity to the Highlands. Pastor Zurenuoc also played an instrumental role in translating the Bible into the Kotè language.
Pastor Zurenuoc's oldest son, Tania's uncle, Bishop Sir Zurewec Zurenuoc, followed those footsteps in doing the work for God, becoming the first Papua New Guinean to be made the head of Evangelical Lutheran Church in PNG. Two of Tania's other uncles, Zure Makili Zurenuoc and Sir Zibang Zurenuoc entered into politics.
Zure Makili was a pioneer educationist in PNG who taught many great Papua New Guineans as a teacher at Dregerhafen School in Finschhafen, including the nation's first Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. He then became a politician when he was elected to a seat in the first House of Assembly in PNG before independence as the first Member for Finschhafen. In this position he played an instrumental role in agitating for PNG to become an independent nation and planting those seeds as PNG's observer representative in the United Nations General Assembly.
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Sir Zibang entered politics coming from a background as a pioneer in PNG business, winning the seat of Finschhafen in 1977. The seat has also been held by two of Tania's cousin-brothers Guao Zurenuoc from 2002-2007 and Theo Zurenuoc from 2007-2017.
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Another of her cousin-brothers is late Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc who is hailed as one of the finest public servants this nation has produced. The building that houses the Prime Ministers of PNG's office, Sir Manasupe Haus, is named after him.
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But it's not just the males of the Zurenuoc line who have been pioneers. In addition to her mother Fide who broke barriers for gender and race, Tania's cousin-sister Finkewe Zurenuoc also broke barriers becoming PNGs first female engineer.
Tania herself has also carried the pioneering legacy of the Zurenuoc family through with her generation, establishing PNG first locally developed and produced television program and taking the pioneering legacy international with her breakthrough role on the ABCs Behind the News program, as the first woman and first "person of colour" to hold this position on this prestigious national TV program.
The Zurenuoc family has a legacy in Papua New Guinea crossing three generations, of nation building, public service and activism and it is this environment Tania has been raised in.
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It is the Zurenuoc legacy that has influenced and shaped her values, and her goals.
