Sandra was born in Lae, Papua New Guinea and moved to the Cook Islands when she was nine years old. She’s the second of four siblings with a large extended family.

Ko Raemaru te maunga 

Ko Moana-nui-a-kiva-te-moana 

Ko Te-Au-o-Tonga me Puaikura te waka 

Ko Munro me Dean te hapu 

Kei te Whanganui-a-Tara e noho ana au 

Ko Sandra Ritua Tisam tōku ingoa

She is a maker of tivaevae, a lover of dance and the arts. Studied in Fiji, worked in Rarotonga and Wellington. Public servant and when-time-permits-writer/poet and lover of the arts. Sandra has been a member of Maranga Mai since 2017 and is grateful for the opportunity to tell stories in a creative and supportive environment.