Sumsuma was born in the village of Sasa on Boang Island sometime around 1903.
On January 2, 1929, Sumsuma organized a strike in Rabaul with the goal of increased wages.
The employers refusal to negotiate combined with the general inexperience of the strikers caused the strike to quickly fizzle out by the afternoon of January 3.
Sumsuma, along with N'Dramei and the other strike leaders were sentenced to 3 years in prison.
After being released in 1932, Sumsuma helped establish multiple agrarian cooperatives.