Coco Talanoa — Coco News / Page 1

The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua’s recent visit to Auckland for their Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Hurricanes has sparked controversy, with reports emerging about their poor treatment upon arrival.

Former Flying Fijians and Waratahs winger Nemani Nadolo took to social media to express his frustration, questioning why the Drua players were left waiting for hours at the airport with no transport. With no bus available, the team was forced to pile into a luggage truck that lacked proper ventilation.

The issues didn’t stop there. Upon arrival at their hotel, the team was made to wait in the lobby for hours after being denied a late check-in by the hotel staff. Nadolo pointed out the stark contrast between this experience and how other Super Rugby teams are treated when they visit Fiji, where they are welcomed with police escorts and high-level hospitality.…more

“Why are meat, fruit, and vegetables so expensive here? We budgeted for $300 grocery shopping last week to feed a family of five, and it was barely any meat, a bag of bananas and apples, and frozen mixed veges because the healthy options are pricey. It’s cheaper to eat fish and chips or grab hot chips and bread.”

Pacific Families Are Struggling with the Cost of Living Crisis: Our Kids Are Going Hungry

Pasifika food banks and social services providers are increasingly concerned over Pacific families in New Zealand being crushed by the cost of living crisis, citing high rents, expensive groceries, and skyrocketing electricity bills making it impossible to get by. The picture of our Pasifika kids going hungry has never been painted more acutely with parents being forced to make brutal choices every week about which bill to pay, what meal to skip, and how to keep the lights on.

No Improvement in Material Hardship for Pacific Children

According to The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2024 report, Pacific children are the hardest hit.…more

Lady Gaga’s latest music video, Abracadabra, has taken the internet by storm following its debut at the 2025 Grammys. Behind the dynamic choreography is Samoan choreographer Parris Goebel, whose work has shaped some of the biggest performances in pop music.

Goebel, known for her collaborations with Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Justin Bieber, co-directed Abracadabra with Gaga and Bethany Vargas. “I've always had Gaga on my dream board and my list of artists that I wanted to work with,” Goebel told InStyle. “So, when her team reached out and I got to meet her and listen to her album, I just couldn't believe it.”

The video has drawn comparisons to Gaga’s previous works, including Bad Romance and Alejandro. However, Goebel said those references were unintentional. “It’s interesting that people are referencing old videos of hers because that wasn't my intention at all,” she said. “I tried to bring my flair to who she already is.”

With over 40 dancers, the choreography is central to the video’s impact.…more

Pasifika school kids are going hungry as the Government’s new school lunch provider fails to deliver. The rollout is being labelled a disaster by many schools, students and teachers who have been left scrambling to find solutions, while the Ministry of Education struggles to correct the delivery systems.

Pasifika students make up a big part of the schools eligible for the schools lunch programme, which has been a welcome relief for Pasifika families on the breadline in the past. 

At Ōtāhuhu College, students were unimpressed after sampling meals from the new provider. One student, when asked how much they would pay for the meal, responded bluntly: “I wouldn’t buy it... like, 50 cents... Not even 50 cents.”

Samoan Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni has been visiting schools in her electorate, listening firsthand to the frustration and disruption caused by the transition to a new multinational lunch provider.

“Speaking to Kelston Boys' High Principal today [yesterday] – the food didn’t show up on Friday or Monday. Then, on Tuesday, it arrived, but today it didn’t turn up until 2pm.…more

Fiji Rugby Union’s newly appointed Rugby Director, Laijipa Naulivou, has drawn criticism following her remarks on same-sex relationships in women’s rugby. Speaking to the Fiji Sun, Naulivou made it clear that she does "not condone being gay for women in rugby," a stance she maintained throughout her playing and managerial career.

"Those who played with me know that I do not condone being gay for women in rugby," she told the Fiji Sun. "I always speak against it and I know I’m very unpopular in that area with those who practice it. I will keep emphasising it because that was one big drawback when we went to the first HSBC sevens tournament."

Naulivou, who captained Fiji’s first women’s rugby team, reflected on her past experiences in the sport. She recalled joining the national women’s team as manager three weeks before a major tournament and claimed that same-sex relationships had created challenges within the squad.…more

In a remarkable achievement for the small island nation of Samoa, a young man from Savai'i has been awarded a highly competitive Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship, paving the way for him to further his studies overseas.

Mr Alesana Alesana Ulusele, from the village of Faga, has emerged as one of the region's brightest talents, earning the opportunity to pursue an undergraduate degree in Commerce at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.

Mr Ulusele's journey to this prestigious scholarship began with his Foundation year at the National University of Samoa (NUS), where he demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience. A graduate of Tuasivi College, he initially found the transition to studying in Apia challenging.

“Meeting new people, being in a new environment, but also getting used to new ways of doing things were some of what I struggled with,” said Mr Ulusele. However, he quickly realised the importance of adapting to overcome these hurdles.…more

Samoan police have uncovered two huge drug shipments in one week, impacting a supply chain and demand that shines a light on the amount of use of illegal drugs in the small Island nation. 

Three people including a businessman who owns a supermarket in Lotopa, have been charged by the Samoan Police and Correction Services, in what has been touted as the biggest drug bust in Samoa thus far.

The seizure of more than $4 million worth of crystal methamphetamine at the wharf,  was found concealed inside packets of Lifesaver candies and had come on a ship which had made port in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.…more

With Donald Trump back in the White House after his 2024 election win, the United States government has seen a resurgence of his tough immigration policies. Since his inauguration, one thing is clear, deportations are top priority. For many in Pacific Island nations this means facing the harsh reality of being forced to leave a country they’ve called home for years. While the focus is always on countries close to the US, Pacific Island communities are feeling the heat too.

Since President Trump returned to office, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations has arrested more than 3,500 unauthorised immigrants across the US.

A document from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations has listed over 1.4 million noncitizens with final orders of removal, many from Pacific Island nations. (See the full list here)

The data reveals that while deportations are widespread across many regions, Pacific Island nations have seen a notable share of individuals targeted for removal.…more

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated by President Donald Trump for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services, was questioned by US SenatorS Elizabeth Warren Ron Wyden about his role in the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. The outbreak, which resulted in dozens of deaths, was largely attributed to vaccine misinformation, a topic that Kennedy has been notably vocal about.

Kennedy, an environmental lawyer and the son of iconic American political figures Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, has long been a controversial figure in the health community. For years, he has promoted anti-vaccine rhetoric, including the widely debunked claim that vaccines cause autism. This has sparked alarm among public health experts, particularly given his potential leadership role in overseeing the U.S. health system.

In addition to his anti-vaccine stance, Kennedy has endorsed the consumption of raw milk, a practice that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns can carry serious health risks.…more

As the world's digital divide widens and our news sources are compromised, the story of Mana newspaper in the 1970s gives hope and inspiration to Pasifika media today.

During the turmoil of the 1970s Dawn Raids era and the Crown's claiming of Māori lands, a group of Māori and Pasifika journalists and activists published a fortnightly newspaper in various Pacific languages to shine a light on the injustices faced by Pacific peoples.

“It’s important that our generations understand, look, and feel what happened in these times and the issues that Pacific people were facing,” says Dr Melanie Anae.

Despite having no budget and facing acute persecution during this infamous era, the passion of the Mana cohort allowed the power of the written word to reach communities when no other media was addressing their needs.

Today, the power of these words and images can be seen in an exhibition at Auckland Museum.

The exhibition showcases Mana’s role in amplifying Māori and Pacific voices and highlights how crucial this was in advocating for social justice and land rights.…more