2017 - THE YEAR THAT WAS

So many golden moments for our Pasifika communities across the diaspora in 2017 from the Golden Globes to the streets of Manurewa and the sports fields of Teufaiva in Tonga, starry Islanders have made their mark on the world in a dazzling variety of ways.

Some of the Coco highlights this year have included: - 

FIAO'O FA'AMAUSILI & THE BLACK FERNS

Led by their Samoan Captain Fiao'o Fa'amausili it was the year of the Black Fern for Rugby highlights this year, as the kiwi team beat out the All Blacks and England to scoop the pools as World Rugby Team of the Year. 

The New Zealand women dominated at the World Rugby Awards ceremony held in Monaco, with three awards going the way of kiwi teams and players.

For the first time in history, World Rugby's team of the year was awarded to a women's side, as the World Cup winning Black Ferns took home the trophy. 
The Black Ferns are the dominant team in women's rugby worldwide, whose success has prompted a call to move women's rugby into the professional arena so they can be paid players like the men's teams. 

UILI PAPALI'I 

11 year old Uili Papali'i captured the hearts of the nation when it was revealed that he had been giving his lunch everyday for two weeks to Rob Millar, a homeless man on the streets of Manurewa.

It was only when Rob walked to school with Uili and told the boy's teachers, that anyone found out what he was doing.

"I was just walking to school and I saw him cry. And I gave him my money and all my lunch. Then I just kept going back every week. He just became my friend.  He just had nothing. When I gave it to him he stopped crying." 

MATE MA'A TONGA 
The mighty Tongans toppled the mighty Kiwi team with a well placed jandal to the eye.

A titanic struggle of Polynesian warriors saw some spectacular sporting action from this exceptional Tongan team. 

The Tongan team played their cards so well in the tournament.  They came in quietly and got down to the job of training and getting the basics right. Catch the ball and finish the sets.  Off the field, they went to church, sang songs, ate well, and kept a humble camp. When tensions amongst Tongan and Samoan fans looked to spill over, they were on your facebook page telling their fans to calm down and increase the peace.  The fans loved them, and they in turn played for their fans.  All up, they had the perfect build up to this tournament and the results of good on field and off field training, became apparent on game days, where they muscled and then moonwalked themselves to the semi finals.

The MMT Fans tho!  

FIJI BATI 

Another team that deserves a high five are the boys from Fiji Bati.  Jarryd Hayne and co made it to the first semi final where they were smacked by a rampant Aussie side.  And while the boys last game wasn’t their best moment, they will be comforted by the fact that they took the scalp of the highly fancied Kiwi team, who were odds on favorites to win that game. 

And while the Bula Boys didn’t have the same crowd support as the Tongan team, when it comes to cheering, 2 Fijian fans are worth 10 fans from other islands. Like Tonga, the Fijians camped well, knowing what was at stake for the tiny island nation. These guys play with their hearts on their sleeves, and it showed after the Kiwi game, when many of them broke down in tears after the historic win.  It is a matter of when not if, these guys will make a world cup final.

Gotta love the Bula Boys singing! 

POLITICS 

In 2017 we made history by having 4 Pacific Island Ministers for the first time (2 inside cabinet & 2 outside) and the number of Pacific MPs is also a major first.  Our Pasifika Members of Parliament are Jenny Salesa, Carmel Sepuloni, Aupito Su'a William Sio, Poto Williams, Kris Fa'afoi, Alfred Ngaro & Darroch Ball.

This has upped our stakes in the decision making possibilities in the country considerably with MPs Jenny Salesa and Carmel Sepuloni being given Inside cabinet positions and now in prime positions to influence change for Pacific people in Aotearoa.

Carmel Sepuloni :Minister for Social Development and Disability Issues, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Pacific Peoples
Jenny Salesa: Minister for Building and Construction and Ethnic Communities, Associate Minister of Education, Health, and Housing and Urban Development

Poto Williams is also the Assistant Speaker of the House and it is the first time we've had a Pacific Speaker.

MICHAEL MEREDITH 

Hungry school kids in Wellington got to eat free healthy nutritious food from the famous 'Eat My Lunch' guy this year, as celebrated chef Michael Meredith took the business from Auckland and Hamilton to further afield in Wellington this year. 

One of the first inititiaves of its kind in Aotearoa, Eat My Lunch has taken off like a rocket with its 'buy one and feed a hungry school kid' premise. 

From feeding the poor to feeding the rich, the celebrated Samoan chef also took to the skies in 2017 designing luxury menus for Air NZ.  If any Islander has the chance to fly Business Class on Air NZ,  they would be completely chuffed at the thought of eating top notch nosh designed by a Samoan.

The award winning chef closed the doors of his award winning cafe Meredith's a few days ago after taking his exceptional cuisine to the skies this year, focussing on a new daughter soon to be born and also new innovative ventures next year. Definetly one of the top Pacificans to watch in the new year! 

CLIMATE CHANGE WARRIORS 

NINA NAWALOWALO 

The woman responsible for bringing Masi, Magic and Matriarchal Island stories to the stage of Aotearoa with the Conch Theatre was given top accolades this year as the Creative NZ Senior Pacific Artist of the year.

Fijian director Nina Nawalawalo has brought a raft of varied pieces of theatre to life, including the acclaimed 'Vula' and 'Masi' pieces, the hard hitting 'White Guitar' story of the life of Scribe and his family and the Auckland festival showcase 'Malama'. 
Nina is currently working with the 'Naked Samoans' for the much anticipated 'Naked Samoan's Do Magic' show in March 2018.  

MOANA:  THE SONGS - OPETAIA FOA'I & TE VAKA 

The movie that divided and delighted Pacific people around the globe shot Tokelauan World Music group Te Vaka to overnight Hollywood stardom.  With the November announcement of a Grammy nomination for the soundtrack there are high hopes that the songs that are still being blasted in bedrooms around the world will take top honours. 

The Grammy nomination comes on the heels of taking out top music prizes at the Pacific Music Awards this year and 'International Achievement' at the VNZMA's.

Still in Hollywood, SIMONE GARCIA JOHNSON will make history as the first Polynesian Golden Globe Ambassador, coming not long before her world famous Samoan dad THE ROCK was given a star on the Hollywood walk of fame earlier this month. 

ADRIAN ORR 

Kuki Airani Super Fund chief executive Adrian Orr was named the new Reserve Bank Governor and steps into the job from March. 

The appointment of Adrian Orr as New Zealand's next Reserve Bank Governor was met with a surge in the kiwi dollar – indicating markets see the current chief executive of the NZ Superannuation Fund as a sensible and stable choice.

Orr is a former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank where he headed up the Economics division and he worked as an Economist at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the mid-1990s.  He's also worked in Senior Management as a Chief Economist for both the National Bank and more recently Westpac.

SELINA TUSITALA MARSH 

Samoan poet and academic Selina Tusitala Marsh became the first Pasifika woman to be chosen as New Zealand's Poet Laureate.

Selina of Samoan, Tuvaluan, Scottish and French descent, takes up one of the most prestigious national awards recognising outstanding contributions to New Zealand poetry.

Dr Marsh was selected to be the Commonwealth Poet to perform for the Queen.  She has been awarded over NZ$80,000 over two years by the National Library of New Zealand to create new work and promote poetry throughout the country.  She also received a carved tokotoko or orator's stick.

"To be recognised in this way is breath-taking. To occupy the role is breath-giving - I can't wait to take the Laureate's tokotoko to the people and make poetry," Dr Marsh said in a statement to Radio NZ.

PACIFIC LITERATURE 

A number of significant books on Pacific history were launched this year with the important account of Samoa's fight for independence in the work 'Tautai: Sāmoa, World History, and the Life of Ta’isi O. F. Nelson' by Patricia O'Brien. Samoan's from all corners of Aotearoa flocked to the launch of the book in Mangere this year to celebrate the life of Ta'isi and hear a spectrum of acclaimed speakers pay tribute to Samoa's past.

'Island Time' by acclaimed Pacific Historian Toeolesulusulu Damon Ieremia Salesa
New Zealand is a nation that exists on Pacific Islands, but does not, and perhaps cannot, see itself as a Pacific Island nation. Yet turning to the Pacific, argues Damon Salesa in his new book enables us to grasp a fuller understanding of what life is really like on these shores.  

Salesa argues that Pacific people have been innovators who have led a Pacific social, cultural and economic transformation of New Zealand. For those outside of ‘Pacific New Zealand’ much of this has been missed, and despite New Zealand’s strong links with the Pacific and a substantial Pacific population, New Zealand has not valued or made the most of Pacific innovation and potential.

*Psst also the Coconet's Tales of Time series won Best Pacific Programme of the year at the NZ Film and TV Awards for the 'Tama Uli' documentary, directed by Tuki Laumea.  

and ICYMI you can watch the winning 'Tama Uli' documentary right here -