Coco Talanoa — Coco News / Page 29

Story collated and written by Haitelenisia Afemui ‘Uhila Angilau for her 'Ordinary Tongan Lives' facebook page

“Sometimes my husband would ask me, ‘What’s your childhood memory?’ And you know, the first thing I remember is violence.

I was about 3 or 4 when Mom was attacked by Dad’s brother. My Dad was away for further studies. Mom said to go hide in a bathroom. To this day, I can still hear him attacking my mother while we cried from the bathroom. On another day, my Mom just missed a flying machete by seconds. It was ugly. Then it was just a rough road for my family from there. Mom resigned and worked in the U.S to help repay a family loan. She came back and found Dad had affairs. Then one Sāpate Ako, we came back home and Dad’s clothes were all gone. When they finally divorced, I read the divorce papers.

For years I watched my Mom cry. I don’t know how she managed to get money for us during those years.…more

There are now more Moana MPs in parliament in Aotearoa then ever before! 

The landslide victory of the Labour Party sees the return of four existing Labour MPs, Carmel Sepuloni, Jenny Salesa, Aupito Sua Wlliam Sio and Poto Williams.

Now there are 5 more Labour MPs to add to that list and our first Pasifika Green MP in parliament. 

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Carmel Sepuloni - Labour MP for Kelston

Jenny Salesa - Labour MP for Panmure/Otahuhu 

Aupito Su'a William Sio - Labour MP for Mangere 

Poto Williams - Labour MP for Christchurch East 

Barbara Edmonds - new Labour MP for MANA

Barbara Edmonds is a mother of eight, a specialist tax lawyer, and community fanatic. Titahi Bay, Porirua has been home to Barbara, her husband Chris (Nga Puhi) and their eight children for the last 12 years

Terisa Ngobi- New Labour MP for Otaki

Born, raised and educated in Levin, Terisa Ngobi is a proud Horowhenua local of Samoan and Scottish descent. Terisa’s key focus is for our most needy children, families and elderly to have good access to social services.…more

It has been a year since Samoan mother Vaioleti Tongi experienced the  traumatic stillbirth of her baby son, who died in her womb eight days before she delivered him. 

Grieving the loss of a child who Vaioleti (28) describes as a “gift from God” is  one of the hardest experiences that her and her husband, Tom Tongi (28), have  had to endure.  

Although it is painful for Vaioleti to talk about her experience, she opens up  about her pregnancy to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week and to be an  inspiration to other Pacific mothers who are mourning the loss of a baby. 

“This is an opportunity for bereaved parents to commemorate the brief lives of  their babies, knowing that thousands of other families around the world  understand how they feel and will be doing the same.” 

Vaioleti and her Tongan husband met in 2011 when Vaioleti moved to New  Zealand from Samoa.…more

In the past 10 years, Aotearoa have had record high drowning fatalities. With 320 from 2009-2019, a devastating 89% of these were all Male. 

As summer approaches, it is important for our families and Pacific communities to be safe at NZ beaches and bodies of water such as rivers and lakes.  

New Zealand’s fatal drownings are a shocking 70% higher per capita than Australias. This is very concerning and they are expected to rise if we don’t practice beach safety. 

In the past 10 years, Pasifika had the highest fatal drowning rate. Our brothers, fathers, uncles, grandfathers and sons are being lost to the harsh oceans. 

Surf Lifesavers have tried to raise awareness of the appalling fatal drowning stats for our males across Aotearoa's (NZ's) beaches & coastline . . . including the disproportionately high number of fatal drownings for our Māori & Pasifika males.

Recent reports have shown that Adults have a higher probability of Drowning Fatalities at our beaches. With 35-44 year olds being the age bracket with the highest numbers of Fatal Drownings.…more

2020 has been a rough year for Kiwi’s, with one Level 4 lockdown back in March and another Level 3 lockdown more recently, many jobs were lost.

In September economist Brad Olsen stated “Over the last four weeks, just over 5800 additional Jobseeker Support recipients have commenced, with additions to just Jobseeker Support now at levels last seen in mid-May 2020,” 

Companies have struggled to keep their employees employed, with large corporations such as AIR NZ seeing over 4,000 jobs lost due to Covid-19.

But one Pasifika owned contracting company had a contrasting issue due to the pandemic. Instead of struggling to keep their employees employed, they struggled to HIRE enough people.

Momoisea Horticulture Services Ltd (MHSL) is a family owned orchard contracting company with 30+ years of experience in the field. MHSL offers their services to private and commercial growers in Hawkes Bay, by providing orchard owners and growers with orchard workers/teams to prune, thin and help with harvesting fruit. 

Currently New Zealand is in a 10,000 deficet of RSE workers.…more

New Podcast alert! 

Cousins Jules and Mary talk about life as Samoans being raised outside of Samoan customs and traditions.  Join them as they chat, laugh and cry through their stories and experiences.

Prior to this episode, Jules and Mary sent out a list of questions to their non-Samoan partners to find out what their perception of Samoan women were before dating one, what it's like to date a Samoan, and many more juicy questions .... Check out this episode to find out what their responses were.

And click here to listen to their full podcast playlist on Youtube.

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Find them on social media here:

Facebook: @IndieFaithPodcast

Instagram: @indiefaithpodcast

Hosted by Māni Dunlop.

Taking part were Dr Kelly Feng, the director of Asian Family Health Services; Dr Huhana Hickey, a human rights lawyer and disability advocate; Richard Pamatatau, a journalism lecturer at AUT who specialises in human rights and ethics; and Dr Collin Tukuitonga, associate dean Pacific at Auckland University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Talofa I’m Josiah, a cheese roll loving, railway and Temuka Pottery admiring, Samoan New Zealander. I grew up in Ōtepoti Dunedin with my grandparents, parents, and aunty Key, surrounded by antiques, a roaring log burner, newspapers, and records like ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon.’

So far, if we are thinking about stereotypes, this might not sound like the description of the upbringing of a Samoan New Zealander. However, I am a son of the Pacific, a son of Aotearoa and to embrace who I am, I need to be comfortable not being the successful sports player, or other Pacific stereotypes, rather I am proud to be who I am - a Pacific advocacy nerd with lived experience of depression.

Mum was born in Australia when Nana and Grandad went over for their honeymoon and came home before mum started at school. Dad came to Aotearoa when he was 17 to support our family in Samoa by sending remittances. When I was younger we didn’t have a lot to do with the Samoan community.…more

By FotuoSamoa Jody Jackson 

If you're a child who grew up in the EFKS, Metotisi in Samoa or in a Samoan community, you may have experienced White Sunday and survived to tell your story. Bless you child adorned in white and about to recite a bible verse under duress.

White Sunday is the Sunday in October where children are celebrated in their church community from age zero to humans who are not married, because in many cases you are still deemed a child then - or at least, that's how it's done in the villages I know.

The concept of 'celebration' is a bit different here - celebrate means that on the day, many children will receive new white clothes, accessories and shoes. They would stand in front of the congregation and speak, sing, pray or in many cases, should you fail to deliver, then you will cry knowing your mother or father is killing you with their death stare.…more

The RNZ & PMN Debate on Cannabis Legislation & Control Hosted by Māni Dunlop.

Guests are: Emmaline Pickering-Martin (Fijian born) a teacher, writer, academic, māmā and self proclaimed Hard Westie. Reverend Dr Hirini Kaa - kaiārahi at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts. Jessikha Leathem-Vlasic from Māori public health provider Hapai Te Hauora. And Ana Ika (Tongan heritage) a social policy analyst and advocate for the Salvation Army.