The killing by police of unarmed black man George Floyd in the US has galvanised activism around the world including an outpouring of support from the Pasifika community in New Zealand and around the world.  

Advocates say Pacific people can relate to the targeting and harassment by police that the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted.  Past protests by Pacific people, including Samoa's independence movement The Mau and The Polynesian Panthers against the Dawn Raids of the 1970's have also inspired many of today's Pasifika generation. 

Pacific Islanders from New Zealand, Australia and the US who attended Black Lives Matter marches last week and more recently over this weekend share why it was important for them as Pasifika to support our black aiga both in the USA and here in our own communities.

.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 

Anonymouz aka Faiumu Matthew Salapu 

I love to create art & content that documents events and causes that spotlight where our society currently is, and more importantly, could be.…more

Pasifika young women in New Zealand will benefit from the latest government initiative which will see girls and young women from the ages of 9 - 18yrs old have access to free period products in schools.

"Young people in Waikato will be the first to have free access to period products in schools in another step to support children and young people in poverty,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

 During term 3, the Ministry of Education will begin providing free period products to schools following the Government’s $2.6 million investment. The roll-out will begin at 15 Waikato schools and be expanded to all state and state-integrated schools on an opt-in basis in 2021.

 “We know that nearly 95,000 9-to-18 year olds may stay at home during their periods due to not being able to afford period products. By making them freely available, we support these young people to continue learning at school,” Jacinda Ardern said.…more

• The Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF) will pay costs of learners of all ages to undertake vocational education and training
• The fund will target support for areas of study and training that will give learners better employment prospects as New Zealand recovers from COVID-19
• Apprentices working in all industries will have costs paid
• High demand areas, including in regional New Zealand, targeted
• In many cases apprentices, trainees and learners at tertiary providers will save between $2500 and $6500 per year.

The Government has made it easier for New Zealanders who want to train in industries where demand is expected to grow as the country recovers from COVID-19.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins said the fund, announced as part of Budget 2020, will encourage and support New Zealanders to undertake vocational education and training in these high-demand industries.…more

Ruby Satele tells Coconet TV about how these two samoan Selu are particularly unique. 

What is so unique about Samoan selu? 

These particular sets of selu are tall and elongated in form, making it visible even from front view. Each of the combs are significantly decorated and no two combs are the exact same. They are unique from other Samoan selu as these are purely decorative hair adornments and perhaps the only practical element it may have is to secure a hair style in place. The selu la’au (wooden comb) is a special one and also unique, even in the Pacific, for its level of detail and intricacies embedded in a thin, wooden comb.

Can you describe the dfiferent types of selu that are in the collection? Did they have different ornamental uses and what are each one made of? 

There are two types of selu in the collection; selu tuāniu and selu la’au. The selu tuāniu is made from multiple midribs of the coconut leaflet and held together by lashings, often sennit lashings.…more

Congratulations to 1 News Pacific Correspondent Barbara Dreaver who won 2 major awards at the Voyager Media Awards last night for her coverage of the Samoa Measles Epidemic last year.  

Barbara who was born and brought up in her Mothers home island of Kiribati has always been passionate about the Pacific Islands and fighting for Pacific Islands issues to be covered in mainstream media.

She said of winninng both awards "I am so super proud to take out two major categories - 'Best TV news story' and 'Best coverage of a major event' but winning it for my Samoan measles coverage is bittersweet. While I am thrilled that the significance of this tragic event is recognised it does feel wrong in some ways to celebrate because of the lifetime of hurt so many families have ahead of them." 

She said the Samoan measles epidemic affected her profoundly on both a personal and professional level and she really struggled with witnessing so much needless grief.…more

The Pasifika Medical Association's (PMA) scholarship recipient, Pyllein Pauli Taetafe, says that her career as a nurse has helped her realise her dream of helping children suffering with illnesses. 

“Seeing children suffer with their illness is sad. But I get my strength from knowing that I’ve given them the best care possible and the times I’ve made them smile, encourages me as I know I’ve done my small part to make them happy.” 

She says she can empathize with families, after having to overcome the death of her own father when she was just seven years old. 

“When my dad was dying, I experienced the process from a child’s lens and now as an adult I’m seeing children being sick, so the emotional connection is real for me and I feel I’ve come full circle.” 

She says the job becomes difficult when patients succumb to their illnesses, especially children. 

“I’m a Sunday school teacher and a youth leader so my passion for children does come through.…more

For first-time mum Louina Tuipulotu being pregnant and having a baby during the Covid-19 lockdown period, made her feel extremely anxious.  But when she finally gave birth at the end of April to a healthy daughter and held her newborn in her arms, all that worry went away.

“I’m glad we are both well and healthy. I’m enjoying being a mother for the first time.”

Normally, the Tongan mother and her husband Viliami would rely on their large extended family to support them. But the Hamilton couple only had each other during her pregnancy and while Louina gave birth to their daughter Fusi Athaliah. She says the experience brought her and her husband closer together.

“I was supported because my husband has been taking very good care of me. It’s made me feel comfortable and relaxed.”

Ngatepaeru Marsters, a midwifery clinical educator and member of the Pasifika Medical Association, says Pasifika mothers who are giving birth during this time have had to adapt without having their families by them for support.…more

On May 15th, a group of 10 from 4TK/ 4 Tha Kulture (South Auckland Climate Change Activism Group), visited landmarks from all around South Auckland, armed with banners and chalk.

“It’s important for our Pacific and wider community to understand how COVID-19 and climate change are directly related, especially with the rising sea levels in the Pacific Islands as well as the growing rate of natural disasters like Cyclone Herold. The future of our people depends on it.” Says 17-year-old South Auckland 4 Tha Kulture (4TK) Organiser Aigagalefili Fepulea’i - Tapua’i.

The May 15th strike was solely centred on 4 Tha Kulture’s new demand, alongside School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C), for a Green COVID-19 Response. They demand that, as Aotearoa now begins to offset the economic impacts of COVID-19, the Government must invest in building a renewable and regenerative economy. This must be done through meaningful partnerships with communities, Tangata Whenua and Pasifika, and youth to ensure a just transition and that no one is left behind.…more