Coco Talanoa — Coco News / Page 35

It has been 6 years since Floris Niu walked away from the stressful rat race in corporate New Zealand and returned a broken woman to her home in Tuanai, Samoa.

Floris had spent the previous decade overcoming an avalanche of unfortunate events. While she had beat cervical cancer and survived a near fatal car accident - losing custody of her only daughter after a messy divorce was perhaps the driving factor that led her to contemplate suicide when she returned home.

Instead she found her purpose in the land. Carrying on the work of her ancestors she started to revive her family plantation, returning to traditional and organic farming practices. Today she is an agri tourism operator, an advocate for organic living and sustainable farming, a voice for female farmers in Samoa and a creator of pure cacao chocolate or as most Samoans will know as - Koko Samoa.

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Shot & Edited by Denisa Maňásková.…more

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

“I’m from Kāmeli, Vava’u. I’m the only child my parents have. My Dad works at Air Terminal Services while my Mom cooks at the hospital there. Everyday they leave at 5 or 6am and return at 6 or 8pm.  Both their health are declining. I finished Form 7 last year and I don’t know how I made it through to graduation and my external exams. Anytime one of them is sick, I‘m the caregiver. If my Mom’s sick for 3 days, I miss school for 3 days. The same goes for my Dad.

It’s hard having no brother or sister because there’s no one else to help me. Everyday, I wake up and study my scriptures, say a prayer, iron our clothes, then I feed the pigs. When I return from school, I cook our dinner, clean the house, wash the dishes, or take care of our little kava plantation outside and feed the pigs again. I always break coconuts to feed the pigs.…more

BRUTAL LIVES - MO'UI FAINGATA'A 

ACTOR PROFILE 

'ILAISAANE LATU VAIPULU GREEN

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Malo e lelei my name is 'Ilaisaane Latu Vaipulu Green. Yes, I had to put my full name and maiden name because I can already hear my mum saying "before you were a Green you were a Vaipulu" Hoi sai ke tau ilo/good to know. I was born and raised in Otara South Auckland. My Pacific heritage is from The Kingdom of Tonga. My parents are both from Ha'apai, Dad is from Lofanga and Mum is from Tungua. I still reside in the same house in Otara. I do acting as a full time job, but since covid happened I'm looking at other avenues for some side hustle.

What inspired you to get into acting? 

Growing up I loved performing!  Before acting I was a dancer and I was sooo passionate about it. My favourite styles were Hip Hop and Pasifika Dancing. I did it from primary all the way to high school. Throughout high school in each year I did both Polyfest and Bring It On.…more

"O le ala i le pule o le tautua - The pathway to leadership is through service" and this is at the heart of charitable trust 360 Tautua's work in the community.  Today they finished a 3 day packing and delivering food parcel marathon, delivering 300 food parcels to families and vulnerable Pasifika elderly around Auckland. 

360 Tautua was birthed from a desire to be able to provide a wrap around service for Pasifika elderly in the Auckland community.  Their motto is “Tautua ma le Alofa; Serve with Love” & their aim is to serve the elders and families of the community.…more

In this moving conversation betweeen father and son, Richard Wolfgramm Sr shares his journey of raising a tribe of 6 children on his own.

Faka’apa’apa atu ❤🇹🇴

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Via Safekids Aotearoa

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

“I wasn’t born this way. My physical appearance now is a result of using chemicals without proper safety gears. I was a hired laborer doing farm work and spraying weed chemicals for people’s crops. At about 2006 or so, the effects of the chemicals took a toll on me. It ate my skin and my hands and fingers became crooked. I became blind. I can make out the silhouette but not a face or image.

I was hospitalized for 3 years in the isolation unit and was told I have leprosy. I had to wear a mask covering my mouth and nose all the time. Pusiaki, Dr ‘Ake, told the workers to take it easy as I needed to breathe too. I had to keep away from people. I was lonely. I wondered what my 6 children would eat. I was the provider. My wife left too. We’re back together now. But I cried and complained a bit.…more

The Tupu Tai Pasifika Public Policy Internship is an opportunity for students and recent graduates of Pacific descent to gain real world experience and experience the incredible opportunities on offer within the Government/Public sector.

The decisions that the Government makes impact everyone in Aotearoa and the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment want to ensure that there is a strong Pacific voice contributing to this decision making.  The Pacific Pathways Programme provides an opportunity to support this goal.

If you are looking for a meaningful paid internship over the summer break (November to February) and are keen to access incredible training and development, the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment would love to hear from you.

DON'T MISS OUT!  Applications close Sunday 12th July 2020 at midnight.

Apply now: https://jobs.govt.nz/jobs/MBIE-1463877C

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Hear from some of the Tupu Tai Pacific Sector summer internship Alumni in the videos below:

Tupu Tai public sector summer internship - Why is it important?

Tupu Tai public sector summer internship - What was your learning moment?

Describe your Tupu Tai journey in 3 words

A Zimongan fusion! 

Sasha (Tongan) and Melford (Zimbabwean) share their Happily Ever After, held at The Lincoln Events Centre, Christchurch NZ.

Guests flooded in from all over the world, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Dubai, Tonga, America and Australia just to celebrate their special day with them.

Two very different but yet similar cultures coming together to celebrate two huge Families becoming One.

We talk to Director Vela Manusaute about "Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a" a new Tongan language drama series coming to the CoconetTV in August.  

What is Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a about?
Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a is a new pacific (Tongan) bilingual drama set in South Auckland about a fallen boxing champion who returns home after twenty years when his father dies.   He must face his three children that he left behind, especially his daughter, Lupe.  At the same time, an ancient Tongan spirit warrior seeks revenge for the sins of the Valu family actions over five hundred years ago.  

How did you come across the story and what made you want to make it?
The story and the idea is drawn from our own experiences and cultures—for me, it's my love of Pacific boxing and Pacific stories.  Sandra (Producer) was inspired by stories from her village, Kolonga in Tonga and a desire to see more Tongan stories on screen and in the Tongan language.…more