Coco Talanoa — Coco News / Page 52

Tonga’s Leiti’s Association calls for recognition of transgender people

The Vice President of Tonga Leiti’s Association has called for a clear definition of gender equality to ensure that everyone, including transgender people, are included and taken into consideration in decision-making.

Joey Mataele, who was born male but lives as a woman, was in Suva as part of the 13 Triennial Conference of Pacific Women where a platform for gender equality was approved and passed by Pacific Ministers for Women for endorsement.

“When you talk about gender equality , you are talking about the overall population not just women and men, people living with HIV, people living with disability, transgender women, transgender men, that do exist in this world,” Mataele said.

She said one of the challenges that they faced in Tonga was the limitation of being recognised for who they are.

“We are known to be the decorators, we are known to be the chefs, we are known to be the hard- labour people but when it comes to decision making, we are nowhere to be seen,” Mataele said.…more

Mailelani – Organic Samoan Skincare taking over!

By now we’re all aware of the endless benefits received from the coconut, so it’s no surprise that one of Samoa’s leading skincare and natural beauty companies, has put Samoa on the map using organic coconut oil magic. Mailelani, meaning ‘a gift from heaven’, was established in 2005 by Kitiona and Sylvie Salanoa.

Using organic suau’u popo (coconut oil) in their products, sourcing local ingredients and employing local villagers, Mailelani is providing not only work opportunities, but also superior natural skincare with those unmistakable island fragrances.

“What makes Mailelani unique is that it’s the peoples business; it’s not just us. We have people who make the coconut oil, koko samoa and sell esi, so everything we do and put in, is made by the people, Mailelani just makes the finished product. That’s why I always say without the people, Mailelani wouldn’t exist.” – Kitiona Salanoa.

The first product created was a handmade scentless soap, which eventually developed into a range with seven various fragrances.…more

The video “I’m a Proud Pacific Islander” is one of two videos created by the Pacific UN Free & Equal campaign for equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.

It features the faces and voices of LGBTI people and their allies from across the Pacific, calling for everyone to take a stand for LGBTI equality.

‘We are what we remember, the self is a trick of memory . . . history is the remembered tightrope that stretches across the abyss of all that we have forgotten’

Maualaivao Albert Wendt

‘Ta’isi O.F.Nelson, Political Campaigner & Statesman’

Credit: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 31-66440. Photographer, H.J. Schmidt, article from The Museum of Sāmoa.  Photos courtesy of Tony Brunt via the Museum of Samoa

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Ta’isi Olaf Frederick Nelson (24 February 1883 - 28 February 1944) was a successful businessman, scholar, and the leader of the Mau movement in the 1920’s and 1930’s.  Despite a firm position against violent protest of any kind Ta’isi was banished for two long stints, spending more than seven and a half years of forced residency in New Zealand without the right of return to attend to family or business matters.  He was absent from Samoa during the shootings in Apia on ‘Black Saturday’ 28 December, 1929.…more

Night 1 - " The Beauty of Oneness " Miss Galaxy Pageant 2017 Program at Queen Salote Memorial Hall, Kingdom Of Tonga 12th July 2017

Coco Talanoa - Media Panel, join Johnson Raela (Journalist, Tagata Pasifika) and the panel, Adrian Stevanon (Associate Producer, The Hui), Henry 'Jandals' Tuipe'a (Radio personality), Susana Guttenbeil (Jounalist and Communications Manager) and Yolande Ah Chong (Television personality and Media Liaison for Pacific Media Network) discussing issues of the day.

Today's discussion centres around Pacific representation in Aotearoa media and out there in the World.

“I decided that if I stayed, I would will be killed. I didn’t know where I would go but I prayed and said to my people ‘Today I will leave you with tears, but one day I will come back and you will smile’. If I escaped alive, maybe West Papua can be free.” - Benny Wenda

You’d pay attention if Samoans were tortured and imprisoned for raising the Samoan flag, or if Fijians were murdered for peacefully protesting.

You’d pay attention if Tongan villages were burnt to the ground, women raped and children killed.

Yet there is an island in the Pacific where these horrors are actively taking place and the Pacific region isnt paying enough attention, says Saina Tomi Setu from Samoa First Union, who is helping to publicise the plight of West Papua in Apia while the Pacific Islands Forum Summit is being held.

As Pacific people we are often too comfortable in our freedom, scrolling through global news of recent race hate violence but not connecting to the human rights violations happening right next door.…more

Bouncing – One of the only occupations where people feel entitled to get in your face, bold and intoxicated, and tell you how to do your job.

The Auckland nightlife has been growing and evolving rapidly over the past ten years, and through new bars, clubs, crowds and music, one aspect remains fairly constant…Pacific Island bouncers.

“Nightclubs like islanders because we’re naturally big and it’s easier to have someone big and intimidating to say “no”. When I was working, we were all mostly Islanders…Samoans and Tongans.” – Eti Naseri.

Eti, who now works as a club promoter and operator of two Auckland nightclubs, has around 7 years experience as a bouncer. Entering the scene while he was still in high school, Eti quickly learned that the job was less about the ladies and status, and more about brotherhood. There is an obvious and necessary camaraderie between the handful of men who watch over up to 200 people at a time.

 Addressing the stereotypes that bouncers are “dumb angry coconuts”, Eti says that they’re usually always untrue.…more