Coco Talanoa — Humans of the Islands / Page 17

SESALINA SIMONETTI aka Shezel 

Hair Braider at King Fadez (Kingsland)

Tongan 

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Tell us a bit about yourself - What you do / Where you're from / Your Pacific heritage.

I was born and raised on the North Shore, Auckland. My parents are from Tonga - Dad is also of French/italian heritage and born in Fungamisi Neiafu Vavau Lahi.  My Mum is fromTatakamoTonga / Kolomotua Nukualofa Tonga.  They now live in Auckland.

Before getting this job – I was volunteering for church groups and second hand stores. I’m a full time mother of three kids (7,6 & 3yrs).  Now I’m working here at King Fadez as a full time member doing braids.

Its always been a hobby, something I always enjoyed especially back in high school, when we used to be rocking corn braids for dancing competitions. Then I thought I would start it up at home, so as a part time gig on the side, I was doing corn braids.…more

Anne Christine Dunn

Paralegal preparing to pass the bar & reigning Miss Hibiscus, Miss Fiji & Miss Pacific Islands 

Fijian 

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Tell us a bit about yourself and your Pacific Island heritage.

I’m full Fijian. My Dad is from Namosi, and my mum is from Nadroga. So usually when I introduce myself, I say I’m from Namosi, vasu i Nadroga. I come from a family of two – there’s just my brother (Amos) and I, who’s 12 years older, and he has three beautiful children.

After living in the United States for so long, what brought you back to Fiji?

After elementary and high school in California, I graduated then moved to Fiji to be with my Dad. The most defining experience for me was definitely moving to Fiji. I don’t think people realise how different life is to what people perceive it to be in America. People think you have “the life” when you’re brought up overseas, but in reality, I didn’t have that, and I was raised by a single mother.…more

By Victor Rodger 

Dianna Fuemana used to be a single parent on the DPB, watching soap operas like The Young and the Restless, dreaming of a better life.

Did she ever envisage the soap opera like turns her own life would take after she burst onto the theatre scene in 1999 with her critically acclaimed one woman show, Mapaki, elbowing her way through the male dominated Pacific theatre field to put female Pacific characters front and centre?

Since then her plays have been performed in Los Angeles, Toronto, Pago Pago, Athens, Niue and Edinburgh as well as throughout New Zealand.

In 2O12 she spent three months in New York as an intern with Killer Films who produced such Oscar winning hits as Boys Don’t Cry and Still Alice.

And as the partner of Kiwi actor Jay Ryan (best known for Beauty at the Beast and Go Girls) she has found herself in the pages of the very magazines she herself used to flick through back in her DPB days.…more

JAMES NOKISE 

COMEDIAN/THEATRE MAKER & WRITER

SAMOAN/WELSH 

Lafoai Luaitalo 

Community Work Leader & LLB/BA student

Samoan/Chinese 

My name is Lafoai Lian Luaitalo of Samoan-Chinese heritage. I’m from Uafato, Fagaloa, in Samoa, the very last village on the road however accompanied by the beautiful Fagaloa Bay. I grew up in Samoa with my grandparents and older sister and moved to NZ to be with my Mum when I was 4. I recently travelled back to Samoa with a bunch of my friends and family and it was an eye-opening experience learning about my heritage and culture. 

I am a fourth year LLB/BA student at the University of Auckland. I am a Tuakana Mentor (for Maori and PI students) for Sociology at the University and also undertake volunteer youth ‘work’ in Randwick Park where I reside with my flatmates.…more

Sam Manuela 

Psychology Lecturer at The University of Auckland

Cook Islands 

My name is Sam Manuela. I am of both Cook Island (Rarotonga, Manihiki, Atiu) and European (Scottish, Danish) descent. I currently live in Papakura, Auckland and I am a lecturer in the School of Psychology at The University of Auckland.

You recently graduated with a Doctorate in Psychology, how/why did you decided to pursue Psychology? 

As kids, we are often asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I always said something like ‘a fireman’ or ‘a doctor’ or whatever occupation seemed aspirational for someone of my age and naivety. The truth was, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was more concerned about having fun with my family and friends.

I figured out that if I gave an answer that was expected of me, I wouldn’t have to sit through their life advice and I could continue playing with my friends.…more

Sam Ratumaitavuki

Co-founder of two Mobile Game Publishing Companies & Creator of Fortafy Facebook

Fijian

Sisavai'i Grey Uiagalelei 

Actress

Samoan

I am an actor who dabbles in fashion designing, singing, writing, and a few other things.  Recently I wanted to go into MMA and then my husband gives me 'the look' so I go back to acting like I am a MMA fighter...in my head.  

When/How did you get into acting?

My father is a musician so I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Elvis and other genres of music that a typical kid in Samoa wouldn't really listen to.  We would go to the video store and rent nothing but musicals that some of these musicians were in.  Watching those actors create magic on the screen started a fire in my heart that never went away.  I guess you could say that my dad's love for music brought me to my love for acting.  

Although my love for acting started at a young age, I didn't have the courage to pursue it till after being a mom.…more