Coco Talanoa — Humans of the Islands / Page 8

SAIPELE VAIMOSO

Podcast/ Radio Show Host & Personality

Samoan

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Tell us a little bit about yourself: where were you born and raised and what ethnicity are you? 

I am Saipele Vaimoso (29) and I’m Samoan. My mum comes from the villages of Vaisala, Sasatele and Falealili; my dad is from Vaimoso, Faleapuna and Falefa. I was born in Otahuhu, South Auckland and grew up in Otara. Brisbane, Australia is where I’ve resided since I was 15 years old.

For those who don't know about Queer Coco podcast, what is it and why did you start it? 

I started the Queer Coco Podcast to tell my own story as a Gay Samoan man and it has now evolved into platform for other Queer Pasifika & Maori people to tell theirs. I would like the Podcast to be a resource for not only our QPM Youth and our allies but also for parents.

You have particularly spoken about your experience growing up as a Queer Person in the Pacific Community.…more

JANICE ELIA, TAPU & JOE FUIAVA

Mental Health Initiative; Blackbutterfly Group 

Samoan

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We are a group of Pasifika people from a Samoan and Tongan heritage. We were born and raised in New Zealand and migrated to Brisbane Australia. Tapu and Janice are sisters and both work in specialised community mental health services. Joe and Tapu are married, and Joe has been working with children in crisis for many years. We’re a close-knit family that enjoys working together towards a common goal. 

Where did the idea for the Blackbutterfly initiative come from?

The idea of Blackbutterfly was born out of need. Amongst ourselves, we would often have deep discussions about the challenges we were experiencing personally but also what we saw happening to our family and friends. We basically got tired of talking and began asking ourselves what can we do about it? 

Utilising the traditional process of a talanoa, it was obvious to us that this was the most suitable mechanism for our people.…more

RUBEN VULAWALU

Communications Assistant/illustrator

Fijian

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My name is Ruben, I was born and raised in Suva and also lived in the West during my high school years in Lautoka.

How did you get into illustration art? Has it always been a passion?

I was brought up my grandparents in the early 1980s, and had just started school in Veiuto Primary School, when my grandfather/namesake who served during the Solomon Islands campaign and was a retired war veteran moved to the chiefly village of Drue in Kadavu to retire (5 hours by boat in the southern part of Viti Levu). 

He used to love reading the Fiji Times - Letters to the editors particularly. Growing up I made it a personal hobby to trace the editorial cartoons from every weekends paper and send it by snail mail to the village.…more

ANE TONGA 

Artist/ Curator of Pacific Art & Inaugral curator of Pacific Art in Toi o Tamaki, Auckland Art Gallery.  She is the newest and youngest board member of the Arts Council of NZ - the governing body of Creative NZ arts funding agency.

Tongan

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My name is Ane Tonga and I am from the villages of Vaini and Kolofo’ou. I was born and raised in Auckland-in Mount Wellington/East Side to be exact.

You and your older sister Nina are both Arts Curators in a major NZ gallery and museum - are you unicorns? How unique and important is this for Moana people? 

 Unicorns are closely related to horses and we’re Tongan so watch out, ha! All joking aside, Nina and I aren’t dissimilar to other Tongan and Pacific people; we are proud of our heritage and demand nothing less than excellence when it comes to the work that we do to serve indigenous and Pacific peoples.…more

TALIA'ULI LATUKEFU 

Actor 

Tongan 

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My name is Talia’uli Latukefu but most people know me as Uli. I’m Tongan, born and raised in Australia and I’m an actor. 

What were the pathways that led you to pursue acting? 

When I was about 21, I met a couple from church who were running a creative arts program for at risk youth in Brisbane, Australia. Id recently moved there from Sydney where I grew up. They were really inspiring. A small group of us devised a musical together with a local playwright. It was called Paradise - The Musical, mostly young Pacific Island cast and original music. It was a lot of fun. A few years later the director emailed me about an audition for a play. I auditioned and got the role, that role lead to another audition and a small tour.…more

PRISCILLA TUALA-FATA 

CLAIMS ADMINISTRATOR & BODY BUILDER 

SAMOAN 

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Talofa Lava, my name is Priscilla Tuala-Fata.

I am 42 years old and I am the eldest twin out of my sister and I, and the second oldest in our aiga. I was born in Auckland, New Zealand and lived there until the age of 6, then we moved to a much smaller town called Hastings. I am now living in Flaxmere, Hastings where I spent most of my life as a young child to adolescent and now as an adult. I have four children, the oldest being 19 currently attending Victoria University of Wellington and the youngest being only 6 years old. I attended Flaxmere Primary School, Flaxmere Intermediate and Hastings Girls’ High School. My experience at Hastings Girls High School was a great one. I participated in volleyball, basketball and the pasifika group which helped me to make lasting friendships and also helped me to build a stronger connection with my Samoan culture. I work at Choices Kahungunu Health Services as a Claims Administrator for the Midwives.…more

TEUILA BENIONI and TERESA ATUA FAU 

Co-Founders of Weddings She Wrote Ltd 

Samoan & Cook Islands (Teuila)  Samoan (Teresa) 

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TUPOU VEIOGO 

ACCOUNTING STUDENT & 

PRIME MINISTERS PACIFIC YOUTH - COMMERCIAL and CORPORATE AWARD RECIPIENT 

FIJIAN 

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Tupou is 20 years old and was born and raised in Fiji. He is currently studying Accounting at Massey University in Palmerston North. Tupou has achieved
academic success by receiving a certificate of excellence in Intermediate Financial Accounting in his second year of study. He was also given the
opportunity to intern with Cotton Kelly Services, an audit firm in Palmerston North. He has been involved in supporting the Massey Pasifika Club
Association as an executive, as well as contributed to their cultural events and festivals.

With a keen interest in extending his audit skills and knowledge capacity, Tupou’s future goals and aspirations is to become an accountant.…more

LESINA NAHKID-SCHUSTER 

Doctor & the first Bachelorette New Zealand 

Samoan / German / Trinidad & Tobago / Lebanese 

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How do you feel about being the first Bachelorette in New Zealand?

I'm extremely honoured to be New Zealands very first Bachelorette!! To be able to have a female in the drivers seat for the very first time is amazing, and to be able to spearhead this format is exciting. I'm also nervous about the overall journey - venturing in to the unknown can be a life changing and nerve racking thing! 

How important did you think it was to be a woman of colour and to be in this space?

I think it's an absolute reflection of the times and also of the diverse population that New Zealand has, that a woman of colour was chosen to be a Bachelorette.…more

ELIZABETH JENNINGS-SCHUSTER 

FULL TIME MOTHER 

Samoan / Tokelauan 

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My name is Elizabeth Jennings-Schuster. I'm from Anaheim, California. I am Samoan & Tokelau. I grew up in Orange County, CA and I am a full time mom of 13 but I also work from home in the mortgage Industry to help make ends meet.

You're the Mum & Step Mum of 13 children - tell us about your blended family

In my previous marriage, I had 7 children of my own. I had 3 boys & 4 girls ranging in age from 10-22 years old - Aramie, Ahrize, Aaron, Ahzira, Aelarii, Aroen & Sev'n.

My husband had 5 in his previous marriage. He has 2 girls & 3 boys ranging in age from 7-17.  Sariah, Lawrence, Canaan, Gavin & Ari.

My husband and I have known each other since 1993. Life happened and we went our separate ways & now we've reconnected & have a child together. Our son Urban is 4 years old.  Which brings our total to 13 children.…more