The Rock & Roman Reigns Go Up Against Cody Rhodes & Seth "Freaking" Rollins at Wresltemania XL
The biggest tag team match on The Biggest WrestleMania of All Time goes down as Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Seth "Freakin" Rollins team up to take down The Rock and Roman Reigns.
The Rock wrestled his first match since 2016 and pinned "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes for the win, allowing the Wrestlemania XL Night 2 main event between Cody Rhodes and "Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns to be held under "Bloodline Rules".
Watch his full, electrifying entrance here!
Here's what "The Final Boss" had to say about the match at the Wrestlemania XL press conference
Roman Reigns defends his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes today!
Legends Celebrated At The Inaugural Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame
"Pacific rugby players have a global impact. If you think about the last Rugby World Cup, over half the teams had Pasifika playing for them, it wasn't just Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the All Blacks, just about every other team that had Pasifika influence threaded or weaved into that team" - Savae Sir Michael Jones
The Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame aims to provide a global platform to honour Pacific’s rugby heroes, past and present. Shining this light on the success of our best players aims to lift Pacific communities through the power of rugby - inspiring the next generation of Pasifika rugby heroes.
The movement will champion Pacific rugby players and their collective hopes and aspirations in a series of events in Auckland this weekend, after the inaugural ceremony saw a packed out Eden Park on Thursday night.…more
We Love You Yolande - A Coconet Tribute ❤️
It's with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Tofilau Yolande Ah Chong, the woman who brought such life and love to our Pasifika communities, who advocated passionately for the voice of Tagata Moana and lit up our screens with her special brand of humour like no other 🌺💞
We love you so much Lande, look at the decades of joy you brought to the world in all our programmes and events.
Rest in Alofa and fly high in the Heavens like you did on Earth 🕊️ This is our special tribute compilation of all your amazing work
From The South Pacific To Connacht - The Bundee Aki Story
“I love playing for Ireland. I love the people in Ireland"
Ireland and Connacht centre Bundee Aki has admitted that he loves Ireland and the Irish people in an emotional excerpt with ITV.
The O.Gs - A Journey Through Opera's Island Legacy
The Auckland waterfront was transported to the Islands by the voices of Pasifika opera stars with ‘The O.Gs’ epic opera one off event!
Spearheaded by Samoan tenor and visionary Siliga Sani Muliaumaseali'i, the first Pasifika to sing professionally with a New Zealand opera company as a teenager, this extraordinary event has been a long-held dream - "The O.G’s" concept is a tribute to the Original Pasifika Opera Stars. The name "O.G" holds various interpretations, including "Opera Giants," "Oceanic GAFA genealogy" in Samoan, and "Original Gangstas."
The O.G's that took center stage are SIliga Sani Muliaumasealii, his older brother celebrated Baritone Eddie Muliamasealii, famous Tongan tenor Ben Makisi, mezzo-soprano Lotte Latukefu, guest soprano Deborah Wai Kapohe and award winning soprano Aivale Cole who told the arts festival:
'The O.G’s represent a homecoming for these iconic artists, offering them a platform to sing their songs and share their stories.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - LUCIDLUCA
Meet Lucidluca, an artist with a vibrant Tongan background! Luca's art reflects his rich cultural experiences. In our chat, Luca shares insights into his journey, the significance of cultural representation, and the inspiration behind his unique avatar maker.
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Malo lava Luca! Tell us about yourself. Who is Luca, and where did you grow up, etc.
In my household, we call ourselves a fruit salad fam. I’m half Tongan and half Palangi, and I was born in Lautoka, Fiji, to an expat dad from Manurewa and a mum originally from Lotofoa, Ha’apai. I have three older sisters (technically halves, but we never think of it that way).
We all have different mums from different islands: Tonga, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Samoa. My dad spent decades as a tradie and a seaplane pilot in the Pacific, delivering midwives to outer islands to help women give birth safely.
However, he ended up collecting a few kiddos himself along the way, finally settling down with my mum in Tonga.…more
Angela Tiatia's 'The Dark Current' and Pasifika Femininity
“In our Pasifika culture when you’re a young person and you voice to your family that you want to be an artist, there’s often this suspicion, fear or worry about making an impact or even a career from being an artist. It takes a lot of having to bury those dreams and expectations that others have for your life and push past that to look deep within and ask “what do I want for my life?”
She is the Samoan supernova of the Australian art world, splashing narratives of brown women up front and personal across giant sized screens in some of the most acclaimed art spaces across the ditch.
The proud Savaiian has been on an extraordinary journey with her video making art practice, and has also had extraordinary success in the palagi art world.
Angela’s latest work ‘Dark Current’ continues to pack a punch, putting forward subversive ideas behind the beauty of the Island experience.…more
The O.G's - A Historic Celebration of Pasifika Opera Stars at 2024 Auckland Arts Festival
Original Pasifika Opera Stars Return to Aotearoa for One-Night-Only Celebration at 2024 Auckland Arts Festival
The 2024 Auckland Arts Festival is poised to host an extraordinary and historic event, "The O. G’s," a celebration of the original Pasifika opera stars who blazed trails for a new generation of talented artists.
On March 24th, 2024, this one-of-a-kind celebration will grace the stage, offering a unique journey through the rich history and enduring legacy of Pasifika opera.
Pasifika immigrants arriving in Aotearoa New Zealand during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s harbored dreams and aspirations for their families, with opera singing not typically on their radar.
However, today, Pasifika opera singers have left an indelible mark on global stages, though their journey was far from easy. "The O.G’s" is an event designed to revisit the roots of Pasifika opera, honoring the pioneers who dismantled barriers and forged paths for future generations.
"The O.G’s" concept is a tribute to the Original Pasifika Opera Stars.…more
Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi's Lalava Brings New Life to Kongakava Hotel's Historic Fale Tonga
"For me it was good and challenging to add new life to the fale and add colour to bringing the old fale to life and it still old technique and traditions and colour of the ropes give us the change of our time and relationship of the traditional fale to the modern and western fale." - Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi
Paul Johansson, of The Kongakava Hotel was thrilled and honoured that renowned Tongan artist and sculptor, Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi, agreed to do the Lalava that graces the main entrance to the Kongakava Hotel.
The lalava (traditional lashing) by Sopolemalama completes the reconstruction of the 100 year old faletonga to its former glory, bringing the old traditions into a contemporary setting for the entrance to the Hotel.
The art of lalava is a ancient traditional Tongan art form and Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi would like to see this art revived and used in contemporary settings in the Kingdom of Tonga.…more
ASD Dads | Creating Safe Spaces for Autistic Children
Jordan Lee Ikitule created a group for Fathers of Autistic Children in the hopes of creating more safe spaces for children with ASD and their families.
In a bid to create safer spaces and events for Autistic children and their families, Jordan has held multiple events to do just that. Hosting events not only for ASD children to be unapologetically themselves, but also for Fathers of ASD children to come together and share in their experiences.
The group continue to hold events, and have plans to host information evenings for the wider families of Autistic Children to come and learn more about their nieces/nephews/grandchildren etc. Since it's conception ASD Dads events have consistently sold out within the first day of posting - indicating the massive need for these accessible events.
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By Destiny Momoiseā
Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air