WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - JUNE POTIFARA
JUNE POTIFARA
MUSICAL THERAPIST
SAMOAN
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This year, Music Therapy New Zealand celebrates a significant milestone: 50 years of music therapy practice in Aotearoa. Samoan Musical Therapist June Potifara shares more about her journey into the industry.
Could you please introduce yourself and your Pacific Heritage
Malo le soifua maua, ma le lagi e mamā. My name is June Potifara. I am of Samoan heritage, hailing from the villages of Falease’ela, Lefaga, and Sapunaoa, Falealili, but was born and nurtured here in Aotearoa. Therefore, I acknowledge the whenua and extend my gratitude to the tangata whenua whose mātauranga and tikanaga have enriched my upbringing.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in the home of the brave, Otara in Tāmaki Makaurau. What I consider the heart of the Pacific, here in Aotearoa.
For those who don't know, could you please tell us about your work in Music Therapy?
My current work is within the disability and adult mental health sectors.…more
Head Coach of CKB Eugene Bareman starts 'Walk Without Fear" Trust
Following the devastating loss of the late Liufau Vake due to a "coward punch" Eugene Bareman has established a new trust "Walk Without Fear" that aims to usher in an end to street violence.
The charity aims “To promote awareness of the devastating consequences of the one punch and coward punch attacks and other forms of social violence against victims and their families” says City Kickboxing owner and head coach, and Chairman of The Walk Without Fear Trust.
The trust was born following the tragic passing of 25-year-old Tongan mixed martial artist Liufau Vake who passed from injuries sustained from a coward punch attack in 2021.
Bareman remarked “Fau’s death was a devastating loss … This violent act should not be reduced to a faceless statistic, it’s a brutal reality, tearing the fabric of communities.”
“A coward's punch leaves no opportunity for victims to defend themselves and this has devastating consequences, in some cases life long disability or even death.…more
Pacific Pageants Moving Into A New Era Of Youth Activism?
As 15 tama’ita’i Samoa took to the stage at Matagialalua Friendship Park last night for Night One of the 2024 Miss Samoa pageant, even the usual slightly voyeuristic ‘sarong’ category was a vehicle for messaging.
The stage of the pageant is now staging a different sort of ‘Queen’ as nearly half the contestants used their original designs and meanings to promote topics like climate change, the manumea survival, coral reef regeneration or put a spotlight on cultural sovereignty.
For Miss Pacific Climate Warriors, Brianna Fruean, the most visible in her activism, choosing to use the pageant as an important speaking platform was always a strategy to target Pacific youth.
Her puletasi was designed by award winning Samoan designer and star of project runway Afa Ah Loo
"My Sarong and Puletasi were no different. The looks not only pointed to lessons but also legacy. I wanted to honour the movements of the past with the Mau and the movement of the present with the climate warriors renewable energy campaign.…more
15th Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference Tackles Climate Resilience in Pasifika
The 15th Pacific Water and Wastewater Conference and Expo, as well as the 8th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Forum opened today (Tuesday 3rd September NZT) at the Cook Islands National Auditorium in Rarotonga.
Hosted by Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) the weeks events will see over 300 individuals from 30 Pacific utility providers flock to Rarotonga where they will prioritise, coordinate and highlight the importance of water resilience and the need to rapidly accelerate access to safe, and clean sources of drinking water in the wake of climate change.
The theme for this years conference is ‘Water resilience in the Pasifika – Navigating the currents of change for a climate resilient region’.…more
A Victory for South Auckland: Auckland's Local Alcohol Policy Marks a Major Win For Community
After nearly a decade of relentless legal battles, Auckland’s local alcohol policy has finally been adopted, marking a monumental victory for communities across Tāmaki Makaurau, especially South Auckland. At last week’s council meeting, Auckland's councillors unanimously voted to enforce the policy by December 9, 2024, setting in motion a transformative change that will protect our neighborhoods from the devastating impacts of alcohol-related harm.
For years, South Auckland has been disproportionately affected by the proliferation of liquor stores and the associated social issues that come with easy access to alcohol. Out of the 23 suburbs directly impacted by this policy, 13 are in South Auckland, making this not just a win for our city, but a decisive victory for our community.
A Decade-Long Battle for Our Rights
Councillor Josephine Bartley, chair of the Regulatory and Safety Committee, rightfully calls this a "momentous day" for all of Tāmaki Makaurau. "We’ve been fighting for this on behalf of our communities for almost ten years.…more
Pacific Music Awards 2024
The 20th Pacific Music Awards took place at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau last night (Thursday 29th Aug).
The event marked a milestone in Aotearoa’s music history, signifying two decades of celebrating Pasifika contributions to the New Zealand music scene.
The atmosphere ran electric as musicians, friends, families and entire communities gathered to celebrate the achievements of the years nominated finalists.
The first award for the evening, the Most Promising Artist Award, went to brother and sister country duo Miti. The Porirua raised siblings dedicated the award to their parents and remarked “This is so surreal.…more
Pacific Athletes take on Paris 2024 Paralympics
The Paris 2024 Paralympics kick off 29th August 6:00am NZST (28th Aug 1pm CT, USA) and for the first time ever there will be 13 Pacific athletes competing.
The record breaking Pacific registration was celebrated by the Oceania Paralympic Committee who remarked that ‘this moment represented years of preparation, sacrifice and determination.”
The Pacific cohort boasts representation from 6 pacific nations - Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati.
The 13 strong Pacific athlete squad consists of 7 women and 6 men competing across the para-taekwando and the para-athletics.…more
Pacific Islanders of Celebrity Treasure Island
Celebrity Treasure Island is BACK and the cast includes a cohort of Pacific household names!
Bubbah - Samoan
Bubbah the comedian/writer/actor from South Auckland known for her crack up videos online, and backyard comedy shows put on for her beloved Saute Aukilani - and of course Tina from Turners! She’s taken mainstream media by storm with her most recent appearance in Taskmasters NZ.
Bubbah is supporting the Pillars Charity “I chose Pillars NZ because they do mean as mahi with children of prisoners. A lot of their work is done with love and care in facilitating a space for families to grow and heal while their family members serve their prison sentence.…more
5 Pasifika Wāhine Highlighted in Y25 2024 Cohort
There are five Pasifika wāhine in the 2024 Y25 (25 young wāhine and irarere under 25 yrs who are fighting for better systems, communities, and worlds)!
The Y25 programme is a celebration of self-identified wāhine and tāhine, 25 years and under, doing incredible things for their communities and world. Get to know them and their incredible work here!
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ANNAFINAU ESETA PONITA TUKUITOGA
Country Music Star / Niuean Language Activist
Niuean-Fijian Annafinau is a rising country music/ bluegrass star who received the Creative New Zealand ‘Arts, Culture and Creativity Award' at a ceremony for the Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards at the Beehive in 2022. Annafinau’s music has resonated in spaces across Aotearoa, which was acknowledged in the title she was given as ‘New Zealand Country Music Youth Ambassador’ by the PM.
This bright afine Niue is a testament to the warrior women who raised her. From her beautiful Nan to her incredible Mum, she often says that the strong women in her life shaped her world and that she wouldn't be who she is without them.…more
The Legend of Raemaru a Forgotten Navigational Tool
Pacific peoples are some of the best storytellers in the world. Pre-colonisation oratory storytelling was held in the highest regard because it was through myths and legends we preserved our cultural heritage.
The stories passed from generation to generation taught valuable and important life
lessons, and in some cases, these lessons were essential to our survival.
Before we continue, do you know the difference between a myth and a legend?
Myths are works of fiction created to explain the unexplainable.
Take, for example, the myth of The Creation of Pukapuka. In short, Te Ulu O Te Watu (The Head of the Rock or Pukapuka) came to be when the God Tamayei, who was traveling, grew tired and needed somewhere to rest. From the sea, he summoned Pukapuka, and from within Pukapuka emerged its first man Mataalki. Fun fact Pukapuka is the only island in the Cook Islands whose population story doesn’t include an arrival on a vaka.…more