WHY PACIFIC PEOPLE SHOULD SPEAK TE REO
By Fatu Enari
Why should Pacific Islanders learn to speak Maori?
It is such a beautiful culture and it actually has so much in common with our Polynesian countries when you come up from under the christian colonised hangover.
Why did I learn? Tuhoe friends at Waikato Uni inspired me. I could identify with them and so hung out with them, and they were all first language Māori speakers. My lecturers also took me in to their wrap around service in bilingual education as I was missing my own culture and language. The final straw was when I met a beautiful Māori princess from Gizzy ...and my motivation was complete.
The complexity of language acquisition was relatively easy.
I used many Samoan words to fill gaps when doing oral exams - lecturers identified these words as very old words used by their grandparents.…more
NRL: TRY SCORING SAMOAN BRIAN TO'O
He's the flying finisher with the flashing smile making plenty of people sit up and take notice in five games in the big time.
But for promising Panther Brian To'o, that smile masks the despair of losing his little sister to cancer a day before his 10th birthday.
The year was 2008 and To'o was forced to say goodbye to eight-year-old Dannielle, who passed away after a short battle with the dreaded disease.
"It's still fresh to us so it keeps me grounded and focused in life," To'o shares with League Life.
RUGBY HIGHLIGHTS: NZ Barbarian Legends v Pacific Legends, All Blacks vs Ikale Tahi & Australian Wallabies vs Manu Samoa
Catch all the highlights from the epic clashes between the NZ Barbarian Legends & Pacific Legends, the All Blacks vs Tonga & the Australian Wallabies vs Manu Samoa.
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All Blacks vs Ikale Tahi (Tonga)
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Australian Wallabies vs Manu Samoa
NRL: MATE MA'A TONGAs JOE OFAHENGAUE'S PRIVATE BATTLE
Mate Ma'a Tonga & Brisbane Broncos star Joe Ofahengaue and partner Sofi Leota share her private battle to fight breast cancer with League Life.
The original story was filmed back in 2018 when Sofi was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 23.
In this more recent interview on the Podcast 'Upfront about Breast Cancer' Sofi talks to the host about about fertility, losing your hair, connecting with other young women with breast cancer on social media and the challenges of being diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age.
OLINA LOAU - AUSTRALIA's GOT TALENT
A talented young Samoan singer has brought the Australia's Got Talent judges to tears with her performances and has resulted in her receiving TWO Golden Buzzers which means she's now through to the Grand Final of Australia's Got Talent!
15 year old Olina Loau was advanced straight through to the Semi finals after AGT host Ricki-Lee gave Olina her first Golden Buzzer after her epic rendition of 'Never Enough' from the Greatest Showman (video above).
Then Guest Judge Jessica Mauboy buzzed her straight through to the Grand Finals after being blown away by her performance of Beyonce's 'Listen' in the Semis.
Olina who was born in France to a Samoan father & French Mother moved to Australia with her family when she was one years old, grew up in Western Sydney and attends Bossley Park High School. She sang her audition song 'Never Enough' at last Years School Spectacular and is also a regular performer at Fairfield Community Events and Festivals with her brother Ezra.…more
WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - ELYSSIA RA'NEE WILSON-HETI
ELYSSIA RA'NEE WILSON-HETI
PERFORMANCE ARTIST/PRODUCER/ACTIVIST & DISOBEDIENT DISRUPTOR
NIUEAN
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Fakalofa Lahi Atu my name is Elyssia Ra’nee Wilson-Heti. I am a Mangere based performance artist, producer, activist and disobedient disruptor from the arts collective FafSwag. I am of mixed Heritage
My mothers side of the family are English and my fathers side of the family are Niuean, we have other blood lines that run through also so we are a pretty mixed family.
You're directing & acting in a theatre production called 'Reclamation' can you tell us what it's about?
Reclamation is a collaborative work made up of a cast of four Pacifika and Indigenous wahine, our cast include myself, Maila Baker Urale, Ria Hiroki and Falencie Filipo. Reclamation is the second project that was chosen for Basement theatres 2019 Visions Project and has had support from CNZ.
Reclamation is a interdisciplinary performance work made for stage, exploring female desire, pleasure and body positivity through the use of joy.…more
PRIME MINISTER'S PACIFIC YOUTH AWARDS
The new Pacific faces that are the future of the nation!
The 11 new winners of the Prime Ministers Pacific Youth Awards are reaching for the stars across a spectrum of sectors that show the diversity and talent that young Pasifika people are bringing to Aotearoa.
From tech developers to business entrepreneurs, artists and aeronautical engineering - the 11 recipients all have wide ranging skill sets that are primed to blossom as they develop.
“I want to start with your families ...who kept them watered, fed & loved you, thank you" said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in her welcome speech before she addressed the recipients.
“You’re not leaders of tomorrow, you are leaders of today. We need to get rid of the idea that with age comes responsibility, you have responsibilities now...you keep me motivated" she said.…more
MY ADOPTION STORY: FINDING OUT I'M SAMOAN & MEXICAN
Rachel Lei shares her adoption story - what it was like growing up after being placed in a permanent foster care family and then finding out specifically that she was half Samoan & half Mexican.
On top of that she was able to meet both of her biological families (Birth Mother & Fathers families)
Video credit: Rachel Lei & Afa
WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - KANOELANI DAVIS
KANOELANI DAVIS
FOUNDER & CREATOR OF POMAHINA DESIGNS
NATIVE HAWAIIAN / KANAKA MAOLI
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Aloha, ‘O Kanoelani Davis ko’u inoa, mai MolokainuiaHina mai au.
Aloha, I’m Kanoelani Davis from the Island of Molokai, great child of Hina. I am a Native Hawaiian, Kanaka Maoli. I was raised by my grandparents here on Molokai. I am a single mother of four beautiful daughters and I am the founder and creative director of PoMahina Designs.
Also, I am actively dedicated to my community and to protecting our natural resources. I live and breathe traditional practices of hula, martial arts, ceremony, protocol, chanting, lei making, and so much more.
You're one of a few Pacific designers who have been invited to showcase your designs at the London Pacific Fashion Show. Can you tell us about your designs and where you draw inspiration from?
First off, I’m humbled and feel so blessed to be a part of London Pacific Fashion Week.
PoMahina Designs is inspired and driven by the vast history and culture of Native Hawaiians.…more
TAKE HOME PAY PREMIERE
Stallone Vaiaoga-Iosasa's latest comedy to hit the big screen - Take Home Pay - had its premiere last night at The Civic with the Pasifika community out in full force. The movie premiere's tonight in Wellington before it opens to the public on the 5th of September. Check out the trailer above
We spoke to Writer/Director Stallone, Producer Abba Rose Vaiagoa-Ioasa and one of the lead actors Vito Vito before the premiere last night.
Why did you want to make this movie?
Stallone: I wanted to cover 2 main things, one is money - how money works at least to some degree in our community - and also the importance of innovation. I think whats in the film, how the film was made and what goes into making the film, it's an imporant theme in terms of we're always talking about protecting our culture and moving forward.
How we achieve that is in line with how we nurture innovation and how we nurture doing something different outside the box, reacting to the changing climate in a much more pro-active way.…more