HEILALA PACIFIC GOLD LAGER LAUNCH
New Zealand's first Tongan owned lager being sold in New Zealand - 'Heilala Pacific Gold Lager' was launched at Manukau Pak n Save this morning with 21 pallets on sale to the public which had nearly sold out by lunch time.
The lager is being sold exclusively at Pak n Save in Manukau on a trial basis to test the demand but seeing as it had already sold out by the end of the day we're thinking it's going to be a popular choice of lager for the upcoming summer.
Pak n Save shoppers were treated to a live performance by Three Houses Down frontman Charlie Pome'e, DJ Rocky Ponting was on the 1s & 2s and Mai FM were giving a lucky shopper the chance to win a double pass to One Love Festival in Tauranga.…more
JERRY TUWAI - The Rugby Player from Fiji Who Conquered the World | Against All Odds
He won the World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year Award at the World Rugby awards this year & he's the first Fijian player to win the award since Samisoni Viriviri in 2014.
This is the story of Jerry Tuwai who grew up in a poor shanty in Fiji playing rugby with plastic bottles. He went on to win the first Olympic medal for his country.
'A BOY CALLED PIANO - The true story of Fa'amoana 'John' Luafutu'
“Truth is us at the heart of our storytelling, the truth will set you free.
The ground breaking documentary ‘A Boy called Piano’ has its Oceanic premiere in Tahiti at the Fifo Documentary festival to huge fanfare, and will now play out on Whakaata Maori TV for NZ audiences.
“Shining a light on these stories is so important - it’s also brought light to people we tell it to in prisons and to so many people we have shown it to and that’s why we are taking it around prisons in tahiti as we have in Aotearoa”
Sharing this story with other Pacific prisoners has been the most rewarding part of the journey for the father son duo - where career gangsters and…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - MANUHA'APAI VAEATANGITAU
MANUHA'APAI VAEATANGITAU
INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST &
PRIME MINISTERS PACIFIC YOUTH - ARTS & CREATIVITY AWARD RECIPIENT
TONGAN
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Manuha’apai is 21 years old and of Tongan descent. A valued member of the Queer Moana Oceanic arts collective ‘FAFSWAG’ since 2016, alongside his peers, Manuha’apai continues to navigate and craft spaces that encourage the safe exploration and dissection of our shared experience.
Under the collective, he has collaborated with many artists throughout the Pacific arts community and have opened discussion - alongside artists Pati Solomona Tyrell and Sione Monu - for the re-instating of queer Pacific identities (fakaleiti, faafafine, akavaine, etc) into their respective social/cultural canons. This has provided opportunities to exhibit and perform both nationally and internationally, most recently in Vevey, Switzerland. Manuha’apai hopes to one day become a lecturer and help other Pacific peoples, specifically those of the Queer Pacific community.…more
UMA LAVA
YOU BETTER SAY YOUR PRAYERS WELLINGTON!
Anapela Polataivao + Goretti Chadwick + Mario Faumui = a hell of a good time in the F.C.C production of Uma Lava by Victor John Rodger at Circa Theatre from November 23-December 7. Don't miss out...
We sat down with Anapela & Goretti aka Pani & Pani to have a chat with them about the show:
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SOSEFINA MOVIE TRAILER
SOSEFINA, a Drama/Romance Polynesian American feature film, has announced its official release in the United States May 2022 after delays to the release due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
SOSEFINA is based on the true experiences of a Pacific island girl who is challenged to overcome adversity and personal struggles, and must decide whether to continue on the straight and narrow or enter the seedy world of adult entertainment.
The film stars lead actor Diamond Langi, the 2019 Ms. Universe New Zealand, along with supporting actor Lehi Falepapalangi from Hulu's "Future Man," Netflix's "Naked Director," and "Doogie Kamealoha, M.D" and others from across the continental United States. Many involved with the project were first-time filmmakers and up-and-coming actors.
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Check out the interview with the creators of the movie on Radio 531PI here:
FLETCH & HINDY "HAS BEEN" INTERVIEW WITH JOHN HOPOATE & STEVE MENZIES
Fletch & Hindy interview John Hopoate & Steve Menzies and talk to them about some interesting incidents/moments in their rugby league careers.
Tavita Nielsen-Mamea named as 2020 Emerging Pasifika Writer in Residence
Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) has announced the appointment of Tavita Nielsen-Mamea as the Emerging Pasifika Writer in Residence for 2020.
Tavita, a Dunedin-raised writer of Samoan and Tuvaluan descent, hailing from the villages of Safotu, Safune, Apia, and Nukufetau, will use the residency to work on a new theatre project.
Tavita’s first play Au Ko Tuvalu played at the 2019 Wellington Fringe Festival, where it was awarded Outstanding Ensemble and Tavita the Most Promising Emerging Artist. It has subsequently had successful runs at the Court Theatre and Kia Mau Festival, and also had an Auckland season at TAPAC from 23–26 October.
Au Ko Tuvalu takes the audience to Tuvalu, the homeland of the world's first climate change refugees, on its final day of evacuations. It follows a family watching their history, culture, and beloved homeland swept away in front of their eyes. The play has been critically acclaimed for its political relevance, fresh and compelling voice, and ‘heartwarming, heartwrenching’ emotional eloquence.…more
FIRST EVER PASIFIKA NATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONS in NZ
History was made on the 18th of October when 3 Pasifika children (who are also siblings) won the NZ Chess Power Team Nationals in Christchurch with their school team.
They are the first Pasifika kids in a first placed team and in a first placed team with more than one Pasifika student that placed individually. Hunter Po'e-Tofaeono (10yrs) is the first Pasifika child to place at the 'Teams and Champions trophy' and his older sister Tyleah (11 yrs) is the first Pasifika girl to receive the Top Female Trophy.
While both Hynter and Tyleah are now obsessed with chess, it was actually their younger sibling, Grayson (6yrs) who got them into it after announcing to his parents Zelda (Niuean/Cook Islands) and Masina (Samoan) that he'd like to join the chess club at their primary school - Hillsborough Primary School. The Chess Club there is run by a volunteer - Mr Wayne McDougall and there can often be up to 50 - 60 kids attend on a Tuesday afternoon.…more
TONGA INVITATIONAL XIII 2019 HIGHLIGHTS
All the big hits from the Tongan Invitational XIII boys wins against both the Great Britain Lions and the Australian Kangaroos.