RUGBY: MANU SAMOA LEGEND PAPALI'ITELE PETER FATIALOFA INDUCTED INTO THE WORLD RUGBY HALL OF FAME
Video above - Interview with Papali'itele Pita "Fats" Fatialofa by Asia Women's Rugby on his team's performance and women's sevens in Samoa at the Asia Pacific Women's Sevens 2013
World Rugby announced that six legends of the game in Richie McCaw (New Zealand), Shiggy Konno (Japan), Os du Randt (South Africa), Peter Fatialofa (Samoa), Graham Henry (New Zealand) and Diego Ormaechea (Uruguay) would be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2019.
The World Rugby Hall of Fame presented by Tudor recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the game of rugby throughout their careers, while also demonstrating rugby's character-building values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect.
The 2019 inductees were honoured at the World Rugby Awards in Tokyo on the 3rd November, the day following the Rugby World Cup 2019 final. The ceremony was held at The Prince Park Tower during a night dedicated to the game with important members of the rugby family.
Peter's wife Annie attended to accept the award on his behalf.…more
THE VALUE OF TE REO FOR ISLANDERS
Human Rights advisor-Pasifika for the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Tuiloma Lina‑Jodi Vaine Samu talks about the value of learning te reo Maori for Pacific Islanders.
Why did you think it was important to learn Te Reo in Aotearoa?
Aotearoa is the only place where the dialects of Te Reo Māori can be spoken that are attached to the land, waters and people. The indigenous languages of Kai Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa, Ngai Te Rangi, Tūhoe, Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Taranaki, Te Ātiawa, Tainui-Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Te Aupouri to name a few belong here!
How long did it take you to learn and how did you do it?
I’ve been learning Te Reo Māori since I was a child aged 3. I am now 50 and have therefore been on a magnificent lifelong journey of learning Te Reo. I have been speaking Māori since primary, intermediate, secondary school and then University to Master’s degree level.…more
WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - THERESA DEVOE-MOSE
THERESA DEVOE-MOSE
DIRECTOR OF NESIAN BITES LTD - REGISTERED CATERER & FOOD ARTIST
SAMOAN
My name is Theresa Devoe-Mose. I am a registered caterer and food artist based in West Auckland. I grew up in Mount Roskill and made the move out to West Auckland seven years ago. My love for the creating process wasn’t clear until my son was born and until I had to plan my own wedding. While choosing my menus, colours and centrepieces; that was when it dawned on me, my calling was doing what I loved and what I loved was this - creating small master pieces through my passion for the creating process to create grazing platters and tables to bless my family and customers.
I work full time while running the business in the weekends for all weekend events.…more
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