TOA SAMOA - RLWC17
The Rugby League World Cup 2017 kicks off tonight in Melbourne where Australia take on England and our Pacific boys - Toa Samoa, Mate Ma'a Tonga, Fiji Bati & the PNG Kumuls are set to take the field over the next couple of days in the first rounds of pool play.
With there being a lot of discussion & some controversy over a couple of the Tongan players opting to "Turn their backs" on Australia & New Zealand and go with Tonga & their heritage, Toa Samoa have managed to escape a lot of the media focus in the build up to the Rugby League World Cup.
We caught up with some of the boys earlier in the week and asked them their thoughts on playing for their country of heritage, whether they feel like they're coming in as the Underdogs, who the funny guys in the team are & more ...
What do you think about players going to play for their country of heritage?
Frank Pritchard (Captain) I think it’s healthy for the game. It evens up the competition, especially for international rugby.…more
I DON’T WANT TO BE A CARER, I JUST WANT TO BE A DAUGHTER
By Grace Taylor
Something you would not expect the daughter of a Samoan woman to say, but yeah, I said it.
Being afakasi, my mother tongue was not a fluent language for me but what I did learn was fa’a Samoa. Mostly as an observer and occasional participant. By the time I was in my mid-20s I had learned how to navigate the politics of my afakasi-ness well. This fringe dwelling position granted me the ability to exercise analyzing the sociology of fa’a Samoa from the perspective of one that dips her toes in each worlds simultaneously. Two key principles of fa’a Samoa is alofa (love) and aiga (family). Whilst I have only been surrounded with my immediate aiga in my daily life, these two principles are entrenched in my DNA. This means that when these things are absent or lacking in my life, they are missed. Therefore, I ensure that as a single mother my son is surrounded by love and has as much access to quality time with both my aiga and his fathers.…more
SALT & LIGHT IN THE SHADOW OF CANCER
By Hanalei Temese
Cancer. One of the heaviest words known to mankind.
New Zealand born Fijian and solo mother of 7, Ruve Peterson, wasn’t ready to hear it.
Having already been through the loss of a father and not long after, twin grandsons; Ruve wasn’t prepared for more bad news.
On September 29th, Ruve’s only daughter, Kuila Tuivoavoa, was diagnosed with T Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; a type of blood cancer that grows progressively quicker than most.
The nineteen year old was rushed to Waitakere Hospital with severe chest pain the Monday after she had finished 4 weeks of an acting production with PIPA (Pacific Institute of Performing Art’s). “They said it was just a muscular thing, but if I hadn’t of told them about the little bits of bruising I found scattered on my body, I wouldn’t of had to do any blood tests, so that was lucky.” Kuila said.
After several tests and a CT scan over her chest, doctors found a 7-millimeter tumor situated only inches away from her lung.…more
CARMEL SEPULONI
In a historic moment for Pasifika people in Aotearoa and the region, Samoan/ Tongans MP Carmel Sepuloni has been sworn in as the Deputy Prime Minister of Aotearoa. This is the first parliamentary appointment at this level for Pasifika people and is hugely significant in presenting a Pasifika presence at senior political level.
“I am truly humbled” were her first words to media about the appointment. A long standing MP for Kelston, Carmel Sepuloni was born and raised in Waitara but has lived in Auckland since 1996. Outside of politics Carmel has worked broadly across the health and education sectors, working as a Literacy Educator with youth in West Auckland, teaching in Samoa, managing equity programmes at the University of Auckland, managing the non-regulated Pacific health research project and acting as CEO of New Zealand’s only national Pacific health provider, Vaka Tautua.
Carmel has always been committed to improving social, health and educational outcomes for all New Zealanders but has especially focused during her career on low socio-economic groups, Māori, Pacific, disabled people and sole parents.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - Natasha Finau & Saione Greer
Natasha Finau & Saione Greer
LEI CAFE Owners/Managers
Tongan
Saione - I was born in Tonga but grew up in Australia and have now been living in New Zealand for 30 years. I started my own business 25 years ago and it’s been apart of my journey ever since. This one with Tash; this is the latest and most exciting thing. It’s all pretty much self-taught with many learning’s along the way. We’re both strong believers in Christ and for me, as well as being a business learning experience it’s been a spiritual one too. We’ve done a lot of stepping out in faith and it’s gotten us to where we are today.
Natasha - I’m the middle child of 7 and I’m a younger sister to Saione. I am a very proud Tongan and Christian so this café represents a lot of who I am.…more
Call to Ensure Transgender Recognition
Tonga’s Leiti’s Association calls for recognition of transgender people
The Vice President of Tonga Leiti’s Association has called for a clear definition of gender equality to ensure that everyone, including transgender people, are included and taken into consideration in decision-making.
Joey Mataele, who was born male but lives as a woman, was in Suva as part of the 13 Triennial Conference of Pacific Women where a platform for gender equality was approved and passed by Pacific Ministers for Women for endorsement.
“When you talk about gender equality , you are talking about the overall population not just women and men, people living with HIV, people living with disability, transgender women, transgender men, that do exist in this world,” Mataele said.
She said one of the challenges that they faced in Tonga was the limitation of being recognised for who they are.
“We are known to be the decorators, we are known to be the chefs, we are known to be the hard- labour people but when it comes to decision making, we are nowhere to be seen,” Mataele said.…more
Violence and Bullying Against Pacific Minorities
Discrimination against sexual minorities limits chances for economic development.
Horrific experiences of violence and bullying are preventing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of the Pacific from achieving their potential and making more of a contribution to society.
A group of courageous young LGBT people shared their stories with women attending the 13th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women in Suva this week. Gillio Baxter, 29, from Vanuatu was born male but feels deeply that she was supposed to be female. She told how she was bullied at school because she allowed her feminine side to show.
“In my days of High School, I was bullied, faced harassment and violence every day,” Baxter said. She said at one incident, she was attacked by 45 students with the presence of a school teacher but nothing was done to stop the assault.
“That was April 18, 2005, I was in year 12 or form 6. That same year, I quit school only because going to school was a torture for me,” Baxter said.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS: Nicole Whippy, Actress
NICOLE WHIPPY
Tell us a little bit about yourself...
I was born in Suva where we lived with my grandmother for the first couple of years of my life until we moved to Botany Downs in East Auckland, NZ. I spent my schooling years in Halfmoon Bay where we were probably the only Fijian family in the neighbourhood although there were a few other Pasifika families with kids who we became good friends with. It was fun. Lots of war games on Pigeon Mountain, dancing to New Edition and eating too many Van Camp chocolates because our friends Dad worked at the Factory.
I always knew I wanted to be an actor. I took part in every speech, poetry and book reading competition at school because I loved talking. Probably a little too much if you asked my teachers but it's all helped me later in life. I starred in every school play from playing Delilah in "Samson and Delilah" the biblical musical at Primary School to Olivia in "Twelfth Night " at Macleans College.…more
Mate Ma'a Tonga - National Rugby League Press Conference
Konrad Hurrell, Sika Manu, Coach Kristian Woolf, Captain William Hopoate & Jason Taumalolo at the National Rugby League Press Conference.
Fiji vs Tonga Rugby Highlights in Nuku'alofa
Fiji defeated Tonga in Nuku’alofa 2017 to qualify for the RWC 2019.