THE WAY TO MOANA
Take a look behind the scenes at the research that went into making Moana.
Disney recognised the value of working with communities & people in the various islands to help craft the story. The directors went to Tahiti, Moorea, Samoa & Fiji to get a deepers sense of the traditions that built the islands & themselves and the songwriters drew upon the islands rich musical cultures & the diversity of music in this part of the world!
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MARK HUNT SUES UFC for 2.5 MILLION
SAMOA OKA FESTIVAL
The 2nd annual 'Oka Festival' took place in early December last year in Beautiful Samoa.
It was a great day out to see local aspiring chefs compete together - Horace Evans owner of Home Cafe & Joe Lam owner of Scalini's Restaurant (& organisers of the Oka Fest) break down the criteria for judging and why you should put it in your calendar this year!
The competition requires participating restaurants to submit a team of 3 that will compete in 3 separate categories, coconut husking and milking, tuna filleting and Oka making, using local ingredients to create one unique Oka dish.
Credit:
Director/Editor: Mario Faumui
Cam Op: Dazzlombard
Sound Op: Wilhelm Voigt
Researcher: Lizie Koroivulaono
Thank You:
Samoa Tourism Association
Taumeasina Island Resort
Samoa Culinary Association
Joe Lam
Horace Evans
Home Café
The Rock Responds
Every month Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson responds to his The Rock YouTube comments & questions.
He started off 2017 with his January Q&A here - enjoy!
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MOANA and Climate Change!
Over the past few weeks our very own Polynesian heroine has taken the world by storm. After years of trying to search for little bits of ourselves in Jasmine, Mulan and Elsa, our Pacific people finally have a MOANA to call our very own. Instead of looking to the western world, the western world is now stopping, turning around and looking to us.
Almost everything in MOANA gave me chills, from the Tatau on Chief Tui to the familiar beats of Te Vaka. Although, there was one scene that stood out the most to me, the scene where Grandma Tala’s spirit appears to reinsure MOANA of her purpose and MOANA sings “I am a girl who loves my island, I’m the girl who loves the sea, it calls me”. At the sound of those lyrics images of Pacific climate change warriors and activists started appearing in my head.…more
SAVEA BROTHERS vs WILLIAMS SISTERS
Ardie & Julian Savea took off their rugby boots and picked up tennis rackets for a good cause at the ASB Classic yesterday.
They took on the Williams sisters - Venus and Serena - in a charity match which raised over $65k for the city of Kaikoura which had been badly damaged in an earthquake towards the end of last year.
The boys also had help from another tennis star Caroline Wozniacki and at one point even Venus jumped sides against Serena.
Great day out and a chance to see tennis super stars in action!
Check out some more of the highlights below ...
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The People & Moments that made us 'Proud Nesians' in 2016
Before we step into 2017 lets take a look back at the people and moments that have made us 'Proud Nesians' in 2016
In no particular order:
Pita Taufatofua - Tongan Flag Bearer at the Rio Olympics
Um Yeeeeeees Pleeeeeease Pita!
Kings single 'Don't Worry Bout It' beats Lordes 'Royals' record for longest number of consecutive weeks at Number 1!
We caught up with Kingdon Chaplle-Wilson earlier in the year here
Steven Adams signs $140 million contract extension with the OKC Thunder
This makes him the highest paid NZ athlete
So much love for Moana this week in particular as it opened to the public in New Zealand and Australia. I don't know anyone who has seen it who hasn't felt emotional or proud at the way we've been portrayed as Polynesians.…more
The 2016 Kalofae/Fail Moments of the Year
As the end of 2016 draws near we take a moment to reflect on some of the things that made us shake our head & say 'Kalofae' or write them off as a big fat FAIL!
In no particular order:
Koi Boyz being mistaken for Sole Mio at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards by the Vodafone NZ Music Awards Social Media person .... because all brown boys look the same??!
Womans Day making up a story about Maria Tutaia & Israel Folau's engagement #GutterJournalism - gotta love Maria calling them out on it tho!
'The Whitest story ever told' - Jennifer Lawrence thinking it's hilarious to scratch her as$ on sacred rocks in Hawai'i White privilege much!
Jarryd Hayne missed out on the Fiji Sevens team (kalofae) and while they were winning Gold in Rio he was making headlines for another reason. We think showing porn to a High School while presenting an online safety talk is the winner. Are you orrrrrite Jarryd?
In another case of 'All Brown Guys look the Same' - Adidas mixed up Julian Savea and Malakai Fekitoa.…more
Humans Of The Islands - Joash Fahitua
Joash Fahitua
Dancer/ Aspiring Choreographer
Owner and Operator of Alpha Omega Fitness
Samoan
I was born in Wellington and moved up to Auckland when I was three. I lived in G.I (Glen Innes) before moving to West Auckland at the age of ten and attended Kelston Intermediate and Kelston High Boys School. After High School I went to Sydney and learnt a new Dance style called Krump. Krump gave me the confidence that I never had before and pushed me to new boundaries. I hosted the first ever Krump competition in New Zealand and was featured in Commercials and won a lot of Krump competitions with my crew. I then wanted a new challenge, so I successfully enrolled to study at P.I.P.A (Pacific Institute of Performing Arts).
In 2010 I was given an opportunity to dance for one of New Zealand's leading Contemporary Dance companies called Black Grace. I got to travel to America, Korea and Europe and perform on some of the most well known stages in theatre and dance.…more
The real Operation Christmas Drop that inspired a Netflix movie
For many of the Micronesian islands in the North Pacific, Santa Claus doesn't come down a chimney - he sends down a parachute.
The U.S., Japan, and Australian airforces have come together to spread holiday cheer during Operation Christmas Drop. In this video Tech. Sgt. Bryan Magee takes us to Andersen Air Force Base, and shows us how they made the operation happen.
This holiday mission started in 1952 when a US aircrew noticed a group of people on the island of Kapingamarangi waving at them. In response, the aircrew dropped a box of supplies attached to a parachute, and they carried on the tradition from that point forward.
This decades-old Christmas tradition inspired the 2020 netflix movie "Operation Christmas Drop". In the movie Congressional aide Erica Miller (Kat Graham) lands at a US Air Force base in Micronesia, where she clashes with Capt.…more