Events

VNZMAs - Still putting brown people in the ring?

Last night’s Vodafone NZ Music Awards saw many of our amazing Pacific artists take out awards in competitive categories. HUGE congrats to these artists on their contribution to New Zealand music. Here are our Pacific winners!

Kings - Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Sole Mio – Highest Selling album

Aaradhna – Best Female Solo Artist

Unity Pacific – Best Roots Album

SWIDT – Best  Urban Hip Hop Album

Fat Freddy's Drop - International Achievement 

Kings with his Tui for Breakthrough artist of the Year 

 

Now to touch on some of our observations from last night.

Best Urban/Hip Hop Album of 2016 – Won Initially by Aaradhna, re-awarded to SWIDT.

‘Urban’, what does this actually mean? Why was the only Hip Hop category paired with the word ‘Urban’? Hip Hop music in New Zealand is an explosive and creatively rich genre, that is more than capable of standing alone without this word.…more


Coco News

TARO BEER!

One year after the launch of the Pia Uru, the Tahiti Brasserie decided to honor another fenua vegetable : TARO!  

This new edition, limited to 108 000 cans, began being sold on Monday.

After the Pia Uru, the beer made with breadfruit, the Tahiti Brasserie is doing it again with the crazy Pia Taro!

The 11th beer made by the Brasserie uses a typical clavus : taro root.   The beer has been developed for 6 months in the micro-brasserie of Punary with the creation of a new transformation technique of the fruit which makes it easier than the technique used with breadfruit.

2,530kg of taro root which came from Rimatara and Taravao were reduced in powder and then transformed into gelatin.  This taro root gelatin replaces 50% of the malt usually used in the beer recipe (hop, water and malt).  When it comes out, Pia Taro is an opaque beer as it is non filtered, with a caramal and butter taste.

Pia Taro is a limited edition beer with only 360 hectoliters made or 108,000 cans.…more


Entertainment

MOANA Inspired dress for Auli'i Cravalho

The fashion of Oceania is one of a kind. Get an inside look at Auli’i Cravahlo’s MOANA premiere gown from Maori designer Kiri Nathan and the Pacific patterns/designs that inspired the look.

Check out some of the pics of Auli'i wearing her Kiri Nathan designed dress on the Blue Carpet at the World Premiere last night and we have some more great pics from the cast of MOANA below ....

 

Suggested Links:

The Nitty Kritty - MOANA World premiere highlights

All power to the Poly Princess 


Entertainment

THE NITTY KRITTY: MOANA World Premiere Highlights & Krits Review

Our Coco Correspondent Krit was at the World Premiere of MOANA in Hollywood with his family last night (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is his cousin) and he brings us highlights from the Blue Carpet event & talks to Poly Stars about what MOANA means to them.

He also gives us his own personal review of the movie ....

 

KRITS REVIEW:

"MOANA" was a great watch!

The trailers alone moved me and I think that has a lot to do with learning about the legends of Maui when you grow up in New Zealand and then of course being born in Porirua, having Te Vaka do the soundtrack reminded me of all the Tokelauans I was surrounded by, bumping their music.

I laughed hard but I also cried hard so many times for different reasons - pride, performance, story and just the overwhelming sense of love and respect for our ancestry.

As a character, Moana is a BEAST.
I was cool with the spin on Maui too - his stature made perfect sense for his role as a larger than life sidekick.…more

Entertainment

MOANA Review

"The first reviews of Moana are rolling in and are 80% favourable"

We are waiting to see and read some indigenous perspectives on this. Our first Coco review is coming up tomorow!

Via IGN Movie Reviews 

 

Suggested Links:

Best Moana Description

Moana First Full Length Trailer 

 


Coco News

HONOLULU FASHION WEEK RECAP

HONOLULU Fashion Week presented by Hawaiian Airlines was on last week.

Watch the recap video from last Fridays show featuring Local Luxe, Live Aloha, Reyn Spooner and Hawaiian Airlines presents 'Runway to Runway' runway shows.

Visit www.honolulumagazine.com for details.


Events

G L O W - Girls Leading Our World

Samoa's 5th annual GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) conference comes to a close this morning and as they go back to their villages they have been challenged to think about their own development as leaders.

72 lucky Year 7 and 8 girls from Savai'i, Upolu and Manono came together at Papauta College for the five day conference which started on Tuesday.  The girls heard from speakers on issues related to career development, health, nutrition and domestic violence awareness.

Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson from Conservation International was one of the speakers at GLOW and discussed the environment in the girls world.

"The GLOW conference improves from year to year and this year brought together some amazing, intelligent young girls from Savaii and Upolu. I was exactly like one of those girls having grown up in Savaii and gone to StTheresas Primary School, so I have a great appreciation for the type of exposure these programmes give young girls.more


Events

FRANCMARIE - WE THE BRAVE

"Learning to be your true, authentic self in a world where conformity is the mode of acceptance.  Be you, Be Brave."

FrancMarie was founded on the talents and dreams of its’ Head Designer Frankie Lolohea, a burgeoning designer with an eye for design and a desire to introduce a new aesthetic to the world of fashion.

Frankie Lolohea at her 'We The Brave' show at 1885

She recently showcased her 2nd collection at 1885 in Britomart.  The collection aimed to encourage ownership and celebration of ones' quirks and differences in a world where conformity is the mode of acceptance.  

Since her debut last year she has since gone on to style and create individual pieces for a range of clients including Auckland-based DJ/FRANCMARIE model DJ Al’Goodie and most recently, SWIDT who proclaimed themselves 'Best Dressed' at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards dressed in FrancMarie! 

SWIDT wearing Francmarie at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards 

She debuted her first collection last year at Ludus Magnus and dedicated it to her Dad.…more


Health & Well Being

ULTIMATE COCO CONCOCTION FOR YOUR HEALTH

Turmeric + Ginger & Coconut Milk = Golden Latte

Tumeric is fast being touted as the wonder drink of the Pacific, and the 'Golden Latte' hot drink is taking the health conscious world by storm.  
Etu Tusitala who makes the 'Samoa Wild Tumeric Juice' is the master of making this coco-concoction which he describes as 'the ultimate local health tonic'
This recipe has a calming and soothing effect on the body and it is simultaneously packed with a myriad of healthy substances.
 
Etu's turmeric latte at Amoa Hotel in Savai'i
 
Turmeric is one of it's main ingredients and has valuable properties that cover almost all health issues that a person might have and is also one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory natural agents.…more

Humans of the Islands

Humans Of The Islands - Sarai Bareman

Sarai Bareman

FIFA's first appointed Chief Women's Football Officer

Dutch / Samoan

.

I was born and raised in New Zealand. My mother is full Samoan and my father is Dutch, he’s from the Netherlands. I am the second eldest in my family, I have three brothers and I’m the only girl. So you can say that I grew up as a bit of a tomboy. We had a strong sporting influence in my family. My father has been a coach since I was young, my mother has always been a (club) manager and she was also an aerobics instructor so we have a very active family and upbringing.I grew up in West Auckland and that’s where I started my football journey as well. My club that I played for was Waitakere city, so I’ve been around Auckland a little bit with my football playing, but I’m truly a westie at heart.…more