by Gaby Solomona

With the Barbie movie craze going on at the moment it is only fair for me to declare that Lizzo is the barbie doll and role model I wish I had growing up in the 90s. “I’m just a chubby little black girl from Detroit”. Who in this generation of BBL’s, lip fillers and instagram filters says that out loud and who is proud to say something like that out loud? Lizzo is who. 

The Detroit born and raised, rapper, singer and songwriter touched down in Auckland for her solo show “The Special Tour” 2023 and you had to be living under a rock to not have felt her electrifying presence dominate Spark Arena.

I’ll be honest, I am not the most fanatic Lizzo fan, unlike Wednesday night's sold out crowd who sang along to every one of her songs.…more

By Thomas Airey

Manu Samoa are officially a top-10 rugby team in the world for the first time in eight years but head coach Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua said his team are not under any more pressure than usual.

Vaovasamanaia, who has guided the Manu to eight wins and three losses (7-1 in test matches) since taking the reins in 2021, said high expectations from fans are always part and parcel of playing for Samoa.

“That’s been there regardless of what our ranking has been,” he said.

“For us it’s really accepting and embracing that our people are very passionate about this team and its performances. I think it just adds to the motivation.”

Manu Samoa’s current squad of 40 players assembled in Samoa on July 1, spending two weeks embedded with their people and that passion across the islands of Upolu and Savai’i.

Vaovasamanaia said cultural activities like rowing the fautasi under the guidance of legendary skipper Vaimasenu'u Zita Martel set the team up well for the rest of the year.…more

Samoan actor Chris Alosio stars in the new horror movie 'Talk to Me' alongside the likes of Miranda Otto (Lord of the Rings) and Otis Dhanji (Aquaman).

The movie has an early release in theatres around New Zealand and Australia today (27th July) and then is out worldwide tomorrow.

Brianna Fruean chats with Chris about how he got involved with the movie, going with the cast to Sundance Film Festival where the film premiered, what he's got coming up next and much more.  

Plus watch to the end to catch their game of 'This or That'.

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Check out the trailer below - 

By Jane Vavaitamana 

The Pacific Producer Residency 2023 has been awarded to eminent Producer, Director, Writer and Actor Teherenui Koteka, who will spend three months working at the BATS Theatre in Wellington. 

The young Cook Islander is a member of the Pasifika and Māori arts collective Maranga Mai, she has also worked with Tawata Productions, Auckland Theatre Company and has written and produced her own shows in New Zealand and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

“I’m super stoked! Producing is an area I specifically wanted to upskill in and there’s no better place to do that than at BATS” she says

However, she is disappointed in the lack of producers coming in from the Cook Islands and hopes for a day where there will be more interests in getting involved with the creative arts industry from the islands.

“There is a shortage of Pasifika producers in New Zealand - I self produce a lot of work and have also noticed a real lack of Cook Islands producers” she added.…more

By Thomas Airey 

The ‘Ikale Tahi began their journey to the 2023 Rugby World Cup in impressive fashion but head coach Toutai Kefu insists his team are yet to scratch the surface of their potential.

In their first game at home since 2019, Tonga defeated Australia A 27-21 at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku’alofa last Friday.

Kefu’s side have been in camp in the Kingdom for over a fortnight and he said they always get a sense of connection and belonging when they can start a campaign in Tonga.

“Off the field stuff, the boys have really engaged,” he said, noting a handful of players were visiting their ancestral homeland for the first time.

“I’ve encouraged all of them to get out amongst it, mix with family, go and see where their parents and grandparents were born.”

The centrepiece of their stay was the game against Australia A, marking both 50 years since ‘Ikale Tahi beat the Wallabies in 1973 and the 100 year jubilee of the Tonga Rugby Union.…more

By Thomas Airey 

The three Pasifika players at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand are all set to play on the opening night of the tournament this evening (Thursday 20th July).

Samoan New Zealander Malia Steinmetz will likely be the first of the trio in action having cemented herself in the Football Ferns’ best starting XI.

The 24-year-old has started in seven straight international games dating back to February, most often shielding the backline as the team’s deepest midfielder.

Co-captain Ria Percival’s return from a serious knee injury that had kept her off the pitch for more than a year has not bumped Steinmetz onto the bench.

In warmups against Vietnam (a 2-0 win) and Italy (a 0-1 loss) in the last 10 days Percival has taken up that defensive holding role with Steinmetz’s youth and versatility applied to an all-rounder position slightly higher up the pitch.…more

"This marks an important moment in time for our generation because now we're starting to bring our stories to the forefront and be a bit more brave with our story telling - it's awesome and it's current and all the issues in the screenplay are happening today" - Leki Jackson-Bourke, co-writer of 'Inky Pinky Ponky'

The stars of 'Inky Pinky Ponky' were out at the movies for the cast and crew screening in Newmarket last week.

Know Your Roots champion Joe Fa'agase caught up with some of the crew and cast members of the movie - check out what they had to say in the video above.

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Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air

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Credits:

Director - Shimpal Lelisi 

Editor & Sound Operator - Sefa  Taouma 

Camera Operator - Christo Montes 

Host - Joe Fa'agase 

The full rugby game at Teufaiva Stadium in Tonga between the Ikale Tahi (Tongan international rugby side) and Australia A on Friday the 14th July 2023.

Team lists below - 

GINA COLE

AUTHOR

FIJIAN

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Decorated Fijian Writer and Lawyer Gina Cole will be spending three months at the University of Hawai’i, working on the second book in her 'Turukawa Trilogy', after being awarded the 2023 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer's Residency.

After achieving her Masters in Creative Writing at Auckland University, Cole went on to publish her debut collection Black Ice Matter, which then went on to win the First Best Book Of Fiction at the 2017 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, all while being an Honorary Fellow in Writing at the University of Iowa.

Cole shares her love for science fiction, the Pasifika Writing Community and the involvement of Pacific queer, transgender and gender non-conforming characters in stories.

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Tell us about yourself

My mother is Fijian from Culanuku, Serua on her mother’s side in the confederacy of Burebasaga, and Lovoni, Ono-i-Lau on her father’s side in the confederacy of Tovata. My father is Pākehā from the Firth of Forth in Edinburgh on his mother’s side and Langollen, Wales on his father’s side.…more