THE UPSIDE DOWN OF POLYFEST 2023
By Leki Jackson-Bourke, edited by Tupe Lualua
On Friday the 10th of March 2023, the ASB Polyfest Samoan section was in full swing. Schools came well prepared with intricate choreography, dynamic formations and soulful harmonies bringing the Manukau velodrome to life.
It was beautiful to see students working collaboratively with tutors, teachers and parents and to see entire communities rallying behind their schools. If you grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau, you would know that school pride is high and in term one, the Auckland school calendar is all about Polyfest!
THE RESULTS:
For the co-ed section, Manurewa High School came away with a clean sweep taking out first place overall. Not too far behind them in second place was Avondale College and third place saw the return of past champions Ōtāhuhu College. Other schools also made their way up onto the podium this year: Papatoetoe High School, Māngere College, Hillary College and Tamaki College.
But one school in particular has become the talk of TikTok leaving everyone confused and asking questions.…more
Inside the Fight - Paulo Aokuso
Inside the fight w Paulo "Sweet P" Aoksuo Olympian and reigning Australasian light heavyweight champion is ready to take on the world 🌍
Check out his journey to becoming a professional fighter in the video above as he prepares to take on Robert Berridge and defend his Australasian title.
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On Saturday the 11th of March, Paulo captured the IBO Inter-continental Light Heavyweight title in style after beating Cuban boxer Yunieski Gonzalez.
Aokuso grew up in Mt Druitt, Sydney was accompanied by hip hop artists OneFour in his walkout.
He remains undefeated as a pro boxer at 4-0 and is aiming to beat Aussie boxing legend Jeff Fenech's record as the quickest Australian to win a world title. Watch this space ...
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Go behind the scenes with him here in the lead-up to his fight against Yunieski in the videos below -
Inaugural schools Pasifika Cricket teams
Before winter sports get back into full swing, we go out to visit the inaugural schools Pasifika cricket teams at the Rangatahi T20 cricket festival held ealier in the year.
"I think it's important for this event to grow just to give other little communities the chance to see that there is a career pathway for our Polynesian community in cricket" - Pasifika Girls Head Coach, Carol Fili
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Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air
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Cam Op & Interviewer - Penina Momoiseā
Editor - Sefa Taouma
The Night Agent trailer starring Tongan actress Luciane Buchanan
We love to see it! Another Poly in Hollywood!
Luciane Buchanan stars alongside Gabriel Basso in action movie 'The Night Agent' coming to Netflix on the 23rd of March.
In the meantime check out the trailer above.
The islands devastated by Climate Change while leading it's Charge on Justice
2023 so far has been another year our global climate reality has hit us hard.
The Auckland floods, Cyclone Gabrielle, snow in California, the storm in Brazil and climate disasters popping up around the world. Average citizens are coming to the reality that climate change is not only threat to peoples futures but a crisis of the present.
Vanuatu in a span of a week experienced two cyclones and a magnitude 6.6 earthquake. Cyclones that would normally occur once every few years has now devastated the islands twice, only days apart. Villages left without power, homes completely destroyed, roads ripped up and people left displaced. This is not a new occurrence for a nation like Vanuatu. They have been fighting climate change for the past decade, including restoring the island after 2015's Cyclone Pam.
Former Prime Minister of Vanuatu Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakausaid said in an interview, “Vanuatu is out of time. We are doing all we can, yet losing this battle for which we are not responsible.…more
Sean Manaea & Blake Sabol form the first Samoan battery in Major League Baseball History
San Francisco Giants latest recruits - Sean Manaea (left in picture above) and Blake Sabol have made history as the first Samoan battery (The pitcher and catcher together) in Major Baseball League history when they were paired together on the 8th April 2023 against the Kansas City Royals.
For Manaea and Sabol, who are both half-Samoan, the moment felt bigger than baseball.
"We've been talking about this this whole offseason," Sabol said. "This is where it counts; this is where it matters."
Said Manaea: "It's amazing. There's not too many of us Samoan baseball players.…more
Tavatavanawai Moana vs Drua preview
By Thomas Airey
The 2023 Super Rugby Pacific competition kicks off tonight in Christchurch, while the two Pacific Islands teams Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua go head to head tomorrow night at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.
Thomas Airey previews Moana Pasifika’s very own Fijian flyer Timoci Tavatavanawai who will take on his country men in the Pasifika clash.
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Moana Pasifika’s very own Fijian flyer Timoci Tavatavanawai can’t wait to take on his countrymen the Fijian Drua at Mt Smart Stadium for the first time.
The 25-year-old from the villages of Naikawaga, Namara and Tailevu is more than excited for Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific round one matchup.
“It’s really special,” said Tavatavanawai, who was named to start on the right wing for Moana.
“I’ve got mates over there that I know, it’s going to be really fun.”
Among Tavatavanawai’s former Fiji Under-20 teammates in the Fijian Drua lineup is Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, who has drawn the unenviable task of marking him on the left wing.…more
Dancers from Hawai'i reflect on performing in Super Bowl halftime spectacular
Now that the NFL season is over, football fans are already counting down to next year, but many in the entertainment industry are still buzzing over Rihanna’s halftime show spectacular.
Of the near 300 dancers involved in the Super Bowl performance, three were born and raised in Hawaii - Summer Waikiki, Dezmond Soliven & Sienna Lalau (Samoan heritage)
They share with Hawai'i News Now their experience in the video above.
Click here for the full article
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Sienna Lalau shared that this segment of choreography for the show was her favourite -
FAIR GAME PODCAST
"Is it a fair game? Good question."
Pacific Islands rugby players are celebrated around the globe for their passion, flair and the physical commitment they bring to the game. The Rugby World Cup in 2019 saw eleven out of the twenty teams fielding players of Pacific heritage - who made up more than 20% of the numbers taking the field at the competition.
Rugby brings joy, money and a sense of identity to many in the Pacific Islands. But how badly are they treated by the powerful forces that run the game?
It's a story about rugby and some of the best players the game has ever seen.
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The full season is out now on Apple podcasts, iHeart, Pacific Media Network and here at RNZ
OR click into the link below & listen to the whole show on Spotify.
Produced, written and hosted by James Nokise, John Daniell & Talei Anderson
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - NICK WILLIAMS
NICK WILLIAMS
CO-OWNER & GENERAL MANAGER MATAI WATCHES
COOK ISLANDS / NIUEAN
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My name is Nick Williams and I own half of the Pacific Watch company - Matai Watches.
My business partner Andrew is from Samoa, while I'm born and bred in West Auckland. My mother is of Niuean descent and my father is from the Cook Islands.
My responsibility is the day to day operations of Matai Watches, our company that we launched in July 2022 after five years of development.
What were the pathways that led you to getting into designing/making watches?
It came from many years of failed ideas as entrepreneurs. I have personally tried my hand at loads of different side hustles and legitimate businesses, but looking back they were all learning phases. Nothing has come close to the responsibility and brand awareness quite like this one. This is the first business where I feel we are at peace - spiritually, mentally and financially.
The idea was to have a product we could call our own, and as the story goes ...…more