Sports Talk - Rugby legend Jerome Kaino: Mental health, family & life after rugby
"Growing up there was always that stigma that we didn't really talk about our feelings, we weren't as open and ...…more
Will Smith tries training with Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
Actor Will Smith tries training with Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Samoan) and his Strength and Conditioning coach Dave Puloka (Tongan).
They start out with a bit of cermonial kava, before getting into some exercises and field work.
SHOP PASIFIKA - WHERE TO ORDER IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO DRESS TO IMPRESS THIS CHRISTMAS
By Taualofa Totu’a
DRESS TO IMPRESS
It’s Xmas Party Season! Whether it’s a chill BBQ at the park or a fancy restaurant work dinner, here are some cool options to help you end this hectic year of change with a colourful bang. Shop Panikeke’s latest vibrant Kollection with Panikeke’s Kloset or support local Moana designer’s with specially made clothing you’ll want to keep forever.
MOANA PATTERNS
DRESS TO IMPRESS WITH PANIKEKE’S LATEST
Who: Panikeke Kloset
For beautiful prints look no further than Panikeke’s brand new Kamata Kollection available now. Sizes are inclusive and there are a range of styles to choose from, so you’ll be able to dress your whole family for those Xmas pics. Perfect for summer, this small business also has the colourful dresses from their Lady Love Kollection still available and for you and your sistas. Check out all their collections and their accessories too for this year’s party season.
5 Pasifika Standouts of 2021
2021 was a big year for these five extraordinary nesians defying odds and exceeding expectations in various fields from Entertainment to STEM! Take a look at these Inspiring Islanders who made major moves in 2021...
1. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
In 2021 Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa became the leader of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party and won the Samoan General Election. She is now Samoa's first female Prime Minister and was listed in BBC's Top 100 Women of the year. The trailblazing Samoan politian had a big year and joins a small but strong group of female leaders around the world proving that women can play a pivitol role in global politics.
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2. Jerry Tuwai
This year was also the year of the Tokyo Summer Olypics. All our Pacific athletes who journeyed to Japan made us incredibly proud. In particular the Fijian champions who took home Olympic gold in rugby 7s had an epic pull on the collective heartstrings of Pacific people.…more
LIFESTYLE XMAS TREATS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES AND YOUR HOME
By Taualofa Totu'a
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BEAUTIFUL, SUSTAINABLE GIFTS MADE BY FIJI ARTISANS
Who: Rise Beyond The Reef
Rise Beyond The Reef is based in Fiji, a homegrown value and supply chain in partnership with rural remote women and their communities. In an effort to combat negative economic and environmental impacts, this movement aims to bridge the divide between remote communities, government and the private sector in the South Pacific, sustainably creating a better world for women and children.
They have a skillful Holiday Gift collection for the Xmas season which you can shop here. Read more about their movement, mission and (more importantly) show support by purchasing their beautiful products made by local Fiji artisans on their website here.
Follow their work on Instagram @rise_beyond_the_reef_fiji
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STUNNING MALU PATTERN GLASSWARE
Who: Under the Bird
Under the Bird provides buyers quality Pasifika goods and their glassware definitely won’t fail to impress your guests this Xmas.…more
Sports Talk - NRL & MMT star Andrew Fifita: His mental health journey & developing the CROO app
* Trigger warning: This video contains discussions about mental health issues & suicide. Viewer discretion and parental guidance is advised.
"I guess it's the side of me that no-one really sees - they just see the big, tough guy who goes out on the footy field and does his best work out there but making people aware of this (mental health/suicide), it's a massive problem for our Pasifika people, our maori, our indigenous ... it's an eye opener and for our people, it's what inspired me to do this app" - Andrew Fifita
We catch up with NRL & Tongan rugby league star Andrew Fifita who has co-founded & helped develop an app which he hopes can help break the stigma around mental health.
He shares why he's passionate about helping others through sharing his own mental health journey and how he was inspired to create the app.
CROO is a safe and secure app that monitors a person’s mental wellness and notifies trusted family and friends (their ‘croo’) when their ‘wellness signal’ appears vulnerable.…more
The Rock's Christmas Story - RAW IS WAR
The Rock shares his special Christmas story book with his millions .... and millions of fans at Raw is War
Black Ferns player says coaching comments contributed to mental breakdown
Black Ferns hooker Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate says she had a breakdown on tour and disparaging comments from coaching staff led to anxiety and hyperventilation.
Northland player Ngata-Aerengamate posted on social media that she had a "mental breakdown" on the team's end of year tour to England and France.
The Black Ferns lost all four games on tour.
Ngata-Aerengamate, of Cook Island Māori and Ngāti Porou, said she struggled to decide whether to speak up or not.
She posted on instagram below:
New Zealand Rugby's head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum said the allegations are concerning and they are taking the matter seriously.
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Women in Sport Aotearoa chief executive Rachel Froggatt says Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate is not alone in experiencing bullying and mental health issues on her team.
Froggatt spoke to Susie Ferguson on Radio New Zealand - click here to listen to the interview
Women in Rugby Aotearoa also released this statement below in support of Te Kura and anyone else who may have experienced the same issues.…more
Two Pacific women in this years BBC 100 inspiring and influential women list
The BBC has revealed its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2021 and two of our Pacific Islands women are included - Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, the first female Prime Minister of Samoa and Monica Paulus, campaigner against sorcery violence in Papua New Guinea.
This year's '100 Women' highlights those who are hitting "reset" - women playing their part to reinvent our society, our culture and our world.
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From the BBC write up -
Fiame Naomi Mat'afa
Place of birth: Samoa
Prime minister of the Independent State of Samoa
The first female prime minister of Samoa and leader of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (Fast) party. Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa entered politics at the age of 27 and has also served as deputy prime minister, minister of women, community and social development and minister of justice.
She is also a high chiefess and an inspiration to Samoan women aspiring to political office.…more
Staircase Challenge for Mental Health Awareness
* Trigger warning - this article contains discussions about mental health issues & suicide.
After having three of his close friends reach out to him during lockdown to let him know they were struggling, young Samoan/kiwi Steven Edgar decided he needed to take action and try to raise more awareness around mental health issues & suicide.
The 22 year old said it really hit home when one of those friends tried to take his own life. "My mate ended up in a coma after attempting to take his life and after he woke up from the coma I was like that's it! I really need to do something to raise awareness.
I'd come across this guy on instagram (dancer Dave Kuresa), who had shared doing a 12 hour staircase challenge to raise awareness around mental health in Brisbane and I thought 'I could do that here in Auckland and try raise awareness here'" he said.…more