Pacific Climate Warrior Brianna Fruean from COP26 | Coco Talanoa
Pacific Climate Warrior Bruean Fruean speaks with CoconetTV Executive Producer Lisa Taouma from COP26 in Glasgow.
She is there with the Marshall Islands delegation and talks about the impact of her speech, what the experience was like, a brief encounter with US President Joe Biden backstage, why the Pacific delegation are so worried about being heard at this crucial summit for the Pacific region and much more.
Ray Sefo: From milk boy to MMA boss
Link to listen to full audio interview here
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Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo was five years old when he was gifted his first pair of boxing gloves.
Sparring was adopted almost immediately with other family members, but it was a movie night at the Sefo's home in Kingsland that saw him fall in love with mixed martial arts.
"I remember at the age of seven I think it was, my dad had rented a Bruce Lee movie and a Jackie Chan movie, one was Fist Of Fury and the Jackie Chan movie was Drunken Master," he recalled.
"I was so fascinated by what was happening you know: they were able to use their bodies, their legs, their elbows, their head - like everything just looked so coordinated and being a seven year old it just blew my mind."
Inspired to learn Wing Chun, Sefo was 12-years-old and delivering milk to pay for lessons.…more
RED NOTICE | Official Trailer - starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
An Interpol-issued Red Notice is a global alert to hunt and capture the world’s most wanted.
But when a daring heist brings together the FBI’s top profiler (Johnson) and two rival criminals (Gadot, Reynolds), there’s no telling what will happen. Watch Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot in RED NOTICE, on Netflix November 12.
Hollywood superstar KJ Apa joins Moana Pasifika Rugby movement
Kiwi-Samoan Riverdale screen star and musician KJ Apa is Moana Pasifika’s first official fan having secured the Super Rugby club’s inaugural season membership.
He prefaced the announcement on both his own and Moana Pasifika's social media channels before dropping the announcement about the inaugural season membership last night.
The US-based actor said he will be supporting Moana Pasifika from afar and hopes to head home to New Zealand to catch a game as soon as he can.
"I'm really proud of my Samoan heritage and am so excited to be supporting our Pasifika community," he said.
"I know some of the guys in the team and I'm looking forward to seeing them get out on the field and represent our people well."
A further nine Moana Pasifika season memberships are currently up for auction on Trade Me this afternoon starting at $500 - click here to bid - and are valued at over $1000 including a Platinum season pass to home matches at Mt Smart Stadium plus Dynasty branded merchandise.…more
PALOLO SEASON - Pacifc people and their best palolo catch this week
Described by some as 'Manna from the Sea', 'Black Gold' and the 'Caviar of the Pacific' , the highly sought after Pacific delicacy are found in shallow coral reefs and only rise twice a year - sometimes only once!
These pacific marine 'worms' are generally reddish-brown (male) or bluish-green (female) and their mating season follows the lunar cycle which is usually the 7th night after a full moon in October. Sometimes if the mating season hasn't been fruitful the adult palolos will release another set of 'tails' in November.
The catching of the Palolo or "Ta Palolo" in Samoan has to be done in darkness (early hours of the morning) because the palolo will melt in the sunlight.…more
Know Your Roots Season 3 winner Disciple Pati with Dom Tupou & Gaby Solomona | Coco Talanoa
Brianna Fruean has a Know Your Roots Season 3 debrief with (spoiler alert) the winner Disciple Pati!
They talk thru some of Pati's favourite moments, her relationship with Erroll, getting in touch with her roots through the game and more.
The girls are joined later by fan favourites Dom Tupou and Gaby Solomona who offer their advice to next years contestants.
The reason the Pacific is not being vaccinated
‘It is critical for donor countries to see the bigger picture, to see that this really is a time not to profit, but to be stepping up to support all countries to come through this…. the vaccine needs to be a gift to the world.” - Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand & former United Nations Development Administrator
* Cover image Samoa vaccination Drive via Radio New Zealand
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It's the same old - haves and have nots - story. Only this time it stars ‘The Vaccine’.
The plot; Wealthy nations hustle to get their citizens vaccinated, while the poorer countries are left to feed off the scraps of vaccine donations.
The only problem is, this isn’t a movie. It’s real life and the reality is vaccines are expensive and not easily accessible. Especially for the smaller countries in the Pacific.…more
Sporting legends encourage Pacific young people: Stay in the game! Get your shot!
via Pasifika Sports Collective
A collective of Pacific sporting legends have united to play their part in the effort to increase the vaccination rate for Pacific peoples (12 - 34 years of age) by encouraging them to get their Covid-19 vaccination.
Stay in the game! Get your Shot! is the key message from the newly formed Pasifika Sports Collective, a group of sporting legends including former Manu Samoa captain Lemalu Semo Sititi, former All Black and Manu Samoa international Namulauulu Alama Ieremia, former Kiwi Fern and Manusina representative Cynthia Ta’ala-Timaloa, former Kiwis and New Zealand Warrior Motu Tony, and ex-Silver Fern Linda Vagana, who all represented Samoa and/or New Zealand.
“Stay in the game! Get your Shot! is our way of encouraging Pasifika young people to get a Covid-19 vaccination to keep them and their families safe.…more
Community Immunity Gig ft Chong Nee, Che Fu, King Kapisi, Charlie Pomee & more
This Labour Day, Aucklanders had the opportunity to enjoy music and entertainment from some of New Zealand's legendary musical talent at a FREE event in South Auckland.
Dr Rawiri Jansen from WERO Hauora Immunisation Alliance partnered with Samoan hip hop artist King Kapisi to bring summer festival vibes to one South Auckland Drive Thru vaccination station at Rongomai Park in Flat Bush.
The community could drive through, get vaccinated & listen to the music from their cars or take their picnic down to the park and watch the concert. Featured artists and DJ's included Charlie Pomee, DJ Al Goodie, Che Fu, King Kapisi, DJ Styla, DJ Mateo, Chong Nee, TJ Taotua and more.
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Shot by Penina Momoiseā
Edited by Adrian Mcbirney
Pacific Covid Stories: One Family's Journey
The Epati Family: On fighting Covid, receiving care in a crisis and their Tautua approach against the health system.
On a sunny Mid-August Sunday, many families across Auckland gathered in churches for their weekly celebration of faith and family. But as songs of praise and prayers of gratitude poured from the aisles, the clouds rolled in and the weather began to shift, signalling change in season and life to come. For two days a Covid storm brewed, before all of New Zealand was jolted into a Level 4 lockdown on the 17th of August.
The Epati Aiga from Ranui’s Samoan Assembly Of God were amongst the faithful, attending a multi-church group service on the 15th of August. Unknowingly, members of the congregation carried the Delta variant and it spread like fire.
The Epati Aiga were a part of this cluster, and had no idea of the uncertainty, fear and illness they were going to endure in the days that followed.
Unwelcome, Delta arrived on their doorsteps and affected their entire aiga.…more