
TAMĀ: tributes to all our Pasifika fathers
TAMA: tributes to all our Pasifika fathers - Some tributes to our dads from around the world from their children.
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Otulea Latu
By his daughter Cathrine Tuivaiti
"Anyone that knows me, and has had the privilege of meeting my Dad too, will realise that is where I get a lot of my personality traits from. Stubborn and loyal being at the top of that list.
Me and my 9 brothers and sisters have always had such a hard working Dad to look up to. One thing he has always told me, that never really connected till I was old enough to understand was,
‘Never forget who you are and where you come from.’
My Dad is my favourite Dad in the world."
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Paul Elliott & Atu Lagi
By their son and step-son Jesse Elliott
“Blessed to have two men I can call Fathers in my life, Paul Elliott and Atu Lagi.…more
Pasifika Youth set to take up a new rugby league challenge again with the Pasifika Youth Cup 2021 in October
The inaugural rugby league Pasifika Youth Cup 2021 is set to kick off in October with a competition for both Pasifika boys and girls starting from U13s through to U18s.
It's an exciting opportunity for Pasifika and Maori youth to showcase their talent and also represent their respective island nations heritage in this one of a kind tournament.
In 2017, the Warriors added another layer to their development programme with the introduction of the Pasifika Youth Cup which was hosted in association with the New Zealand Maori Rugby League.
At that time the Pasifika Youth Cup featured U16 & U18 teams from NZ Maori, Samoa, Fiji NZ, Cook Islands and Auckland Niue Rugby League.
Fast forward to 2021, the Pasifika Youth Cup will now feature seven Pacific nations. The Pasifika Youth Cup resurgence came about with conversations between Samoa Rugby League executive Muliaga Brown and Warriors coach Tony Iro who is a Cook Islander.
The team behind the seven nations teams - Aotearoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Tonga talk here (in the video above) about the upcoming comp.…more

Pacific health & vaccination services to get $26m extra funding
Cover image: Associate Minister of Health Aupito William Sio. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas
"They are the heroes on the frontline everyday keeping our communities safe ..."
The government is to give a $26 million boost to support Pacific communities during the current outbreak of Covid-19.
Associate Minister of Health Aupito William Sio said the funding would go towards Pacific health and disability services, community vaccination services and improving communications to specific groups within the Pacific community.
The minister said Pacific providers had proven that they are an essential part of the government's response to this outbreak.
"In the August 2020 outbreak and today, they are the heroes on the frontline everyday out there keeping our families and communities safe," he said in a statement.
"These providers are known and trusted by the communities that they both live and work in. They have the language skills and the cultural intelligence required for the most effective response.
"E fofo e le alamea le alamea, the solutions for our challenges lie within communities," he said.…more

New changes for funeral homes under Alert Level 4
New changes for funeral homes under Alert Level 4 will allow families to visit loved ones in a limited capacity, but a Pasifika funeral director says online streaming is also serving the needs of Pasifika people particularly well in the Covid times with the extra need for Pasifika to be safe.
"You can still bury and have the minister's sermon and the eulogies online, as well as the slideshows - all these elements can happen, you're just not there physically. The streaming service includes the burials, and the grave being filled in.…more

Meet Rising-Star of The Panthers Series Lealani Siaosi
Lealani Siaosi’s portrayal of a young Misatauveve Dr. Melani Anae had audiences captivated right from the first scene on the trending television series The Panthers. Depicting diverse emotions of strength, resistance, grief, and empathy, Lealani proved that her newness to the acting world had no limits on her range. From beginning to end, this rising star was exceptional and will definitely be on our list of ‘ones to watch’.
THE PANTHERS is one of only four shows in the world to be accepted into the festival as part of the TIFF Primetime Programme, where critically acclaimed shows such as Black Mirror and Transparent have premiered in previous years. Inspired by the Black Panther movement in the USA, Will (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), Melani (Lealani Siaosi) and a group of young Polynesians form The Polynesian Panthers, to fight the system and become the history making Revolutionaries that their community so desperately needed them to be.…more

Indira Stewart vs Judith Collins on Breakfast
"Have you been in touch with the Pacific community? - Indira Stewart
“My husband in Pasifika I talk to them everyday” - Judith Collins
In a spectacular heated shouting match on Breakfast TV1 this morning, the leader of the opposition and party spokesperson for Pacific Affairs launched a scathing attack on the Pacific journalists question line, insisting that ‘speaking to her husband everyday and being in touch with her Pacific contacts’ was an adequate response to the current Pacific Covid crisis.
When asked by journalist Indira Stewart why she felt she was entitled to travel when thousands of other New Zealanders were staying home to prevent the spread of the deadly Delta variant of Covid-19, the National party MP lapsed into an angry tirade against the question line in a personal berating of the Pacific presenter:
"Oh come on Indira this is ridiculous."
Watch the full interview below, click the square at the bottom of the screen to bring it up full screen -
Collins has faced increasing criticism for flying to Wellington yesterday after National and Act refused to…more

10 Island TikTok's of the Week
Here's a roundup of Island TikTok from last week! We got comedy, viral trends, squad goals and everything in between. Check it out!
Comedy TikTok
Dance TikTok
Squad TikTok
Family TikTok
Cultural TikTok
Duet TikTok
Mukbang TikTok
Vlog TikTok
Music TikTok
Fashion & Style TikTok

Etu Pasifika vaccination drive for ALL Pacific regardless of visa status
Via Pasifika Medical Association Group
The largest Pacific health provider in Christchurch, Etu Pasifika, is continuing to see high demands from Pacific families for the Covid-19 vaccine. They will be running a vaccination drive for their Pacific community this weekend.
Since reopening last week, the Etu Pasifika vaccination centre has been vaccinating between 250-300 people a day. The clinic operates both a walk-in and drive-through service to meet the high
demands from Pacific families and ensure that the process is as fast and as safe as possible.
In an interview for 531 PI yesterday, Clinical Director for Etu Pasifika, Dr Monica Nua-George encouraged families to get vaccinated and protect each other.
“We want to encourage our families that this is a great time for us in Christchurch to get vaccinated because it will become much harder once the Delta gets into our area.…more

Vaccination for Pacific People
As New Zealand continues to be in lockdown and Covid cases increase in the community, getting vaccinated is of great importance. Here are a few things you should know about the vaccination process in Aotearoa.
“When you get vaccinated, you are not just protecting yourself but also your aiga, friends, churches and community. The vaccine is free and available to everyone aged 16 and over. It will help to protect Aotearoa from COVID-19”
- The Ministry of Pacific People
Vaccination Appointments and Bookings
If you are aged 30 or over, or you are in Groups 1, 2 or 3, you can book your vaccinations now. Parents or guardians who are eligible to book for a vaccination can also book in a vaccination for any 12 to 15-year-olds in their whānau. This will make it more convenient for whole families to be vaccinated at the same time.
Bookings for everyone aged 12 and over open next Wednesday on 1 September. When it is your time to book, there is no cut off — you can book any time.…more

“We have to work together” – Pacific leadership unified in current crisis
via Pasifika Medical Association Group
Collective responsibility between different organisations and Pacific providers is the thread that binds them together as Pacific communities continue to be the worst affected by New Zealand’s current Covid-19 Delta outbreak.
Amidst concerns around the Government’s response to the needs of Pacific communities during this current Covid-19 crisis, several Pacific leaders say it highlights the importance of working together to address the needs of the Pacific community.
Director of Pacific Health at the Ministry of Health (MoH), Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, says her relationship with Pasifika Futures (PFL) allows for a better understanding of the communities needs.
“Pasifika Futures have access to the Pacific communities and so we get a holistic picture of what’s going on and are able to provide services to what people need on the ground.
I hear the concerns of our community and we try our best to meet those needs, but it can’t be done alone.…more