“When our Elders heal, the generations following are empowered to do so too” – Pacific Youth reflect on The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
Three young islanders reflect on the intergenerational benefit of the healing that will hopefully come out of The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
Survivors of abuse from the Pacific community have been giving evidence statements before the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry at a public hearing at the Fale Samoa in Māngere. The inquiry has come with various first-hand accounts of mental, emotional and physical abuse inflicted by state care. The enquiry is looking at abuse of Pacific people in both state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 1999.
Statements from the hearing have been made available for the public and over the past week the Pacific community have expressed their utmost respect for those who have come forward to give their statements.
Young Pacific Islands have acknowledged the value of the hearing not only for the generation of those in the Inquiry, but also for the generation of young Pasifika in Aotearoa who have carried the weight of intergenerational Trauma.…more
Tokyo 2020 - Our Pacific Islands athletes Round Up Day 4
To go along with our guide to who, what, when and where our Pasifika athletes are competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games we'll be doing a round up of how they've all been doing in case you missed their event.
ICYMI our Pacific Islands athletes wowed in their traditional wear and team uniforms at the Opening Ceremony parade of athletes. Four of our Pacific Islands teams made the best dressed lists for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday night.
Our Pacific Island athletes representing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has kicked off tonight. Although these Olympics are getting underway a year later due to the pandemic, they'll still be officially known as the Tokyo 2020 games.
The theme of the games this year is 'United by Emotion' and the opening ceremony will be taking place at the main Olympic stadium which will host athletics and football during the games.
At the Rio Olympics opening ceremony in 2016, our Pacific Islands nations caused quite the stir in more ways than one and we're looking forward to seeing the Pacific Islands teams march in the parade of athletes. This years ceremony will be different to other years though - due to the pandemic and the recent State of Emergency in Tokyo, there is a total ban on all spectators at most venues, teams have to socially distance themselves from other teams and in some cases members of their own teams.
They'll also be coming out in the Japanese alphabet order (not the english alphabet).…more
Steven Adams High School Invitational All Star Game 2021
Check out the live stream of the 4th annual Steven Adams High School Invitational All Star Game being played at Walter Nash Stadium in Lower Hutt - The best basketball players in the country are selected to play against each other in this invitational match.
The game will start streaming at 3.15pm and will have commentary in Samoan, Tongan, Maori and English! Watch the english commentary in the video below.
Samoan commentary will be given by PMN Samoa radio hosts Lorenzo Kaisara and Savea Tone Peseta.
Click here to watch the game with Samoan commentary.
Tongan commentary will be given by Isaac Fotu Snr (father of pro basketball players Isaac and Dan Fotu) and Caroline Matamua (Ako Wahine Rugby Educator at NZ Rugby).
Click here to watch the game with Tongan commentary.
Maori commentary will be hosted by Zeb Nicklin.…more
Abuse in NZ State Care - The Witness Testimony of Joanna Oldham
"The Reverend made me an alter girl after the first time he abused me in his home. As an alter girl, I had to go early to the church on Sundays to help him put on his robes. He used this as an opportunity to sexually abuse me again.
The abuse happened only once in the church, and it happened after the third time that he had abused me in his home. The next time he asked me to come in early, I ran away from my home to avoid having to go. I began running away often, and I never went back to that church."
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The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is currently holding its first ever Pacific Investigation hearing into abuse in care of Pacific people in this country. The enquiry is looking at abuse of Pacific people in both state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 1999.…more
The Polynesian Panthers: What you need to know
Ahead of the New Zealand governments Dawn Raid apology this week, we take a look at The Polynesian Panthers and their political and social justice movement. Their call for an apology came as part of their 50th anniversary commemorations.
Who were the Polynesian Panthers?
The Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against indigenous Māori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand. Founded by a group of young Polynesians on 16 June 1971, the Panthers worked to aid in community betterment through activism and protest, education, legal aid, and other social resources.
What was the Polynesian Panthers Party’s ties to the Black Panthers?
The Polynesian Panthers were explicitly influenced by the American Black Panther Party, particularly African-American revolutionary Huey Newton’s policy of Black unity through his global call-to-action. Huey Newton was a co-founder of the Black Panther Party with Bobby Seale.…more
Abuse in NZ State Care - The Witness Testimony of Ngatokorima Allan Mauauri
"My abuse in care led to me having a long history of PTSD and depression, especially as I started unlocking memories that I have suppressed. I drowned those memories with weed and alcohol, I masked them.
The abuse destroyed my relationships with my family. I came out of care so angry that they put me there, abandoned me, left me and forgot about me. They assumed that after the system did its thing that I would be fixed and that when I came out, I would be right. But every time I went into these places, it made things worse. I came out and I was so angry with my family."
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is currently holding its first ever Pacific Investigation hearing into abuse in care of Pacific people in this country. The enquiry is looking at abuse of Pacific people in both state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 1999.…more
Dawn Raid Testimony of Tesimoni Fuavao
"We didn't get to say goodbye to my parents. My little brother Masiu and I were left at the house with the other Tongan families living there. Masiu was only 6 years old.
The officers didn't care about what would happen to Masiu and I. They just took our parents and left. We were very confused about everything and didn't know what to do. We just wanted to be with our parents. Masiu was crying. I was angry, and I didn't know how to care for him because I was still sick myself. We didn 't have any money. The neighbours fed us." - Tesimoni Fuavao in his testimony.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care is currently holding its first ever Pacific Investigation hearing into abuse in care of Pacific people in this country. The enquiry will look at abuse of Pacific people in both state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 1999.…more
Abuse in NZ State Care - The Witness Testimony of Fa'amoana Luafutu
"I always considered myself to be like a taro shoot trying to grow in the snow — it can never happen you know...
When the State intervened and took me away from my parents, they became responsible for what happened to me in care and the pathway my life took into the borstals and prisons. We were put into a system that couldn't cater for us Pacific kids. The State shouldn't take you away if your life is going to be worse off. My parents had to pay maintenance for me when I was in care. We were already poor and struggling. I don't know how this would have made my parents feel. My parents shouldn't have been required to pay one cent to the State for looking after me."
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care is currently holding its first ever Pacific Investigation hearing into abuse in care of Pacific people in this country. The enquiry will look at abuse of Pacific people in both state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 1999.…more
Saveatama Eroni Clarke - Ava Usu Ceremony - First Pasifika Engagement Officer for NZRU
Yesterday afternoon an 'Ava Usu' ceremony (welcoming ava ceremony) was held at the Fale Pasifika, Auckland University to officially celebrate the appointment of Saveatama Eroni Clarke as NZRU's very first Pasifika Engagement Officer.
The ceremony was also held to celebrate the significant contribution of Pasifika people and culture to the rugby community in New Zealand.
Although, Saveatama has been in the role for over a year now, the official appointment and ceremony had been delayed due to Covid.
Prior to the ceremony starting a mihi whakatau (welcome), karakia and waiata was given from the NZRU side and accepted by Ika Tameafuna on behalf of Saveatama Eroni Clarke.
The Ava Usu ceremonial proceedings then started with the distribution of ava sticks and mats, tulafale speeches and the ceremonial drinking of ava and words of blessing & encouragement given to Saveatama Eroni Clarke on his new title.…more