Pasifika History & Pride: Tiana Epati Named King’s Counsel
“This is a moment of enormous pride for our Pacific Legal Community. I want to acknowledge the many incredible Pasifika lawyers who serve our communities every day with empathy, kindness and humility. The path was paved by the courage and determination of pioneer Pacific lawyers, and I am deeply grateful to them.” – Tiana Epati
Former President of the New Zealand Law Society, Samoan Tiana Epati has been appointed one of just 12 new King’s Counsel — one of the highest honours in the legal profession.
Her appointment is a powerful moment of recognition not just for Tiana, but for the Pacific legal community in Aotearoa, honouring the pioneers who came before and lighting the path for the next generation of Pacific lawyers, leaders, and community advocates.
Tiana is the daughter of Judge Semi Epati, New Zealand’s first Pacific Island judge.…more
Samoa on the Podium! Alex Rose Makes History at World Athletics Championships
Samoa Makes History!
"Lets go! Oh my God!" — the cry of discus thrower Alex Rose as he carved his name into Samoa’s history books with a bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships on Sunday, 21 September.
For the first time ever, Samoa stood on the podium at the World Athletics Championships.
Rose, 33, born in Michigan but proudly carrying the Samoan flag of his father’s homeland for more than 13 years, has battled for this moment across seven World Championships. From Moscow 2013 to now, he has worn Samoa’s colours with pride. His best finish before today was eighth in 2022 — until he finally smashed through with this breakthrough medal.
Even heavy rain couldn’t wash away destiny. The competition was suspended for hours, the throwing circle slick and dangerous. But when it mattered, Rose delivered — launching his discus 66.96m in round five, soaring into third place.
The final drama? Australian Matthew Denny was the only man left who could push him off the podium. But Denny fouled, and instead walked over to congratulate Rose.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - LILA CRICHTON
LILA CRICHTON
SAMOAN
OPERA SINGER
-
We spoke to Lila LJ Crichton is a NZ-born Samoan writer, director, composer and lyricist, ahead of his spring tour of A Master of None: Brown Fala, an evocative spoken-word theatre work, rich with original music and rooted in the rhythms of Pasifika storytelling. Crichton opens up about the creative path that led him from community halls to national stages, and how his journey of identity, language, and legacy continues to shape every note, line, and lyric he brings to life.
-
What drew you to storytelling, whether through music, theatre, or words? Was that something present in your upbringing?
For me, it was both fate and purpose. Being a Pacific Islander means a natural affinity towards stories and storytelling, and arcs as a means of expression. With the added layer of being in the diaspora — growing up in South Auckland and then moving to Flaxmere — I was never short of opportunities to be surrounded by storytelling.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - JOEL AMOSA
JOEL AMOSA
OPERA SINGER
SAMOAN
-
Talofa Joel, tell us a little bit about yourself, where did you grow up?
I am a proud NZ born Samoan, raised in South Auckland gems of Otara and Manurewa. My Dad hails from Vaiala, Samoa and Mum was born here in Tokoroa.
How did you first get into Opera, and what inspired you to pursue it seriously?
I got my first operatic experience back in 2007, I saw Turandot at the Aotea Centre. If you don’t know this Opera, its where the famous 'Nessun Dorma' aria comes from. From here, the seed was planted. I was curious on how the voice can amplify itself that way without using a microphone.
My time at school with choir and barbershop added an element to singing that I always enjoyed - to tell stories. The inspiration to pursue it further was organic, I opened my mouth to sing, and it was not a smooth RnB sound, it wasn’t high, and it wasn’t low, but it had an element of classical potential.…more
Litia Tuiburelevu Takes Pacific Storytelling to London
"We don’t lack for great stories… but I hope to help strengthen our capacity to get those films properly resourced, into production, and shown worldwide.” says award-winning filmmaker Litia Tuiburelevu.
"Radical possibilities emerge from disruption, and I think as Pacific filmmakers we’re living through an exciting moment where we can collectively usher in new ways of bringing our screen stories to life."
It’s that bold approach to storytelling that has seen her selected for the New Zealand Film Commission’s International Placement Initiative. Litia will be joining the acquisitions and development team at Protagonist Pictures in London, a company celebrated for its daring and genre-defining cinema.
For Litia, the placement is a chance to step into a new arena while continuing the work she has always been drawn to - telling stories that sit outside the mainstream but speak deeply to Pacific identity and experience.
Her career already reflects this commitment.…more
Lolo: The Champion Maker — From a Church Storage Room to World Champions
A new documentary is coming to our screens this September, shining a light on one of New Zealand’s most influential figures in combat sports. Lolo: The Champion Maker tells the story of Lolo Heimuli, a fighter turned trainer who built a gym out of a church storage room and went on to produce world champions like Ray Sefo, Mark Hunt, Shane Cameron, and even mentor future coaching great Eugene Bareman.
He might not be a household name, but in fight circles Lolo is legendary. Known as the “champion maker”, he is a man of faith and discipline whose humble beginnings shaped a legacy that still echoes through New Zealand’s fight scene today.
For director Jeremiah Tauamiti, this was a story that had to be told.
“It was really important for me to make this documentary because Lolo is of a generation that we're doing things for the first time. They were truly breaking barriers and those kind of stories have always inspired me,” Tauamiti says.…more
Fiji beats Samoa and sends Tonga to the World Cup
Fiji have done the job against Samoa, winning 29-15 at Rotorua, and in doing so, they’ve handed Tonga a golden ticket to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Tonga had already put themselves on the road to glory with a 30-16 win over Samoa in Nuku’alofa a few weeks ago, so both Pacific powerhouses are now officially booked for the big stage.
That makes Tonga the 19th team to punch their tickets and marks their 10th World Cup appearance, with plenty of history behind them and plenty of ambition to make some new records in Australia.
The Pacific Nations Cup has once again shown its worth, serving as a high-stakes proving ground for teams chasing World Cup dreams. Fiji might have had to dig deep to get past a physical Manu Samoa side, but they came through with grit, discipline, and some big plays in the second half. Tonga, meanwhile, has looked solid from the start, proving they can handle the pressure when it matters most.…more
Proud daughter of Samoa joins her mother as leading Professors at Victoria University
“For our families who migrated from Te Moana nui a Kiwa, the dream was simple but profound — to create a better future. To see Pacific people in these positions affirms our place in Aotearoa and sends a clear message to our children: that leadership at the highest levels is not out of reach,” Dr Emma Dunlop-Bennett told The Coconet.
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington has announced Dr Emma Dunlop-Bennett as its new Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika), a role she steps into with a wealth of experience and strong connections to Pacific communities.
A proud daughter of Samoa (Sā Petāia, Sā Te’o, Sā Atoā) Emma follows in her legendary mother Tagaloatele Peggy Fairburn-Dunlop’s footsteps at Victoria, who is now semi retired.
Tagaloatele Professor Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop is a trailblazing Pasifika academic and an expert in a range of Pacific development issues who was the inaugural director of the Pacific Studies department Va‘aomanu Pasifika at Victoria University, where Emma will now take up residency.…more
WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - KARLINA TONGOTEA
Karlina Tongotea
Tongan/Maori
Doctor/Powerlifter
//
What is your Pacific heritage, and where did you grow up?
I am a powerful mix of Tongan and Māori heritage. My dad was born in Ha'apai, Tonga and my mum was born in Te Tai Tokerau, Kaikohe. My parents moved to Tāmaki Makaurau in their late teenage years where they met and grew a family of 5 children. I am the 2nd in the line up and we were raised in Manurewa, South Auckland.
How did you first get into powerlifting, and what inspired you to pursue it seriously?
I played netball for 20years of my life before I found powerlifting. I had to give up netball when I started working at Middlemore Hospital as a junior doctor, because I couldn't be a reliable teammate. But sport has always been in my life and is an important part of my mental health, so I started going to the gym for the first time.…more
Pacific influencers reject gambling offers as concerns grow over harm in Pasifika communities
Pacific influencers are turning down lucrative offers from offshore gambling companies, some worth tens of thousands of dollars, citing concerns about the harm gambling causes in their communities.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and Inland Revenue (IRD) have already cracked down on influencers in New Zealand found promoting unlicensed gambling websites, warning that such endorsements are illegal and carry penalties. Despite this, gambling agencies continue to target content creators, with Pasifika and Māori influencers often at the top of their lists due to their large youth audiences.
Samoan influencer Joe Fa’agase said the scale of the offers shows how much companies value Pacific voices. “I’ve definitely noticed a rise in gambling companies reaching out. Personally I’ve been offered up to $4000 just for a single story and I know some creators who were offered even more. I saw one Māori creator who was offered half a million and it makes you realise how valuable our voices have become to these kind of companies.”
For Fa’agase, the decision to say no was about responsibility to his audience.…more