The Pacific stars joining the PNG Chiefs for 2028 

The PNG Chiefs are already making a major statement ahead of their historic entry into the NRL in 2028, building a squad with strong connections to Papua New Guinea and the wider Pacific.

Among the club's first signings are some of rugby league's biggest Pacific names, including Samoan stars Jarome Luai and Brian To'o, Papua New Guinean icon Alex Johnston, and New Zealand international Joseph Manu, who has Māori and Cook Islands heritage.

🇼🇸 Jarome Luai | Player 001

The four-time premiership winner and Samoan international was announced as the Chiefs' inaugural signing, becoming Player 001.

Luai has signed through 2029, with an option for 2030, and will be one of the key figures around whom the new club builds its inaugural squad.

The Chiefs say Luai's Pacific identity, family values and pride in his heritage reflect the culture they want to establish from day one.

🇵🇬 Alex Johnston | Player 002

For Papua New Guineans, perhaps the most significant signing so far is Alex Johnston.…more

There is something interesting that happens when you put 24 Moana Oceania island nations into one room.

At first, you notice the differences - different languages, objects, names for things. Different relationships to land and ocean. Different ways knowledge has been carried, practised and passed between generations.

Then you stay a little longer and you listen, you observe, and slowly the relationships begin to appear.

That was one of the ideas that sat with Toluma'anave Barbara Makuati-Afitu and Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai as they developed Our Ocean of Islands, the new Indigenous-led exhibition at Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa New Zealand Maritime Museum.

The exhibition has been more than three years in the making, built through relationships and conversations with knowledge holders from across 24 Moana Oceania island nations.…more

A remarkable collection of historic photographs capturing Tongan life throughout the 20th century is now available online, offering families across Tonga and the diaspora a chance to reconnect with the people, places and traditions of generations past.

The August Hettig Collection, now held by Auckland Council Libraries, features thousands of negatives documenting Tonga from the early 1900s through to the 1970s.

A rare glimpse into Tonga's past

August Hettig, also known in Tonga as Okusi or Aokosi Heti, was a German-Tongan photographer who documented life in Tonga from around 1916 until his death in 1974. Largely self-taught, he became the Kingdom's main professional photographer for more than 50 years, creating a rare visual record of Tongan life.

The collection captures far more than royal ceremonies.

Among the photographs are images of Queen Sālote Tupou III and the Tongan Royal Family, weddings, church communities, sporting groups, village life, children, workers, scouts and everyday scenes across Tonga.

Some of the images date back more than 100 years, including photographs from Princess Sālote's 1917 wedding and the First Tonga Scouts in Manamo'ui.…more

A court filing mistake sent social media into a frenzy, but Maoli singer Glenn Awong is not a drug dealer.

US federal prosecutors have corrected a mistake in a criminal complaint that wrongly appeared to link the Hawaiian reggae star to allegations of methamphetamine dealing.

Awong, the founder and lead singer of Maoli, was mistakenly identified as “Person 3” in the document. Prosecutors have since confirmed that was an error and that Awong should have been identified as “Person 5”.

The confusion came from a criminal case involving Maui Police Lieutenant Michael Vaituulala, who is accused of accepting bribes from suspected drug dealers, illegal cockfighting operators and others.

Awong was mentioned in the wider case because Vaituulala had attended a New Year’s party at his home.

But somehow, a typo in the federal filing had TikTok and social media doing detective work before the correction had even landed.

Awong was suddenly being accused online of being a drug dealer, despite there being no allegation against him.

According to his lawyer, John Isbell, the mistake had serious consequences.…more

By Iliesa Tora Via RNZ 

All players playing at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup will be paid AU$850 per week as a standard match fee, but individual federations can pay their players more if they can afford to.

The International Rugby League clarified this to RNZ Pacific on Thursday, following reports that some member associations are concerned that Australian players are reportedly due to receive AU$40,000 flat payment per player.

That deal is being reported to have been made between the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and the Rugby League Players' Association (RLPA).

That match fee will be equally paid to both male and female players in both the Kangaroos and the Jillaroos teams.

In contrast, players from Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga will receive AU$2,550 for three weeks; AU$3,440 if their team makes the top four; and AU$4,250 if they reach the final.

International Rugby League Secretary General Danny Kazandjian

IRL

RLWC 2026 is being held in October, joint hosted by Australia, PNG and New Zealand.…more

Pacific music takes centre stage: All the winners from the 2026 Pacific Music Awards

From R&B and hip hop to gospel, reggae, Pacific language music and metal, the 2026 Pacific Music Awards have celebrated the incredible breadth of Pacific music and the artists continuing to shape the sound of Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.

Held in Auckland on Wednesday night, the awards saw some familiar names return to the winners' circle, alongside artists making their mark across the Pacific music scene.

At the top of the night was Sam V, who continued his remarkable run at the awards, taking home three major honours.

The Auckland-based Cook Island Māori artist won Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist for the fifth consecutive year, as well as Best Pacific Male Artist and Best Pacific Song for his track Small Taste, featuring Jaedyn Randell.

Meanwhile, A.R.T backed up their 2025 success by once again taking home Best Pacific Group.…more