SPDRTWNBBY

SAMOAN

SINGER / SONGWRITER

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Meet the rising star Spdrtwnbby (spider town baby), from hearty Avondale! She's not just a singer-songwriter; but a musical wizard who channels her personal experiences into catchy originals. For her, music is the secret portal to let her personality shine through! Having recently released her debut single, 'Pixel Pixie,' we talk to the emerging artist about her work and creative process

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Tell us a bit about yourself

I am full Samoan, my Dad is from Lalomanu Aleipata and Mum is from Malie. I was born here in Tamaki Makaurau, born and raised in Avondale. I did all my schooling through Avondale and then completed my tertiary studies with University of Auckland gaining a Bachelor of Music specializing in songwriting and performance.  I am the eldest child of three. My star sign is Capricorn. I currently work as a Pasifika librarian with Auckland Libraries.

I really enjoy the community engagement aspect of my job, it challenges me to create resources where we can encourage different forms of literacy and learning for our Moana community.…more

Proud Father, Loving husband and South Auckland's staunchest advocate - the loss of Fa'anānā has been felt far and wide. Hundreds of tributes have poured in from those who knew him in life and are mourning the loss of one of our pillars in the Pasifika Communities. Here are some of the beautiful thoughts expressed by people from all different sectors of society, as we honour Fa’anānā’s legacy to us:

Mariner Fagaiava

Aigagalefili Fepulea'i-Tupua'i

Falaniko Tomoniko II - Samoan Educator

Fa'anānā Efeso Collins, you always made time for everyone. Everyone who knew you felt like you were their best friend in the world, myself included! The only thing bigger than your smile, your personality, your intelligence and your star was your love for Fia Collins and your girls, your family and your Pacific people. My love and prayers go out to all of you at this time.…more

The screen sector in Aotearoa has exploded with Pasifika content in the last 10 years - made mostly by Pasifika women!

This years Women In Film & Television NZ Awards saw 6 Moana women finalists across different categories: 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEARS WINNERS

Abba-Rose Vaiaoga-Ioasa: Hinterland Woman To Watch Award 2024

Ashlee Fidow: Queenstown Camera Company Craft Award 2024

Ngaire Fuata - Warner Bros. Discovery Award for Moana Excellence in the Screen Industry 2024

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These are a few of the Pasifika women who are making their mark on screens big and small in Aotearoa. These include our tuakana producers and directors who have made stories for Pasifika audiences across digital, film and TV mediums in both drama and factual content.…more

NATANO KENI

PLAYWRIGHT & PERFORMER

SAMOAN

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Samoan Playwright Natano Keni has come out with a brand new theatre show named O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala'ai. 
Using both English and Gagana Sāmoa, O le Pepelo, le Gaoi, ma le Pala’ai | The Liar, the Thief, and the Coward is a modern tale of a man who’s out of step with the times and whose time is running out. Who then will survive?

The playwright tells us more about his story here

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Tell us more about yourself. Cultural heritage? Where did you grow up?
I am Samoan, born in Aotearoa, New Zealand, I grew up in Timberlea, Upper Hutt.

What was your journey like into the arts? Did you always want to be an actor/writer?
I didn’t really know what I was going to do when I left high school, sports was also something else that was on the radar, specifically rugby league I could have gone into.…more

Check out the convo with the humble, perceptive and highly talented, Lomez Brown on the Mandate Podcast, as he shares his journey through music, family, love and his unique faith experiences.

In the heart of Auckland, New Zealand, two siblings, Samalulu and Tuva’a Clifton, have been making a splash in the world of canoeing. 

Hailing from the villages of Malie, Fasito’o Uta, Lano and Safune, while their childhood was spent in Grey Lynn, Aotearoa the two have strong connections to their Samoan roots. 

“Fa’a Sāmoa has always been important to us. We both did bilingual education growing up at Richmond Rd Primary school as well as our growing up with our Samoan grandmother”

So when the time came to select the country they would represent in the upcoming Paris Olympics, choosing Samoa was a no brainer for them.

For Samalulu and Tuva’a, embracing their Fa’a Sāmoa identity has always been paramount. Their bilingual education and upbringing with their Samoan grandmother instilled a profound connection to their cultural roots. Representing Samoa holds special significance to the pair, Tuva’a stated 

The pair began their journey into canoeing by way of Surf Life Saving at Muriwai beach.…more

In a move to preserve and share Pacific cultures with the younger generation, Pacific Kids' Learning (PKL) has introduced the Pacific Digital Library, a streaming platform dedicated to Pacific-inspired content for children.

The ad-free platform, accessible in nine Pacific languages and English, aims to bridge cultural knowledge gaps and revitalise endangered Pacific languages.

The Pacific Digital Library houses a large collection of cultural songs, dances, stories, and educational animations.

The platform's co-founder and Education Director, Theresa Tupuola-Sorenson, stresses the importance of preserving Pacific cultures in a rapidly changing world. With the launch of this platform, PKL strives to provide a cultural oasis for Pasifika families, allowing them to share traditions and stories with their children conveniently.

Theresa highlighted the platform's significance, stating, "By marrying technology with tradition, we can help bridge the cultural knowledge gap while creating entertaining and mana-enhancing content for our kids."

The platform features Pacific music and dance with motion-capture technology and animation.…more

For the first time ever the NRL season will be kicking off on American Soil. The league is looking to grow the game internationally and have taken this as their chance to do so.

Games will be played at the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders where the Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs, Roosters, and Broncos will go head to head, at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 2 (local time).

Las Vegas is set to witness a massive week of rugby league events, including a Talent Combine aiming to discover four American athletes for potential inclusion in the NRL. The week also boasts a Las Vegas 9s tournament and various fan-centric activities leading up to the two NRL clashes at Allegiant Stadium.

The Games

Saturday, March 2

6:30 pm (local time) Manly Warringah Sea Eagles vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs

8:30 pm (local time) Sydney Roosters vs. Brisbane Broncos

Thanks to Westpac, any fan catching the match ball in the stadium gets to take it home.…more

From Security Guard, to a featuring artist. ROM3 has come a long way in his unlikely journey into the music industry. 

Originally from Long Beach, CA, and raised in Lakewood, WA, ROM3 considers Washington his home. Little did he know that his life would take a dramatic turn when he started working as a security guard, eventually leading him to collaborate with none other than NBA Youngboy.

Rome's initial foray into the world of music wasn't intentional. One day, in a lighthearted moment, he jokingly offered to be the American rapper, NBA Youngboy's singer. 

“When I first started working for him, I asked him if he needed a singer but I was just saying it as a joke because I had that thought in me that I’m just his security“ 

Never imagining that this jest would set off a chain of events that would change his life forever. Despite being surrounded by co-workers who hesitated to visit the artist's studio, ROM3 took the initiative to explore NBA Youngboy's creative space and, in doing so, discovered a new passion.…more

In Sāmoa’s not-so-distant past, Pili Sā Tauilevā is a proud Ali’i (chief) in the village of Moa. He has devoted his life to the sacred fa’a sāmoa tradition of service. When he suddenly falls gravely ill and refuses to name a successor, his daughter and son become rivals for the title. But nothing plays out as expected when others come out to join the race.

O lana fanau ua ala ai ona ola umi. Auā e talepe e tamaiti mea uma, pe a to lana mānava.The only thing keeping him alive is his children. Because when he dies, they’ll ruin everything.

Power, politics and tradition collide in this darkly comic piece by Natano Keni (Sāmoa/Aotearoa) and Sarita So (Khmer/Aotearoa). It is a commentary on the growing divide between those who have chosen to stay and those who have chosen to leave.…more