Vanuatu ferry disaster: 30-hour wait for search and rescue amid large swells
“We could have saved more.”
Luganville MP Matai Seremaiah has criticised the response to the sinking of the MV Matui, saying a search involving people on the ground did not begin until more than 30 hours after the vessel sank.
The inter-island ferry sank between Santo and Ambae at around 9.30am on Friday after departing Santo at about 6am.
Seremaiah said the vessel was believed to have been drifting, with authorities initially unclear about what had happened.
“What we now know is that the vessel capsized at 9.30am.”
He said those on the ground began their own search at around 4pm on Saturday.
“We were awaiting for coordinates, but nothing came through until one of surviving crew swarm ashore and alerted us that the ship has capsized.”
Seremaiah said local people then went out to search for survivors.
“We were not given any instructions at the time, and in the end, I and, other people went out to search,” he said.
A local pilot later spotted survivors and provided coordinates to vessels involved in the rescue.…more
Justin Haiu brings Pacific movement and storytelling to We The Young with Motuhake
“I hope they feel at home with us. I hope they can relax, have a good laugh, be moved and encouraged—and also feel like this is something they could do too, if they wanted to.”
That is the hope behind Motuhake, an uplifting new work created and performed by Pacific artist Justin Haiu, also known as Jandel J.
The show is heading to Auckland Live’s We The Young festival, which returns for its second year from 25 September to 11 October, bringing a programme of shows and free activities for tamariki and whānau across venues including the Aotea Centre, Auckland Town Hall and Aotea Square.
Motuhake follows a young boy who discovers marionettes in his grandfather’s attic. When the dusty puppets suddenly spring to life, they take him on a transformative journey to overcome his fear and pursue his dream of being on stage.
The production combines puppetry, mime, movement and physical theatre, with a cast of Pacific men bringing the characters to life.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - NELZ
NELZ
SAMOAN / NEW ZEALAND
MUSICIAN
Please introduce yourself, tell us where you’re from and a little about your background.
Hey guys, my name is Nelz, and I’m a musician originally from South Auckland, New Zealand. I was also brought up in Aus too.
How did you first get into music?
My brother introduced me to the studio with the boys. From there, I just kept going most days of the week.
What do you remember about recording your first songs while you were still at school?
I remember being a 13-14 year old, just always trying to push to record more songs. I was rapping and singing hahaha.
It was a muck around at first until I started taking songs seriously.
What was it like seeing “Trying” become such a huge success?
I was shocked. When I first put it out, I didn’t expect it to pop off, to be honest. Just grateful. Grateful for my team and the people who were a part of it.…more
Penrhyn port upgrade raises transparency and environmental concerns in the Cook Islands
Article by Susana Suisuiki via RNZ
The United States and New Zealand-funded upgrade of Penrhyn port, a former American military base, in the northern Cook Islands has raised concerns about transparency and environmental impacts.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown described the port as a "lifeline" for Penrhyn, saying the US$60 million upgrade was one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country's history.
The US and New Zealand made the announcement in Palau this week, promising safer access to the remote atoll and better connections for the rest of the country.
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the new port project builds on that shared history, but also on the Critical Minerals Framework which sets out how the Cook Islands and the US would work together to look at how the country's critical minerals could be explored and developed, including minerals found on the seafloor.
World War II connection
Penrhyn, also known as Tongareva, has a long-standing connection with the US.
During World War II, the US forces established a military presence on the atoll.…more
Tongan pickleball players miss US tournament as visa crackdown hits Pacific athletes
What was meant to be a celebration of Pacific sport, culture and community in Salt Lake City has highlighted the growing barriers facing Tongan travellers under tighter US immigration rules.
Several Tongan pickleball players were unable to compete in an international tournament in Utah after their US visa applications were denied.
The tournament, held at Glendale Park on Saturday, brought together players from across the United States and the Pacific for a match-up between two predominantly Polynesian teams: Salt Lake City's Die Hard Pickleballerz and Team Kalia, an international club made up of players from Tonga, New Zealand and Australia.
For those who made it, the tournament was about far more than pickleball.
But for several players from Tonga, the opportunity to compete never got off the ground.
Fewer Tongan players able to make the trip
Team Kalia president Johnny Hafoka brought eight players from Tonga to this year's tournament, alongside 10 players from Australia and 10 from New Zealand, as well as several players from other US states.
But that was significantly fewer Tongan players than last year.…more
Pacific workers earn $6.68 less an hour than European workers, Stats NZ data shows
Pacific workers continue to have the lowest median hourly earnings among New Zealand’s major ethnic groups, with new figures highlighting a significant gap in what Pasifika workers earn compared with European workers.
Stats NZ figures for the year to the June 2026 quarter show Pacific workers had median hourly earnings of $31.17, compared with $37.85 for European workers.
That is a difference of $6.68 an hour.
Asian workers had median hourly earnings of $33.56, while Māori workers earned $33.45.
The figures show that while wages have increased across major ethnic groups, a significant difference remains between Pacific and European workers.
Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Gail Pacheco said rising wages had not necessarily shifted longstanding inequalities in the workforce.
She said longstanding differences in where people worked and in their average or median pay had changed little.
Pacheco's research found Māori and Pacific workers were disproportionately represented in lower-paid sectors and underrepresented in some of the country's highest-paying industries, including professional services.
However, she said the disparity was not only about which industries people worked in.…more
4 up Pacific Islander, all we had was each other”: Stanford celebrates Pacific heritage
“Growing up Pacific Islander, all we had was each other; all the sacrifices our people had to make to give us the opportunity to play at the next level, especially at Stanford, make this a dream come true!”
Those are the words of Stanford sophomore linebacker Landon McComber, who says the university’s upcoming Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration is about much more than football.
Stanford Football will celebrate Pacific Islander heritage during its season opener against Hawai‘i on Saturday, unveiling a special collaboration that brings Pacific culture into its game-day look.
The Cardinal will take to the field in its traditional white helmets featuring a unique stripe across the centre, incorporating a tribal pattern celebrating Pacific Islander heritage.
The team will also wear red facemasks, marking the first time Stanford has featured the look with its white helmet since its 2017 game against Notre Dame.
Off the field, Stanford has teamed up with Island Avenue to create a special Pacific-inspired apparel collection, including tracksuits, shirts, hats and more.…more
From Tonga to the All Blacks: Saula Ma’u’s dream becomes reality
For Saula Ma’u, it took just two weeks to go from playing for Otago to pulling on the black jersey he had dreamed about his whole life.
The Highlanders prop made his All Blacks debut in Johannesburg, coming off the bench during New Zealand’s thrilling 41-35 win over the British & Irish Lions.
And after the final whistle, Ma’u struggled to hold back the emotion.
The 23-year-old was called into the All Blacks squad as an injury replacement for Ollie Norris, with his opportunity coming far sooner than he could have imagined.
“It was unreal. A couple of weeks ago I was back at home playing for Otago, and then two weeks later, I'm playing for the All Blacks,” Ma’u said.
For a young prop who had spent years chasing the dream of representing New Zealand, stepping onto the field in an All Blacks jersey was a moment he will never forget.…more
Pacific health pioneer Aseta Redican to receive honorary Otago doctorate
Samoan physiotherapy pioneer Aseta Redican is being celebrated for more than six decades of service to Pacific health, with the University of Otago set to award her an Honorary Doctor of Science this weekend.
Mrs Redican made history in 1964 when she became the first Pacific person to qualify as a physiotherapist in Aotearoa, graduating from the University of Otago’s School of Physiotherapy.
Born in Samoa, she moved to Aotearoa at 13 after receiving a Samoan government scholarship to attend boarding school in Stratford, near New Plymouth. With very little English and only the opportunity to return home every three years, she says the experience helped develop the perseverance that shaped her career.
After graduating from Otago, Mrs Redican returned to Samoa where she established the first physiotherapy department at Apia General Hospital, providing care for patients including people living with paraplegia, poliomyelitis and muscular dystrophy, as well as those recovering from surgery.
She later returned to Aotearoa, developing the physiotherapy department at Masonic Hospital in Auckland before moving into Pacific health leadership.…more
PNG Chiefs Assemble a Pacific Powerhouse
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