“A chief is to lead in every aspect, to help his people not just by words but by actually delivering what they have promised and I will try with all my might and with all I have to lead you all.”

The installation of the Turaga na Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua o Lau and Tui Lau Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara was a fusion and display of culture and tradition.

Na ‘Meke Taki Ni Yaqona VakaTuraga’

This week has witnessed the revival of traditions and customs that, until now, lived only in the stories shared by our elders. Among the most remarkable was the Meke Taki Ni Yaqona Vakaturaga, a traditional kava ceremony dance that has not been performed in decades. The last known documentation of this dance dates back to 1990, making its reappearance a moment of cultural resurgence. This sacred tradition has been brought back to life, offering a rare glimpse into our ancestral heritage.…more

“As a Samoan, my experiences shape everything that I write. How I see the world through the eyes of a woman, mother and daughter. Challenge the way the world chooses to see me and others who look like me.”

Writer and actor Nora Aati makes a commanding entrance into the world of Pacific storytelling with her bold new short film I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden. Premiering at the 2025 Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival and selected as a finalist for Ngā Whanaunga Aotearoa New Zealand’s Best, the film is already making an impact.

“My name is Nora Aati, and I come from the villages of Safune, Faleasi’u, Falelatai, Manono, and Apia in Sāmoa,” she says. “I was born in Aotearoa and currently reside in Tāmaki Makaurau with my husband and five children.” Though she began as an actress, it was the lack of roles for Pacific women that led her to write her own.…more

Aalyana Teata Partsch

Hauora Advocate, Entrepreneur & Māmā

Aalyana is an entrepreneur and advocate for cultural connection, community empowerment, and indigenous wellbeing. As a daughter, wife, māmā, friend, and leader, Aalyana continues to weave her values of faith, honesty, aroha, and kaitiakitanga into every part of her life. This passionate trailblazer’s whakapapa connects her to the beautiful islands of Sāmoa and Tahiti.

She seeks opportunities to deepen her connection to her own cultural roots while embracing the wisdom of other indigenous traditions, believing that shared knowledge can help us heal, thrive and connect. As the founder of I Mahi Ora, Aalyana is leading a transformative initiative that reimagines health and wellbeing for Māori and Pasifika young adults through indigenous frameworks.…more

KOROR, PALAU – Tahiti has extended its lead at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, with Samoa holding second place on the medal table while Fiji has moved into third following strong performances in swimming, va’a, and archery.

Tahiti closed Day 2 with 23 gold, 13 silver, and 4 bronze medals, continuing its dominance across multiple sports. Tahiti’s swimmers added five gold medals on Day 2 alone, led by 16-year-old flag bearer Déotille Videau, who captured her fifth gold, and Nael Roux, who secured his fourth. The team also swept gold in the V6 500m va’a events across women’s, men’s, and mixed categories, and added golds in wrestling and archery.

Samoa is holding firm in second place with six gold and four bronze medals. Their medal tally was boosted by Paige Schendelaar-Kemp’s gold in the women’s 100m butterfly, alongside wrestling golds from Shane Palemia (87kg) and Ekitoa Tamati (97kg).

Fiji has climbed to third place with four silver and four bronze medals, showing depth across swimming, va’a, and archery.…more

The team lists for the decider of State of Origin 2025 are in, with New South Wales keeping their line-up and shuffles across the Queensland side. The series has also been seen a celebration of the growing impact of Pacific Island players in rugby league’s biggest event.

Across both teams, players with Pacific heritage are not just filling jerseys. They are pushing their teams forward, shaping the culture, and carrying their communities with them every time they step onto the field.

Queensland Maroons: Team Shuffles

Queensland has made bold moves for Game 3, with coach Billy Slater shaking things up significantly. The Maroons have reloaded key positions, especially in the backline and the forward pack.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, proudly representing his Samoan roots through his father, has moved to fullback, taking Reece Walsh's spot. ‘The Hammer’ brings impressive speed and energy, and his Pacific heritage is an essential part of his narrative.

Xavier Coates keeps his spot on the wing.…more

Beaulah Koale, Fasitua Amosa, Taofia Peseta, Shimpal Lelisi, Iaheto Ah Hi and Haanz Faavae Jackson are just a few of our starry Pasifika actors that have played the Black Faggot characters over the years.

Now the queen of film and stage Anapela Polata’ivao brings Auckland the latest iteration of this groundbreaking theatre piece.

Victor Rodger ONZM’s Black Faggot returns to Tāmaki Makaurau with fire, wit and a renewed sense of urgency, opening at Q Theatre’s Rangatira stage from June 25 to 29. Boldly queer and unapologetically Pasifika, the play reclaims a label historically used to silence and shame, delivering humour, depth and truth in every line.

First staged in 2013 in response to Destiny Church’s “Enough is Enough” march and later protests against marriage equality, Black Faggot remains unflinchingly relevant in 2024. Rodger reflects on the origins of the piece, saying:

“At the very, very least, one of those kids marching against the bill will be gay and feeling wretched about themselves as they grow up… Black Faggot is a response to that.…more