WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - SELA MAKA
SELA TUPOU PATISEPA MAKA
ENGINEERING STUDENT &
PRIME MINISTERS PACIFIC YOUTH - INTERNATIONAL SCHOLAR AWARD RECIPIENT
TONGAN
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Sela is 20 years old and was born in Tonga. The first recipient of the King Tupou VI Coronation Scholarship and received recognition from Ministry of Foreign A airs and Trade as one of the top academic achievers in 2018. In her first year at Massey University, Sela was part of a team who won the Creative Solutions Award for the Wine New Zealand industry in her engineering project course. She was also selected as a summer intern in a global engineering consultancy GHD in Palmerston North.
Currently a mentor at Massey University Pasifika Students association, Sela hopes to inspire others and has previously tutored for the Amanaki STEM Academy. She joined Tonga Youth Leaders, a non-profit organisation focused on providing opportunities for the next generation of young leaders.
Sela is working towards becoming an experienced and chartered process engineer.…more
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American Samoans granted US birthright citizenship for the first time, in a landmark ruling in Utah
Judge Clark Waddoups has ruled in favour of three American Samoan plaintiffs, that they should be included in the US Constitution's grant of birthright citizenship stating that American Samoans are US citizens and should be issued new passports reflecting that.
Although American Samoa is a US territory, American Samoans have to date been deemed non-citizen nationals.
The ruling occurred in a district court in Utah, where a group of American Samoans living in the state had filed a lawsuit.
They argued that they should be considered US citizens under the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the US.
The Constitution's grant of birthright citizenship applied to anyone born in a US state or territory.
"This court is not imposing 'citizenship by judicial fiat.' The action is required by the mandate of the Fourteenth Amendment as construed and applied by Supreme Court precedent," wrote Judge Clark Waddoups in the US District Court for the District of Utah.
"Further, Plaintiffs are American Samoans.…more
WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - QIANE MATATA-SIPU
QIANE MATATA-SIPU
QIANE MEDIA & PHOTOGRAPHY, ARTIST, SOCIAL ACTIVIST & FOUNDER/CREATOR of NUKU
COOK ISLANDS / MAORI
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I was born and raised in the coolest multi-cultural, village-metropolis of Māngere. My family is from Ihumātao, of Te Waiohua ki Te Ahiwaru and Te Akitai, Waikato-Tainui and Ngā Puhi whakapapa, and from Rarotonga (Arorangi) and Mangaia (Temakatea, Oneroa). For 12 years I have worked across media as a journalist and photographer and, as a communications consultant. For the past 7 years I have run my business, Qiane Media + Photography working across this industry. I’m also an artist, passionate social activist (co-founding the Protect Ihumātao SOUL with 5 of my cousins to protect our whenua from development) and the founder and creator of NUKU.
My life wouldn’t be anything without my amazing family. My husband is a proud Tongan and we have been together 16 years this December. We are parents to a gorgeous, head-strong almost 2 year old!
I am staunch South Auckland, it is the place that moulded me into the woman I am today.…more
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HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - DANIEL LEO
DANIEL LEO
PLAYER WELFARE MANAGER - PACIFIC RUGBY PLAYERS WELFARE
SAMOAN
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Mum and Dad met in Samoa at a missionary school called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). I was born in Palmerston- NZ and throughout my childhood we moved around various Missionary bases throughout the country.
Eventually we settled in South Auckland where Mum & Dad trained missionaries of Pacific Island decent & heritage. Because of our culture and temperament, Pacific Islanders are some of the most effective missionaries in the world and it was awesome to grow up in that environment. There were games of touch in the park most evenings. I didn’t know it then but the skills I picked up then would take me a long way. Not just rugby-wise but learning to live in community with people of all backgrounds.
I went to Auckland Grammar School. Every day I would walk past the honours board with the names of all those famous international rugby players who had studied at AGS. That board allowed you to dream.…more
SAMOA MEASLES UPDATE
After the intensive two day vaccination curfew in Samoa, the Island is said to now have 89% coverage against the measles following the door-to-door nationwide vaccination campaign.
The National Emergency Operation Centre has released the latest report showing targets achieved and moving rapidly towards the 100% coverage.
Around 120 mobile teams travelled the islands to administer the MMR vaccination in efforts to contain the virus that has claimed the lives of 65 people to date.
Mobile vaccination teams reported they had covered between 200-300 individuals over the two days, including many women over 35 and men over 19.
The Prime Minister told the media that preliminary vaccinated numbers in Samoa were expected to be “between thirty and forty thousand”
There were, however, 103 new cases of measles reported since Friday, Samoa’s Health Ministry said it a statement.…more
PULOTU UNDERWORLD
Pulotu Underworld is London's first club night that celebrates Pacific Island culture, music and artists. Named after Polynesia's underworld 'Pulotu' the event is about paying homage to Pacific Islands ancestors and ultimately decolonising the space by re-writing the western historical narrative and image of the exotic savage in a grass skirt.
The event began as an idea to create events for and by the UK's Pacific Island community as a way of connecting Pacific people with the intention of also creating safe spaces for queer, trans and intersex people of colour.
Shakaiah Perez aka DJ Lady Shaka who is the director and curator of Pulotu Underworld, said she thinks events like these are very important for the Pacific community. "Being that we are a minority in the UK, our community in London need to have spaces where we are able to connect with each other and learn and grow together" she said.…more
BEYOND THE EMPTY STREETS OF SAMOA
In the shadow of a state emergency, the streets of Apia have become a ghost town. The people of Samoa are on curfew as the government hustles to administer measles vaccinations to its vulnerable citizens, only mobile vaccination units, authorised government vehicles and media can roam the roads of what can only be described as something that resembles a post apocalyptic paradise.
Streets that usually bustle with life are empty and in the centre of a city that normally sings with the sounds of Samoans going about their daily life, only a handful of people can be seen. They’re manning the control centre, where all of the information is being fed back from the teams that are out administering the vaccinations.
In a country that bleeds blue, today they are seeing red. Told to mark their homes with anything red they can find, because that’s the signal to the authorities that someone in that household requires the measles vaccinations.…more
SAMOA MEASLES STATE OF EMERGENCY - LIVE UPDATES
Our CoconetTV journalist Tuki Laumea is on the ground in Samoa providing live updates as the governments State-Of-Emergency orders come into force in Samoa.
DAY 1
10.15am
An eerie calm has descended over Samoa this morning as families all over the island fly their red flags for mobile vaccination units to visit them for the measles vaccine. The streets of Samoa are empty as people obey the 2 day curfew at home, praying that this state of vaccine emergency will have a good impact on this devastating time for Samoa. 🇼🇸
10.57am
This is the coordination centre monitoring the mobile vax unit and the numbers of people being vaccinated and where mobile units have devices and feed the info back as they go.
11.21am
Helping hands. People dropping off donations and the schedule for food. They've just set off to deliver meals. 400 meals out a day.
2.14pm
Team coco in the empty streets of Apia
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DAY TWO
8.32am
Tourists are on lock down over the 2 day curfew as well, staying inside their resorts & hotels.…more