SIVA AFI TEINE TOA - MOEMOANA SCHWENKE
By Moemoana Schwenke
So this year Siva Afi teine Toa from all around the world were blessed with a women’s open division for the World Fireknife Championships held in Hawaii at the Polynesian Cultural Centre.Stars aligned and 7 strong and fierce women met in one place to go head to head in a tough competition.
It was an empowering moment for myself just to be apart of it, history in the making. Besides being just a siva Afi competition it really was also celebrating the fact that women can do anything. It was definitely nerve racking but when I was fortunate enough to forward onto the finals I really just felt so proud to be a woman and to be a Samoan, and knowing that made me feel like a winner already.
Before a show hands get sweaty, you may start doing yourself or fear dropping or losing control of the stick, but nerves disappear when you believe in yourself and believe that you know your stuff. Being a female Fireknife dancer is very special.…more
Fresh out da Box - Tevita Hamani
Youth worker Tevita Hamani shares why he's Fresh out da Box and talks about his upbringing, family and why he's passionate about the involvement of youth in politics as a member of Tongas Youth Parliament.
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Credit: Malosi Pictures & Tutu on the Beach
WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS - INDIRA STEWART
INDIRA STEWART
JOURNALIST
TONGAN / FIJIAN
Tongan documentary maker and journalist Indira (Moala) Stewart has made history in the 2025 Voyager Media Awards by having two documentaries in finals of the 'Best Long Form Documentary' category, and featuring as talent in the Coconet's 'Myths and Maidens' piece which is the third finalist in the category.
Best Current Affairs (long) or Documentary
Believers & Betrayers: Inside the Shincheonji ‘Cult’ – Indira Stewart, Will Green, Charlotte Mckenzie | TVNZ
Gang Mums – Indira Stewart, Rewi Heke, Jorja Parsons, Tom Hood | TVNZ
Myths & Maidens – Lisa Taouma | Coconet TV, RNZ
Indira's work is also nominated in two other categories at this year's Voyager Media Awards
Best Current Affairs (short)
Children of Prisoners – Indira Stewart | TVNZ
Le Mana Pacific Award
Children of Prisoners; Believers & Betrayers; Israel and the Pacific – Indira Stewart | TVNZ
WORLD SCHOOL 7s 2019 HIGHLIGHTS
Keepin it Fresh at the World School 7s with highlights from the competition that included teams from Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Australia and more held here in New Zealand.
Showcasing up and coming talent from high schools around the world.
KJ APA REMEMBERS LUKE PERRY on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON
Samoan actor KJ Apa - he currently stars as Archie on Riverdale & will also star in the upcoming Netflix romantic comedy The Last Summer which comes out on the 3rd of May.
He visited the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon recently and talked about what he'll miss most about his Riverdale co-star Luke Perry and explained his photo tribute he posted on Instagram after his sudden death in the video above.
He also chops it up with Jimmy about his love of romantic comedies and touring with his rock band Legend.
Check it out in the vid below
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - VINCE HARDER
VINCE HARDER
SINGER / SONG WRITER / MUSICIAN / ARTIST
SAMOAN
I was born and raised in West Auckland and lived there for the first half of my school life.…more
THE OLD BROWN WOMAN - A Pasifika short story
by Rosa F.F, Media Design School student
The old brown woman struggles slightly as she straightens her almost frail frame to a stand. Her dry cracked lips part slightly to send up a quick thank you, seemingly to the air above, as she retrieves the empty disposable coffee cup that lay misplaced on the staffroom floor, carelessly tossed without thought, waiting for someone to do their job.
Soon, she thinks to herself tiredly. Toeitiiti.
Only two more weeks of this hardship and she would be able to finish up her thirty-something years at her tedious cleaning job.
Soon she would be able to collect her pension and finally rest at home without having to worry about being jolted in fear that she had overslept.
Her youngest daughter was finally working to help support their large aiga, particularly with the ever increasing rent and bills, so things would be much different now.…more
DWAYNE JOHNSON - TIME 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE & THE MOST FOLLOWED AMERICAN MAN ON INSTAGRAM
In 2019, Time Magazine named their TIME 100 Most Influential people in the world and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson not only covered Time but was the one and only Polynesian to have made the list.
This year (2020) he's amassed more than 200 million followers on Instagram making him the #1 most followed man in America and the #1 most followed American man in the world!
In his Instagram post celebrating this milestone he wrote “Always speak your truth, and do your best to speak your truth with compassion, with a little bit of poise, with a little bit of dignity, with respect and with empathy. Even when speaking your truth means you’re going to dive into some conversations that might make people a little uncomfortable”
He was obviously referring to his recent decision to endorse Joe Biden as president, the first time he has declared for a candidate.…more
HUMANS OF THE ISLANDS - LUKE AIONO
LUKE AIONO
BRUNO MARS' GUITARIST
SAMOAN
I grew up in Long Beach, California. My parents were musicians so music has always been a big part of my life. They're both Samoan, born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand but they migrated to California in the 80s. I started taking classical piano lessons at 6 until I switched to guitar in high school and taught myself from then on out. I played a lot in LA clubs/jam sessions during and after high school and shortly thereafter got asked to play for Kenny Lattimore + Chante Moore as well as the hip hop artist Nas.…more
EUGENE BAREMAN talks JUNIOR FA, JOSEPH PARKER & KEVIN BARRY
City Kickboxing owner & coach Eugene Bareman talks to Combat TV about Junior Fa, Joseph Parker and Kevin Barry.