Check out Rihanna's performance at the Grammys with DJ Khaled & Bryson Tiller for their hit "Wild Thoughts" and the dance choreography which was thanks to our girl Parris Goebel!!! 

She said on Facebook "Always blessed when I get to work with Rihanna"

& she tweeted this after the performance:

By Patrick Thomsen

Identity is of grave importance for all who are thrust into the mystifying space of diaspora existence. As a child of a very Samoan family, much like others in our community who made their way to New Zealand during the late 70s and 80s in search of economic prosperity, the question of what it means to be a ‘real’ Samoan has haunted me my entire existence.

Judging from the repetitive, voracious arguments on social media around cultural authenticity, it’s a question that haunts many of my fellow Samoans too. And finding the answer to this question has proven harder than finding a needle in a tatau themed haystack. 

On Samoa’s treasured islands, passage into adulthood has been marked for centuries through the bestowing of a pe’a or malu onto an individual.…more

Jnr Tanielu  / 'JPG' aka 'juxtapose'

Creative

Samoan 

I am a multidisciplinary creative. Initially I started as a self taught digital illustrator/ graphic designer, then I made a transition into the art form of painting. I like using various mediums but as of late, acrylics have been my go-to. My artworks are inspired by my interests and memories as a youth of the 90s era.

Both my parents are Samoan, they moved to New Zealand in the mid 70's. We grew up in South Auckland and later moved to West Auckland when I started school.

When/how did you realise you wanted to pursue a career as an artist?

As the youngest growing up and being the only boy with four sisters, I spent a lot of time drawing, skating, and gaming to keep myself occupied. You know just doing my own thing, that’s where I first discovered my interest in art. Art was like the only thing I really engaged with as a student and it stuck with me through my teenage years.…more

Basketball teams from Samoa, Australia and New Zealand came together for the 3 Day Samoa Cup Basketball Tournament in Auckland last week (3rd - 5th Jan 18).  It's an annual tournament open to all Samoans to participate and for the first time since the tournament started 4 years ago, invitational teams representing the Cook Islands and Tonga (NZ based) participated.

Divisions included Under 16s, Under 19s and Open teams for both Men and Women held at Pulman Arena in South Auckland with the purpose of uniting Samoan players to compete against each other for spots in teams which will be selected in upcoming FIBA events and even to represent Samoa at the Commonwealth games should they qualify.

When the tournament first started 4 years ago there were only 7 teams competing, last year there were 20 and this year it more than doubled with over 40 teams entered boosted by overseas team entries - 5 teams came over from Samoa as well as teams from Samoa Basketball Australia - Victoria, NSW and Queensland.…more

Taija Kerr is the first Afro-Hawaiian woman to star in a major beauty campaign EVER and she shows us how to create a sunset smoky eye look! Follow along to hear her tips and tricks.

Following in the footsteps of Fenty Beauty's extensive foundation shade range, Glossier's candid naked body product pictures and Illamasqua's work with transgender model Munroe Bergdorf, among others, Sephora's inclusion of the New York-based make-up artist is another win for 2017's long overdue diversity efforts.

Speaking on the importance of being involved, Kerr said:

'Most [Hawaiians] don't have curly 'Afro' curly hair and I have the softer Hawaiian features. My father is Hawaiian. My mother is black, so I'm considered Afro-Hawaiian to put them together'

And people are into it.