BEN MIKHA & The Opportunity of a Lifetime
Ben Mikha has been selected out of 50,000 applicants to proceed to a 3 round process based off a public voting system in order to make his dreams a reality. If successful he will be the FIRST Pacific Islander to land an internship with Discovery Channel.
He is currently pursuing a dream through Discovery Channel to travel to over 5 new countries and film/photograph and blog his experiences - something that he is naturally passionate about. He hopes to have this opportunity to use his gifts further to inspire and encourage others to view the world through their own eyes.
The video above of Samoa is his entry to the final public round of Discovery Channel.
We asked him to share a bit about himself and also share some of his favourite photographs he has taken so you can get to know him and ultimately help him reach his goal by VOTING for him!
Eiffel Tower
FATE OF THE FURIOUS ft SAVAGE's "PUSH"
"The Fate of the Furious" which is the 8th installment in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise dropped during the Super Bowl on CBS.
With millions of viewers tuned in to one of America's premium sporting events, 30 second ad spots during the Super Bowl can cost up to US $5 million to be featured.
So when the new Fate of the Furious trailer was released in the 2nd quarter of the Super Bowl today, millions of people also got to hear our very own Savage's latest track 'PUSH' featuring DJ Kronic & Far East Movement.
We caught up with Savage to see how he was feeling about it all ...
'Usually when they want to use your song the artist has to clear it so when I got this opportunity (for the track) to be on the movie as well as the trailer and the ad, I was all for it. I knew that it was lining up for it but they wouldn't confirm or guarantee that it'd be on so thats the whole reason I didn't announce it.…more
Humans Of The Islands - Emily Mafile'o
Emily Mafile'o
Photographer
Tongan/European/Maori
Tell us about yourself and what you do -
Tongan/European/Maori living in Manurewa, South Auckland. Mama to my son, Emil first and foremost.
I freelance in photography, set dressing for TV and films and am a big promoter of Contemporary Pasifika/Tongan Arts in my Community. I am proud to be part of the ManaRewa Collective based at Nathan Homestead.
Why are you fascinated with photographing contemporary Tongan culture?
Tongan culture is at a fascinating time! There are so many different versions of Tongan people that we need to celebrate.
Behind the Scenes with Parris Goebel & Little Mix
Behind the scenes of the official music video for Touch.
And watch the completed official video here!
Suggested Links:
Our Hair Stories: Takeinivula Jewel
Today I came across a really eye opening documentary about the significance of hair in the Pacific community. It focused on the relationship between Pacific women and their hair and also how this relationship has changed from generation to generation. The documentary spoke about the struggles of having nesian hair so today I just wanted to continue that conversation by sharing my story.
For me, my hair has become such an important aspect of myself to the point that I’ve even named my blog after it. "That Curly Islander" My hair and my roots (pun intended), these are what make me, me.
It’s crazy to think that the ringlets that now adorn my head actually started out pin-straight. As I grew older, my hair gradually become wavier. But because no one else on the Fijian side of my family had similar hair to mine, I never knew and no one else for that matter, knew what to do with it. There was too much hair and it was far too slippery so braiding it was a chore.…more
Humans Of The Islands - Mary Tiumalu
Mary Tiumalu
25 years old
Samoan
I was born and raised in Waterview, in Auckland. I’m the youngest of four children and I came from a working class family. My upbringing, my childhood was probably the best time of my life. Obviously because we were from a working class family and my parents had their own struggles but they never showed that to us as young kids. We never thought that we were struggling financially. We had a roof over our heads, we got to play outside. You know, once in a while we had steak and my Dad would come home on his pay day with a Snickers bar for all of us (laughs). So we never really thought that we were struggling. They provided us with a really good home environment.…more
Humans Of The Islands - Koroi Hawkins
Koroi Hawkins
Award winning Pacific Journalist
Fijian / Solomon Islander
Biologically I am part Fijian part Solomon Islander but I was raised a Solomon Islander and identify as one. I have quite a few siblings from both my biological parents' marriages and my Dad Bob Hawkins' first marriage but I am an only child to my mum Effie Hawkins and have always felt like one. Over the years we have lived in several places including Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands and Mackay in Australia but I was fortunate to spend quite a lot of my formative years in Munda, a small village/town in the Western Solomons. It was quite an exciting place for a child growing up. Between the ocean and the jungle there was always plenty to keep me occupied when I was not doing chores for mum or dad. If there is one thing I miss most about home I would say it is the ocean which was my closest friend growing up.…more
TASHA AIONO
Late last year Tasha Aiono entered the $50,000 1st Phorm Athlete search.
The 27 year old shares her story in this video here to help inspire others on their own fitness & sports journeys.
She attended BYU Hawaii and played 4 years of College Soccer as well as for the Women's Real Salt Lake Team and also played overseas in New Zealand for the Samoan Women's National Team in the South Pacific Games.
Last year she started playing Womens football for the first time for the Utah Falconz.
Women of the Islands - Rebecca Tavo
Rebecca Tavo
Fiji International Sevens Rugby Player
Fiji/Rotuma/Australia
Rebecca Tavo is a dual international also representing Australia in touch-rugby. Hailing from Western Australia, Tavo is a strong and competent ball carrier and has also scored off the field becoming BHP Billiton's first female trainer driver in 2006. In 2015 she changed alliegiance and decided to represent her home country of Fiji.
How did your passion for sports particulary rugby/touch begin?
I started playing these sports from a young age. It was only a natural progression that I went on to play these sports as a young adult and then onto adulthood. My Dad played and it took my interest also.
Touch Rugby was first. I played for Western Australia at 15yrs and then for Australia during competition in New Zealand. Between then and now, I played for the Mixed and Women's Open Touch team for Australia where we won the Women's World Cup in Scotland in 2011.
Because I had a bit of size about me (Islander), League was the next progression.…more
"You're Too Good To Work In A Factory"
Fresh out of Film School with a Diploma in hand at the end of 2016 it was time to look for a job, and just like many people predicted – I didn’t get one.
So there I am, depressed to say the least working hard at my Part Time job at JayJays Manukau (shout out to my Jays gals, miss you) when my Aunty Tai walks in talking about the new job she has for me at her workplace. I smiled and listened (but wasn’t really listening) & it wasn't until I heard that beautiful payrate of 17.62 an hour did my spirits lift.
3 weeks later - left my jobs at Jays and started my new job at Deane Apparel. Now for those of you who don’t know, Deane Apparel is a Factory that also has a little shop and my job is to pick orders in the factory and also cover the shop ladies lunch breaks in the shop.…more