Events

SUPA - Our Stories. Our Music

"Encourage, Inspire, Empower. Our Mission & Vision Statement". Rebecca Va'ai (Co-Founder & Director of SUPA) writes about their successful end of year shows. 

Over 300 Students were part of our SUPA -SAINTZUP Performing Arts Trust After School Programme in South & Central West Auckland for 2016. What an amazing year we've had. We are also based in Glen Eden Int, Kelston Int, Bruce McLaren Int, Rise Up Academy & Gladstone School providing Performing Arts Programmes. 

On Sunday we held two End Of Year Shows at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau for both our Programmes. The theatre was SOLD OUT and filled with parents, grandparents, families & friends supporting all their SUPAStars. We're all about providing an opportunity and platform for ALL our young people to display their creativity. 

The potential is there, we are here to unlock all those beautiful treasures they have inside of them. Now, we don't promise that EVERY child that walks through our doors is going to be the next big thing, we know there are some students that will continue into the Music & Arts Industry.…more


Sports

Joseph Parker Fresh From Winning The WBO Heavyweight Championship Of The World

He has just made history by becoming the first Samoan to win the Heavyweight Championship of the world. We Catch up with Joseph Parker, straight after his hard fought win and he tells us all about taking the belt back home... to Samoa.


Sports

The Powerhouse Poly Pioneers Who Showed Joseph Parker The Way

Before Joseph Parker, some other very powerful Samoans stepped in to the ring.

Jimmy Peau & David Tua to name a couple. Here's a little look at the carnage they caused, as they paved the way for Joseph Parker.


Sports

KAHUKU'S HAKA

The Hawai'i State Championship final in November saw the Kahuku Red Raiders and the Saint Louis Crusaders meet again.

Saint Louis went on to win 30 - 14 to claim the Open State Football Title but what was interesting about this game besides the game was that the Kahuku Red Raiders were not allowed to perform the haka.

In 2010 a haka was composed for Kahuku's football team which became a tradition for the boys to perform at the beginning of their games (similar to the hakas performed in New Zealand and the South Pacific islands prior to rugby and rugby league games).

Last year the Kahuku Raiders were told that if they did the haka it would be considered "Unsportsmanlike" and they'd be given a 15 yard penalty.  They did it anyway and took the penalty.

THIS year, the team were told that any player performing the haka would be banned so the community got together - friends, family and fans - to help the team and THEY performed the haka in the stands for the boys.…more


Coco News

Our Hair Stories: Melarnie Manuel

Kia Orana, my name is Melarnie Manuel.  My friends and family call me Lani.

I am of Cook Island descent.  My mother was born in Tukao, Manihiki and my father was born in London, England.  Since I was a young child, I've had more hair styles than the years I have lived.

I'm 24 years old and I'd like to consider I have had my fair share of horrible cuts and wonderful up dos.  When I was little, the luxury of growing my hair out was not in my Mums opinion, something to up keep.  We (and when I say we, I mean me and my hair) had our days of the ugly home job fringe, the saga of me cutting my own hair and the cheap trim.  There has not been a significant time in my childhood where at any time, my hair was any longer than the below.

As a Cook Islander, I've had the wonderful privilege of knowing and having women and girls around me with long, thick hair.…more


Sports

THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE STORY IN RUGBY - Sevens From Heaven

Sevens From Heaven is the story of Fiji Rugby Sevens, the winners of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2015/16 and the team that inspired the world in Rio when they won Fiji's first ever Olympic medal, and a gold at that!

Discover how a tiny island nation with limited resources took on the world at Rugby Sevens and won. Go inside the team with never-before-seen footage to see what it took to take a team from an island in the South Pacific to becoming the best in the world.

 

Suggested Links:

Fiji 7s win Gold at the Olympics  

Na Qito Vakaviti - Traditional Games 


Credits:
Created by HSBC Sport in collaboration with Zoomfiji - https://www.facebook.com/1zoomfiji/
Produced by Hill + Knowlton Strategies
Music: Composed by Ross Budgen - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKG...


Sports

JOSEPH PARKERS PANTS

*** COCO EXCLUSIVE ***

Every time Joseph Parker steps in the ring he wears a new pair of shorts but what you probably don't know is that he designs them himself!

He also buys all of the material, picks the colours and goes shopping for everything himself too.

For his upcoming WBO Heavyweight Championship fight, he took the Coconet along with him on one such shopping trip.

 

Suggested Links:

Joseph Parker - Our future Heavyweight Champion of the World 

Joseph Parker - My World 


Coco News

Pacific Film and Digital TV Fono

PIFT (Pacific Islanders in Film and Television Inc)
The PIFT Fono 2016 was the first fono for the group since its launch in November last year. 
The Fono brought together a wide range of filmmakers and creatives in the media scene and had a number of presentations during the day.
Participants could hear about funding opportunities for their projects, from people such as the New Zealand Film Commission and Boosted. As well Outlook for Someday and Someday Stories presented an awesome opportunity this year for young people under the age of 29 to have short film projects funded.
One of the most popular presentations of the day was with Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa and his marketing partner Tautiaga Tiatia, the team behind the inspiring Three Wise Cousins film. 
Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa
 
They gave a 'tell-all' presentation about how they made the film and how they managed to attract the huge Pacific audiences they received from NZ, Australia, the US and the islands (making 2.3 million from the box office and the DVD's have just been released in time for Xmas).…more

Events

Coconut Grove

Last night on Karangahape Road, the First Thursdays event was in full effect. For the first time, all things Pasifika were incorporated in the form of Coconut Grove, a celebration of music, dance, culture, crafts and food. It was refreshing to see K-road alive with the Pasifika community, socializing with friends and family and enjoying the performances.

 

Not only was Coconut Grove a celebration of our beautiful culture, it was also commemorating the Polynesian Panthers 45th birthday. Manuia lou aso fanau!

 

The evening began with a karakia and a special mention to the White Ribbon and Free West Papua campaigns. A Samoan dance group from Southern Cross in Mangere then kept the crowds entertained with songs and dance. 

 

Inside were craft stalls! Some of our favorites were jewellery made from recycled plastic bags, and hand crocheted clothing.

 

The evening was a fresh and vibrant display of island culture. Keep an eye out for our official Coconet story coming soon!


Events

Prime Ministers Pacific Youth Awards

Coco Congrats to the winners of the 2016 Prime Minister's Youth Awards!  The success of these young Pacific New Zealanders were celebrated at the awards last night at Parliament.

Winners were as follows: - 

Air NZ Leadership & Inspiration                                  Josiah Tavita Tualamali'i, 21 yrs, Christchurch

Auckland Council Community Star Award                  Emma Takataka, 21 yrs, Otara 

AKO Aotearoa STEM Award                                        James Penfold, 20 yrs, Dannemora, Auckland 

GCSB STEM Award                                                        Roneima Teumohenga, 18 yrs, Palmerston North 

Creative NZ Arts & Creativity Award                           Jahra Wasasala, 24 yrs, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 

BNZ Commercial & Corporate Award                         Manako Nemaia, Auckland 

NZIS Sports & Fitness Award                                     Ayesha Leti-I'iga, 17 yrs, Porirua 

                                                                                         Mafutaga Tau, 18 yrs, Porirua 

Deloitte Business & Enterprise Award                       Sanita Betham, 18 yrs, Wellington 

Jahra Wasasala with her Prime Ministers Pacific Youth Creative NZ Arts & Creativity Award.

Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Liga says the awards recognise exellence and achievement in commerce, the arts, sports, community and leadership.

"The nine inspiring winners have been recognised for their impressive contributions to New Zealand's economic, social and cultural life.  These inspiring young people are role models for all New Zealanders.…more