Entertainment

Riverdale with KJ APA

Riverdale is a new series set to air on the CW network early next year. The show is inspired by the iconic Archie comics, and New Zealander KJ Apa (who is part Samoan) stars as the lead, Archie Andrews.

Riverdale will be a subversive and mysterious take on the lives of Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica.

"Its definitely 'Archie', but a little darker, a little more complex and a little weirder than you might remember from the digest you bought at the supermaket," executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said in an interview with EW at Comic Con in July. 

Cole Sprouse (Jughead) & KJ (Archie)

We spoke to KJ this morning , and he is just as excited as we are!  "We've all worked really hard to create something epic for people to enjoy. I can't wait for everyone to see it, especially everyone back home.…more


Pacific Blog

Tafa Dr Esther Cowley-Malcolm and why she is 'Standing with Standing Rock'

Today while Americans celebrate 'Thanksgiving', many Native Americans remain united at Standing Rock to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline and protect the Missouri River & sacred sites of the Sioux Tribe.

Native Americans have seen this kind of drama unfold for centuries and have long marked Thanksgiving as a day of remembrance rather than a celebration.    Native American Jaqueline Keeler who is a member of the Dakota Sioux Tribe says they don't think of it as a National Holiday the way the rest of the country does "Thanksgiving tells a story that is convenient for Americans but it’s a celebration of our survival. I recognize it as a chance for my family to come together as survivors, pretty much in defiance.”

As freelance writer David Denis Jr observed sarcastically "Make America Great Again means we get to celebrate Thanksgiving while Native Americans are getting their land taken from them.... Just like the good old days"

Many indigenous people from around the world have travelled to Standing Rock to show their support and stand in solidarity with the indigenous people of America.…more


Humans of the Islands

WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS: LEILANI MOMOISEĀ DALLAS

LEILANI MOMOISEĀ DALLAS 

RADIO NEW ZEALAND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & SPARK SPORTS PRESENTER 

SAMOAN 

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I've heard you say one of the first things you ask people in your 'Snacks n Chats' interviews is 'Where are you from'?  What would YOUR reply be?

It depends who is asking.  But I usually say I'm Afakasi Samoan/Palagi.  Or, my Dad is Samoan and my Mum is white.  I pretty much never say I'm from New Zealand, unless I'm overseas, because generally when people ask you where you're from - the implication is, "Hey - you're not white - where did you come from?" But I think I should just start saying I'm from New Zealand, because I am.  On the other hand, it's hard to do that as a Samoan, because you don't want to act like you're not acknowledging your Samoan culture, or come across as fia palagi either. 

Also if someone from Samoa asks where I'm from, I know I have to include that my village is Vaito'omuli, Palauli in Savaii.…more


Events

VNZMAs - Still putting brown people in the ring?

Last night’s Vodafone NZ Music Awards saw many of our amazing Pacific artists take out awards in competitive categories. HUGE congrats to these artists on their contribution to New Zealand music. Here are our Pacific winners!

Kings - Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Sole Mio – Highest Selling album

Aaradhna – Best Female Solo Artist

Unity Pacific – Best Roots Album

SWIDT – Best  Urban Hip Hop Album

Fat Freddy's Drop - International Achievement 

Kings with his Tui for Breakthrough artist of the Year 

 

Now to touch on some of our observations from last night.

Best Urban/Hip Hop Album of 2016 – Won Initially by Aaradhna, re-awarded to SWIDT.

‘Urban’, what does this actually mean? Why was the only Hip Hop category paired with the word ‘Urban’? Hip Hop music in New Zealand is an explosive and creatively rich genre, that is more than capable of standing alone without this word.…more


Coco News

TARO BEER!

One year after the launch of the Pia Uru, the Tahiti Brasserie decided to honor another fenua vegetable : TARO!  

This new edition, limited to 108 000 cans, began being sold on Monday.

After the Pia Uru, the beer made with breadfruit, the Tahiti Brasserie is doing it again with the crazy Pia Taro!

The 11th beer made by the Brasserie uses a typical clavus : taro root.   The beer has been developed for 6 months in the micro-brasserie of Punary with the creation of a new transformation technique of the fruit which makes it easier than the technique used with breadfruit.

2,530kg of taro root which came from Rimatara and Taravao were reduced in powder and then transformed into gelatin.  This taro root gelatin replaces 50% of the malt usually used in the beer recipe (hop, water and malt).  When it comes out, Pia Taro is an opaque beer as it is non filtered, with a caramal and butter taste.

Pia Taro is a limited edition beer with only 360 hectoliters made or 108,000 cans.…more


Entertainment

MOANA Inspired dress for Auli'i Cravalho

The fashion of Oceania is one of a kind. Get an inside look at Auli’i Cravahlo’s MOANA premiere gown from Maori designer Kiri Nathan and the Pacific patterns/designs that inspired the look.

Check out some of the pics of Auli'i wearing her Kiri Nathan designed dress on the Blue Carpet at the World Premiere last night and we have some more great pics from the cast of MOANA below ....

 

Suggested Links:

The Nitty Kritty - MOANA World premiere highlights

All power to the Poly Princess 


Entertainment

THE NITTY KRITTY: MOANA World Premiere Highlights & Krits Review

Our Coco Correspondent Krit was at the World Premiere of MOANA in Hollywood with his family last night (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is his cousin) and he brings us highlights from the Blue Carpet event & talks to Poly Stars about what MOANA means to them.

He also gives us his own personal review of the movie ....

 

KRITS REVIEW:

"MOANA" was a great watch!

The trailers alone moved me and I think that has a lot to do with learning about the legends of Maui when you grow up in New Zealand and then of course being born in Porirua, having Te Vaka do the soundtrack reminded me of all the Tokelauans I was surrounded by, bumping their music.

I laughed hard but I also cried hard so many times for different reasons - pride, performance, story and just the overwhelming sense of love and respect for our ancestry.

As a character, Moana is a BEAST.
I was cool with the spin on Maui too - his stature made perfect sense for his role as a larger than life sidekick.…more

Entertainment

MOANA Review

"The first reviews of Moana are rolling in and are 80% favourable"

We are waiting to see and read some indigenous perspectives on this. Our first Coco review is coming up tomorow!

Via IGN Movie Reviews 

 

Suggested Links:

Best Moana Description

Moana First Full Length Trailer 

 


Coco News

HONOLULU FASHION WEEK RECAP

HONOLULU Fashion Week presented by Hawaiian Airlines was on last week.

Watch the recap video from last Fridays show featuring Local Luxe, Live Aloha, Reyn Spooner and Hawaiian Airlines presents 'Runway to Runway' runway shows.

Visit www.honolulumagazine.com for details.


Events

G L O W - Girls Leading Our World

Samoa's 5th annual GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) conference comes to a close this morning and as they go back to their villages they have been challenged to think about their own development as leaders.

72 lucky Year 7 and 8 girls from Savai'i, Upolu and Manono came together at Papauta College for the five day conference which started on Tuesday.  The girls heard from speakers on issues related to career development, health, nutrition and domestic violence awareness.

Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson from Conservation International was one of the speakers at GLOW and discussed the environment in the girls world.

"The GLOW conference improves from year to year and this year brought together some amazing, intelligent young girls from Savaii and Upolu. I was exactly like one of those girls having grown up in Savaii and gone to StTheresas Primary School, so I have a great appreciation for the type of exposure these programmes give young girls.more