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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

Pacific Blog

"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

Events

SISTERS UNITED - THE GOEBEL SISTERS

Last Saturday night saw the official launch of the Goebel Sisters organisation 'Sisters United' at the Palace Dance Studios in Auckland, New Zealand.

Kendal the eldest of the Goebel sisters started 'Sisters United' to combat the negative effects of bullying, low self-esteem, negative body image and cultural disconnection. 'Sisters United' were given the Vodafone 'World of Difference' award and with the support of the Vodafone Foundation they are building a crew of Young Queens who have the confidence, passion & skills to achieve their dreams.

The 3 Goebel sisters - Kendal, middle sister Narelle & youngest sister Parris - introduced the family based organisation and shared with those that attended, their vision & the different programmes that would be offered through 'Sisters United'

Narelle spoke first and touched on what 'Sisters United' is and what they hoped the young women would get out of the program.

"Sisters United is a family based organisation embedded in South Auckland providing exciting, fresh and creative programs and services to Young Women aged 14-21.…more

Entertainment

KJ Apa - Black Beatles Cover

Check out KJ and Asha's cover of Black Beatles, originally by Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane. You might recognize this song from the Mannequin Challenge.

The wider issues around the brutal reality of children living in the SVSG shelter

The dirty underbelly of Samoa sees our children being abused in the worst possible ways from people who often times themselves are products of generations of abuse. A long term volunteer worker at SVSG tells her first hand story of why this shelter is crucial to helping Samoa's most vulnerable kids.

Sene with one of the children at SVSG

Sene Lima originally went over with a missions team from HillSong Sydney a year after the devastating tsunami in Samoa to see what they could do to help. They were referred to SVSG.

As a result of this mission trip Sene went back & forth at least twice a year for 2 years on more short term mission trips and established SVSG in Sydney with other women. She then moved back to live in Samoa and was onsite with the children as a longterm volunteer and worker for 3 years full time.

This interview has been updated by Sene following the initial story 2 years ago.…more

Pacific Blog

Samoa Victim Support Group - A Ray of Hope to many

The Samoa Victim’s Support Group (SVSG) is an organization dear to my heart & it always will be.

Last April was the opening of the Ray of Hope House, a home built in honour of my late father and all that he stood for: love, kindness, and a special generosity for those in need.

The home was built to be a place of comfort and peace for young mothers that experienced traumatic journeys of sexual violence - 6 bedrooms, 18 beds, and a nursing room that I will always be proud of.

SVSG takes in everyone that comes to their door in search of a life free from violence. However, they do not always have the resource to accommodate their ever-expanding shelter. The majority of their staff mostly consists of temporary volunteers so it is also difficult to keep consistency of operations.

In whatever way they fall short as an organization, it is but a molehill in comparison to the mountain of incredible work they do, the lives they save, and the contribution they make to the welfare of our country.…more

Entertainment

THE WAY TO MOANA

Take a look behind the scenes at the research that went into making Moana.

Disney recognised the value of working with communities & people in the various islands to help craft the story. The directors went to Tahiti, Moorea, Samoa & Fiji to get a deepers sense of the traditions that built the islands & themselves and the songwriters drew upon the islands rich musical cultures & the diversity of music in this part of the world!

Suggested Links:

Moana & Climate Change

Moana Pasifika Film Fest Sydney & NZ Premiere

Sports

MARK HUNT SUES UFC for 2.5 MILLION

Mark "Super Samoan" Hunt has confirmed that he is suing the UFC for Brock Lesnar's 2.5 million purse & the pay-per-view figure earned from the event.

He has agreed to face Alistair Overeem at UFC209 in March but still wants a clause in his contract relating to penalties for future opponents being caught cheating.

He's already turned down 2 fights but has agreed to take this one as he is in danger of breaching his contract with the UFC.

While the UFC have seemed committed to tackling Performance Enhancing Drugs in sport, they still seem way more lenient in terms of punishments handed out to fighters who fail.

As Mark has pointed out previously, if a fighter is fined 20% of his pay cheque (which goes straight to his opponent) if he doesn't make weight then surely there should be harsher compensation for fighters who fail drug tests.…more

Events

SAMOA OKA FESTIVAL

The 2nd annual 'Oka Festival' took place in early December last year in Beautiful Samoa.

It was a great day out to see local aspiring chefs compete together - Horace Evans owner of Home Cafe & Joe Lam owner of Scalini's Restaurant (& organisers of the Oka Fest) break down the criteria for judging and why you should put it in your calendar this year!

The competition requires participating restaurants to submit a team of 3 that will compete in 3 separate categories, coconut husking and milking, tuna filleting and Oka making, using local ingredients to create one unique Oka dish.

Credit:

Director/Editor: Mario Faumui
Cam Op: Dazzlombard
Sound Op: Wilhelm Voigt
Researcher: Lizie Koroivulaono

Thank You:

Samoa Tourism Association