For 22 weeks, nearly 200 young people from around the Gold Coast & Brisbane area, gave up the majority of their weekends to learn about their Samoan culture through song & dance at the largest Samoan performing arts school in Queensland - Vasa Gold Coast 

The peforming arts school group whose ages ranged from 5 - 21 years then presented a fiafia showcase at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre on the 30th of September 2022 in front of a packed arena.  The show also featured recently crowned Miss Samoa 22/23 Haylani Pearl Kuruppu who performed a solo dance to 'Sosefina' and the taualuga at the conclusion of the performance.

We spoke to Lapi Mariner and Logovi'i Tupa'i who tutored vocals and taught the group Samoan songs, about their experience with the show and why it's important for our children to know their culture and heritage.  (Video above)

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You can check out the full performance from the night below.…more

In this episode of Behind The Jersey, NZ sports reporter Kirstie Stanway speaks in-depth to Black Fern Niall Williams about her journey both on and off the field.

She shares the high’s of playing the sport she loves and the low’s of missing out on competing on the world stage at the Tokyo Olympics due to injury which then left her questioning her belonging.

This is the first time she has shared her story.

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Find Help Here - findahelpline.com or Call/ Text 1737. You don't have to do this alone.

Over a decade ago, Fogālepolo Lepou (Paul) and wife Joan decided to pack up and move from New Zealand to Samoa, driven by a duty to his mother, Su’a Siapo Suisui Faiga Ripley Lepou, and her restless dreams of making something her family land in Fasito’o-uta, Samoa.

What started off as an exercise in honouring a parents’ wish eventually evolved into a journey of self discovery for Paul, who found himself re-connecting with his culture, family and the land. Paul and Joan built and developed the Ifiele'ele Plantation, a stunning organic farm retreat offering accommodation.

Today it is a living tribute to an inherited dream and a celebration of the inextricable bonds between family, land and traditions in Samoan culture.

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Film credits:
Created with funding support from World Bank Pacific for the SAFPROM Project
Film maker/Editor: Denisa Manaskova
Producer: Liz Ah Hi/ Fine Mat Creative

By Angelica S. Eke 

We, as Pasifika people, are born into this world unknowingly pushed into a place of old and new cultural expectations. We come from a world of rich culture; however, due to economic crisis or the necessity of preserving family life, at times it is necessary for us to depart from our motherland. Often, during these types of transitions, we find ourselves with varying decisions to make. One of those decisions may represent whether we choose to follow the norms of the community we settle in or choose to keep the traditions, mindsets, and rituals that have been ingrained into our very DNA. Let’s not forget the transition that our elders might experience. As life moves quickly, we forget that our elders may also experience a suspension in time being suddenly thrust into a new setting that is unknown to them. The change can be overwhelming; traumatic even. We all have some experience in understanding how it feels to be somewhere unfamiliar and it can make one feel unseen or unheard.…more

The Lower Hutt Events Centre was host to the freshest Poly reggae artists to come outta NZ hosted by Biordi and Holy Boy Dom and featured an amazing lineup of talent.

We caught up with Samoan musician and singer Wayno who shares where he got his start in music, musical inspiration, performing at One Love for the first time, connecting with other artists in the industry and more.

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Director- Johnson Raela 

Editor - Sefa Taouma 

Camera Operator - Marc Weakley

Sound Operator - Kevin Hill 

The first Pasifika Global Citizen award winner, Brianna Fruean is presenting at the Global Citizen Festival!  Tune in to see her present as well as live performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MÅNESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalía perform live from NYC's Central Park and Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Uncle Waffles, and TEMS, perform live from Accra's Black Star Square as part of this year's Global Citizen Festival.

With Priyanka Chopra Jonas hosting in NYC + Danai Gurira hosting in Accra, this show combines the power for activism with music to make a huge impact.  This year, with a new mission that’s more urgent than ever, Global Citizen is embarking on an ambitious campaign that spans the world. With a focus on empowering adolescent girls and women so that we can End Extreme Poverty NOW, Global Citizen is calling on world leaders, corporations, and philanthropists to do more than they’ve ever done before.…more

This Sunday morning (from 6am NZT), Samoan heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker takes on the current world WBO #1 contender Joe Joyce for the WBO Interim Heavyweight Championship title.

The fight will represent a shootout to determine who will be made mandatory challenger for the winner of the forthcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.

Parker who is the former WBO world champion won the title in 2016 with a points victory over Andy Ruiz in Auckland. He successfully defended against Razvan Cojanu and Hughie Fury before suffering defeat in a unification battle with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff in March 2018.

The 30-year-old is currently on a six-fight winning streak, following a points loss to Dillian Whyte in July 2018, with the run including successive victories over Dereck Chisora, both in Manchester.

He talks here about living and training in the UK with Tyson Fury at Tyson's gym, his new trainer Andy Lee, his training camp, how he's feeling going into the fight and more.

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Credits: 

Cover photo & Video footage:  UK Promoters Queensbury & Duco Events 

Editor:  Joseph Taouma 

Netflix has dropped their limited series 'Thai Cave Rescue' which has premiered to their online audience around the globe. 

The series re-tells the story of the local junior Thai soccer team who became trapped inside Thailand’s Tham Luang Nang Non — the “Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady” - for over two weeks and had people around the world on the edge of their seats waiting for updates on how the 12 boys and their coach were doing.

The series premiere also marks the first time a Pacific Islander has had the top level position of Showrunner on a Hollywood project.  Dana Ledoux Miller shares both the Showrunner and Writer credits on the series with Michael Russell Gunn.  

Ledoux Miller who is of Samoan heritage and spent many of her formative years in Hawai'i has been in the industry for over a decade writing on critically acclaimed shows like 'Newsroom', 'Narcos' and 'Designated Survivor'.

Watch the trailer for 'Thai Cave Rescue' below 

"I can’t believe it hasn’t really happened before me.…more