Tautua Dance is a Pasifika dance school aimed at reviving and maintaining Polynesian dance and language for all ages.  2020 has been a challenging year but the creative team has managed to work their way through a pandemic by taking classes online until it was safe enough to return with face to face classes

Founding members Jayden Luapo & Sophia Uele joins us this morning to talk about their upcoming production- Alofa and plans moving forward.

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Josephine Ruth Bartley is Samoan, her mother is Ruth née Burke from the village of Sinamoga and her father is Eddie from Tapatapao. She has three brothers and was raised in Ellerslie before the family moved to Mangere where they lived for 27years. 

She’s now in Panmure where she represents the area of Maungakiekie Tamaki in the Auckland City Council.  Josephine Bartley was the first Pacific Island woman to be voted on Auckland’s Super City Board back in 2018.

Now she can add ‘stand-up comedian’ to her list of achievements. After entering Raw Comedy Quest thinking it was just an open mic session, the Auckland City Councilor has made it into New Zealand’s Grand Final.

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As we continue with the celebrations for Tokelau Language Week 2020 we talk with leaders from our Tokelau community.   Uili Sosene, the leader of Te Kaiga o Fakaofo i Ueligitone Incorporated for the past 12 years.  He has also served as the Secretary for Tokelau Wellington leadership for 5 years, and the Secretary for Tokelau Aotearoa Leaders Council for 4 years.  Uili is happily married to Tahia, they have four children and one grandchild.

According to Statistics NZ 2007 Tokelauan people make up the sixth largest Pacific ethnic groups in New Zealand.  The Tokelauan community in New Zealand is centered in the Hutt Valley where some of the earliest post war state homes were built in Petone, Taita and Naenae and subsequently East Porirua.

Efforts are concentrated on trying to maintain the language and build confidence within cultural identities.

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Eight Pasifika artists have been acknowledged across seven categories in the annual Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020.  The annual awards recognize innovation and excellence in Pacific Arts and their contribution to the rich diversity of Aotearoa as a multicultural Pacific nation. 

Pelenakeke Brown is an interdisciplinary, Samoan/Pakeha disabled artist. Her work explores the intersections of disability concepts and Samoan ways of framing the world. She has exhibited, performed and published work in the US, UK, Germany and Aotearoa. Pelenakeke has received the Pacific Toa Artist Award that recognizes the contribution of a Pasifika artist with lived experience of disability to the standing and standard of Pacific arts nationally or globally.

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The Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020 recognise innovation and excellence in Pacific Arts and their contribution to the rich diversity of Aotearoa as a multi-cultural Pacific nation.

 

Eight Pasifika artists were acknowledged yesterday, across seven categories with an online video announcement, as well as an intimate celebration with the Arts Council of New Zealand.

We’re joined now by Tanya Muagututi’a, recipient of the Special recognition Award for the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020. This award recognises an individual whose work, influence and commitment have raised the standards, expectations and reputation of Pacific Arts and artists.

Tanya has been an integral part of the award-winning arts company Pacific Underground since 1992.  From 2000 to 2010, along with husband and Music Director Pos Mavaega, the company presented the Christchurch Pacific Arts Festival developing multiple platforms for and by Pacific artists. After relocating to Auckland, Tanya worked on major events Pasifika, Diwali, Lantern and Auckland Arts and Christchurch Arts Festivals. She has also worked in theatre with Auckland Theatre Company, Mangere Arts Centre, continuing today with the Court Theatre, Okāreka Dance Company and No.3 Roskill Theatre. She was the recipient of an Adam NZ Playmarket Award, is a freelance Producer, still creating with the Pacific Underground family to nurture the next generation of emerging artists.

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In March of this year, a report was published outlining recommendations to the Government on a future health and disability system that is sustainable, is well placed to respond to future needs of all New Zealanders, and shifts the balance from treatment of illness towards health and wellbeing. Titled the Health and Disability System Review, the report put recommendations such as reduction of DHB’s to half or slightly less from the 21 currently in existence, and the establishment of an independent Māori Health Authority to advise the Minister and monitor system performance with respect to Māori health outcomes. What is not visible however, is a mention or clear path forward for the 380,000 kiwis who identify as pacifica.

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The Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2020 recognise innovation and excellence in Pacific Arts, and their contribution to the rich diversity of Aotearoa as a multi-cultural Pacific nation.

Eight Pasifika artists were acknowledged yesterday across seven categories with an online video announcement, as well as an intimate celebration with the Arts Council of New Zealand.

We’re joined now by Cora-Allan Wickliffe, recipient of the Pacific Heritage Artist Award ($10,000). The Pacific Heritage Artist Award recognises an artist or cultural group who has made a major contribution to maintaining, reviving or promoting a Pacific heritage artform in New Zealand. 

Cora-Allan is of Niuean and Māori descent, her grandparents Vakaafi Lafaiki and Fotia Lafaiki grew up in the villages of Liku and Alofi, migrating to Auckland in the 1960’s. As a contemporary hiapo practitioner she produces traditional pieces alongside her simplified modern hiapo works.

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The Ministry of Education has released two funds - the Pacific Education Support Fund and the Pacific Education Innovation Fund to support Pacific learners and families to remain engaged in education.

This is part of the Pacific Education Action Plan which includes building on the investment of $27.4 million in Budget 2019 with further investment of $80.2 million in Budget 2020 to support Pacific learners and families to access and participate in education, through the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

The two largest components of the $80.2million package are the Pacific Education Support Fund which totalled $39.7m and the Pacific Education Innovation Fund ($28.5m).

Both funds are now open until the 5th and 6th of November.

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Fiji Sports Correspondent, Aporosa Tuqovu - Match Commissioner for Fiji Rugby Union

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Lynn Lolokini Pavihi was born in Niue and raised in the village of Avatele.  She was educated in Niue before moving to New Zealand to further her education.  

Lynn is a mother of two and is passionate about Vagahau Niue serving as a Vagahau Niue tutor for the Pasifika Education Centre and as an author who has written books in Vagahau Niue.  She is also a vital part of the PMN Niue on 531pi Tuesdays 

This week Lynn has started a new job as the assistant principal at Favona Primary and joins us on the line now.

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