The Brown Caucus is made up of Maori and Pasifika Rangatahi who love their town  of Porirua and are wanting their voices heard when it comes to political decision making.  Joining us in the studio this morning to tell us more about Brown Caucus we have Jaistone Finau and Brenda Leasi Arasi.

As we continue to celebrate Kiribati Language Week 2020 - 'Nurturing Kiribati language promotes our Cultural Identity and Heritage'. 

Our guest this morning is Kuaoni Iotita.  Kuaoni was a Police Senior Constable in Kiribati before moving to New Zealand where he now works as  a corrections officer.  He is passionate about youth development and runs sports and fitness programs with Kiribati youth in Porirua. Kuaoni also serves as the Chairperson for the Kiribati Catholic church in Porirua.

At a meeting held earlier this month, with village co-coordinators by ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development), it was announced that there will be no Tuvalu village at Pasifika Festival in 2021, & that it will be replaced with a new space combining smaller Pacific nations. Molia Alama Tulafono, village coordinator for Tuvalu Village spoke with Brian, from Pacific Breakfast for more.

To add your feedback to this decision, please phone Molia on 022 0353 892.

Photo: Auckland NZ

As we continue our celebrations of Kiribati Language Week 2020, we’re joined now by Ruatau Nantei, 3D animator, who worked on the first ever 3D animated Kiribati educational project to promote the Kiribati language for preschoolers, both in Kiribati and New Zealand. 

Ruatu, a graduate of Animation College NZ, where he studied for 3 years, specializes in 3D modeling, lighting and animation. Ruatu worked previously as an animator for Peasville Animation studio in Brisbane, Australia as well as KidsCan Charitable Trust as a 3D modeler/animator.

We’re joined now by vocalist Tree to talk about the release of her new single which comes out today.

Tui Letuli is usually based in American Samoa but is currently in California where he is recovering in quarantine since testing positive for Covid19.

Tui Letuli was raised in American Samoa.  He is of Hawaiian and Samoan descent.  A natural born entertainer, Tui is a musician, songwriter who has worked as an actor and stuntman and is no stranger behind or in front of the camera. He currently contracts with Disney and serves as a talent scout for their Pacific Island worldwide projects. Part time he partners as a marketing director and consultant for many other worldwide organizations.

Moe Taboru is currently studying Literacy and Numeracy Education so she can help her Pasifika community become more confident with English and to excel in their workplace. She volunteers her time at Mahu Vision Community Trust in Warkworth, where she assists the Pasifika community with various programs and group workshops. 

Moe has also just launched a kids’ Kiribati illustration book for Kiribati Language Week 2020 which she wrote and illustrated with the help of the Ministry of Education in Kiribati, funded by the Ministry of Pacific People in NZ.

Louisa Humphrey is a well respected elder within the Kiribati community who is doing her part to promote cultural identity and heritage.  Louisa migrated to New Zealand in the 1970’s and was part of the Pacific Collection Access Project (PCAP) with Auckland museum and is a Kiribati Team member in Huntly.  

Last year she was a co-winner of Creative New Zealand’s Heritage Artists Award.

Benna Seveali'i Siolo is a promoter and manager for newly formed group Kaseki.  He talks to Ete about the group's origins and first upcoming show.

Wayne Laai, Faiva Junior Brown and Nathan Lopa are KaSeki, 3 young Porirua men, who have a passion for sharing the beauty of their Samoan heritage through the Music of their nation.

On the 16th of July, they have been given the privilege to perform for the Matariki Festival so come on down to Te Rauparaha Arena to enjoy the sounds of the Pacific as well as some surprises for our multicultural community.

It’s a Free Event so we hope to see you there to Love Local, support Matariki Festival and KaSeki. Doors are at 6pm and the show starts at 6.30pm.

Rae is of Banaban and Kiribati origins who was raised and educated in Fiji

throughout his childhood years. Like nearly everyone else, his grandparents

were forced to relocate to Rabi, in Fiji from Kiribati in 1945 because the

British mined it so badly and extensively for phosphate that they could not

live there anymore. His environment social justice work is linked to the

histories of his people and the extent of environmental degradation caused

by mining that have made their sacred land uninhabitable.

His early career with the Kiribati Local Government Association in 2012

exposed him to his love and passion for community developmental and

justice work.

He had volunteered for nine years with the Kiribati Climate Action Network and has pioneered several youth programmes in Kiribati on Climate Change and Youth development and advocating for youths at national, regional and International level.  Rae is a passionate community and youth worker. He is in his final year at Massey University studying towards a Bachelor of Social Work under the MFAT scholarships. His interest and passion in this study is youth, communities, mental health, domestic violence and social justice. While on his studies, he volunteers at the Mahu Vision Community Trust and also co- Afounded the Kiribati Aotearoa Diaspora Directorate Charitable Trust in 2018 and is the current Chair of this youth trust.

He currently serves as Board member of the Pacific Climate Action Network 2019-20, Pacific youth focal point on Global Compact on Migration, Member of the Technical Advisory Group for the Pacific Youth Council and member of the Displacement and Migration Ad Hoc Group.

He is also the Council of Elder at the Pacific Climate Warriors.