The Tama Mai Saute dance academy in Christchurch, believes positive cultural identity can uplift and enhance the well being and instill a sense of belonging for our Pasifika people. 

This academy connects with local Pasifika communities in Christchurch and serves the  Pasifika community through language, storytelling, song and dance. 

We’re joined now by - Vaopule Siva & Sandy Otufangavalu from Tama mai Saute to talk about their upcoming show Lota Nu'u

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As Samoa’s first woman Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and her FAST party take office as this week, today supporters of the opposition HRPP take to the streets to protest against the judiciary.  

 

The march has been called by the former Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi who believes the judiciary is biased against the HRPP and the swearing in of the new government in a tent on the 24th of May was unconstitutional.

 

Someone who played a key role in that swearing in ceremony is FAST lawyer Taulapapa Brenda Heather-Latu who is a New Zealand born Samoan lawyer, the first woman to serve as Attorney-General of Samoa and the longest in that role with almost ten years in the office. 

 

She has worked as a Crown Counsel with New Zealand’s Crown Law Office before moving to Samoa under the NZ Staffing Assistance aid programme to assist the Samoa General General.

 

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Maulupeivao Dr Betty Ofe-Grant is a Researcher and Lecturer at AUT university. She is of Samoan, Tongan, Hawaiian and Asiacn descent, identifies as NZ born Samoan and holds a matai title from Samamea, Fagaloa.  As an academic she researches and teaches about careers, human resources, labour migration, diversity, tagata pasifika,  workplace literacy and numeracy

She joins us this morning to talk about research she is leading which looks at the way NZ deals with literacy and numeracy in particular with Maori and Pacific people who are the highest proportion of people with the lowest forms of literacy and numeracy capabilities.

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Three weeks ago 830 people got their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at a Pacific Festival Vaccination Day at the Samoan Congregational Christian Churchin Waitangirua, Porirua.

Tomorrow those 830 people are being asked return to the same venue at the same time for their second dose.  But wait there’s more.  Pacific people aged 55 and over and their families can also come along tomorrow to get their first dose if they missed out three weeks ago.

To tell us more about tomorrow’s event we’ve got on the line with us Candice Apelu-Mariner, Principal Advisor Pacific at the Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast District Health Boards, Candice Apelu-Mariner.

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We hear now a witness statement from Billy Puka Tanu, from Day Seven of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry  ‘Tulou - Our Pacific Voices: Tatala e Pulonga’ public hearing, at the Fale o Samoa in Mangere, Auckland. Billy spoke about the key factors which led to him being placed in care, followed by his experiences of extensive abuse and differential treatment whilst in State care and in the care of the Salvation Army.

To watch the full statement please go to: https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/library/v/323/witness-statement-of-billy-puka-tanu-at-tulou-our-pacific-voices-tatala-e-pulonga-hearing 

If you have information you want to share about abuse in care please contact [email protected]. Alternatively, please contact abuseincare.org.nz or 0800 222 727.

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Now for our weekly wrap up of global politics with Dr Stephen Hoadley Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts.

Update on Afghanistan. 

US and China relations deteriorating. 

Mali.

Anniversary for one of N.Z.'s top trade partners yesterday.

Pasifika update - Fiji & Samoa. 

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The FijiVillage reported on Monday that seven politicians who were taken in for questioning by officers from the Criminal Investigations Department & subsequently all had been released. 

Acting Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu says they were taken in for questioning in relation to their statements on the Bill to amend the iTaukei Land Trust Act. 

Meanwhile, the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission is liaising with Police on its investigations pertaining to the members of Parliament. 

Unity Fiji Party Leader Savenaca Narube joins us now on Pacific Days for more.

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Taputukura Raea is the engagement manager for the Pacific Virtual Museum Pilot project and will be speaking about its new feature ‘user contributions’ where pacific people can share stories, memories and knowledge on the Pacific Heritage collections.

She talks with Ete about  about Digital Pasifik and upcoming events the National library are hosting.

https://digitalpasifik.org/ 

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Survivors of abuse from the Pacific community continue giving evidence before the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry 'Tulou - Our Pacific Voices: Tatala e Pulonga' public hearing which runs until this Friday 30th July at the Fale o Samoa in Mangere, Auckland.

We continue our coverage on Pacific Days sharing some of the evidence from Pasifika abuse survivors.

Today Rachael Umaga.

Rachael Umaga is of Samoan descent. She gave evidence about her experiences as a patient in psychiatric units in Wellington. 

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Today on Pasifika Business Talanoa, we're joined by business and shop owner of Tamerlane Handicrafts, Vikki Clark. Vikki Clark runs her shop offering various arts & crafts as well as home décor.Ranging from homeware, garden goods, props, costume, and decorations.

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