"It's not just history. It's an everyday safety risk for ordinary families trying to live a normal life."

Eighty years after World War II, the Pacific is still living with its scars. Rusting shipwrecks leak oil. Unexploded bombs lurk beneath schools and backyards. And the families of children of wartime unions are still searching for fathers they never knew.

You'll hear from Maeverlyn Pitanoe, a blast survivor fighting to clear hidden explosives in the Solomon Islands; Dr Saui'a Louise Mataia-Milo, who uncovers the stories of Samoan women and the children left behind by U.S. servicemen; and Georgina Korah, tracing her own mother's wartime history in Vanuatu.

The war may have ended decades ago — but its legacy is still alive.

Listen to this episode of Culture Compass with host Afamasaga Seiuli Salamasina von Reiche on ABC Radio Australia.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

For centuries, chiefly systems have been the backbone of governance and community leadership. While there can be similarities across the region, each country has their own uniquely designed system. They're ancient, sophisticated and complex.

Influenced and reshaped by Western colonial powers, they now face the complex realities of the modern world, including the expanding Pacific diaspora community across the globe.

So how do traditional systems work? And what can they teach us about the future of leadership?

Hear Pohnpeiian Senator Nahnapas Aisek Artui break down how his system works within the Federates States of Micronesia. Plus, Culture Compass' Executive Producer Faleagafulu Inga Stunzner flips the script with host Afamasaga Seiuli Salamasina von Reiche. Together, they dive into what their own titles mean and how the Samoan matai system continues to guide communities today.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

Pacific fashion is breaking through on the global stage. But with that spotlight comes a new set of challenges: mass-produced knock-offs, cultural theft, and legal roadblocks that leave creators vulnerable.

So how can creators protect their designs and grow their brands at the same time? Ellen Whippy Knight, the force behind Fiji Fashion Week, says it starts with awareness, education and upskilling.

You'll also hear from Dr Emelihter Kihleng about how the Pohnpei skirt — or urohs — has been threatened by overseas replicas. Plus, Solomon Islands copyright lawyer Maito'o Hauirae breaks down the complex world of intellectual property law in the Pacific.

Join host Afamasaga Seiuli Salamasina von Reiche on this episode of Culture Compass, ABC Radio Australia.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

From local beaches to world championships, a rising movement of Pacific board riders are charting a new course for surfing.

"Just being a brown person in the water is a claim to space."

In the Australian waters where Kuntamari Croft surfs, Pasifika board riders are rare. She's part of a rising movement demanding greater Pacific presence in lineups of beaches worldwide.

Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, "The Godfather of Surfing" Andy Abel is driving policies he created to that reshape the region's social and surf culture.

And on the global stage, Hawaiian Seth Moniz is the only Kanaka Maoli touring with the World Surfing Leage. He's inspiring the next generation of professional surfers.

Together, these passionate surfers are shaping policy, driving social change, and championing a Pacific-led surf culture recognised worldwide.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

Long before it became a billion-dollar industry or a lifestyle trend, surfing was a sacred practice across the Pacific. 

But that history has long been overshadowed. Commercialised, colonised, and repackaged for the masses, surfing's true origins have often been left out of the story.

Now, a movement is growing to reclaim the waves. Hawai'ian historian and academic vice-president of Brigham Young University, Dr Isaiah Helekunihi Walker, takes us back to surfing's birthplace. In Hawai'i, it's called He'e Nalu, and it's always been a way of life that connected people to the ocean, community and land. 

ABC Radio Australia's Culture Compass host Afamasaga Seiluli Salamasina von Reiche dives into the true roots of surfing and the growing movement to reclaim it as a vital part of Pacific culture.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

Fiji is restoring its traditional chiefly leadership systems, so how does it fit with modern governance?

In Fiji, you’re born into the role of chief. But for over two decades, the Lau Group, the largest of Fiji’s 14 provinces, has been without a paramount chief. Until now. 

ABC's Lice Movono takes us to Lakeba Island, where the installation of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara marked the return of one of the country’s most revered chiefly titles. She shares just how significant this moment was, not only for Fiji but for the region.

This historic event follows the reinstatement of Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs, a body abolished in 2012 under military rule. Its new chairman, Ratu Viliame Seruvakula, shares how the Council is adapting in the modern world.

ABC Radio Australia podcast host Afamasaga Seiluli Salamasina von Reiche looks asks what do these changes mean for Fiji’s future? Could they mark the beginning of a wider return to traditional governance across the Pacific?

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

"This is what I'm known for. It's my identity"

In the Fijian village of Nayawa, Akesa Vaka Kunabuli is keeping the ancient art of Lapita pottery making alive. It's one of the only remaining places continuing this particular technique.

It's a style that once travelled across the Pacific, carried by the Lapita people who migrated from modern-day Taiwan over 3,000 years ago. But the story doesn't end there.

Each shard found maps a chapter in one of the most complex human migrations in history. Recently, pottery shards have been uncovered in unexpected places like Papua New Guinea and northern Queensland. It's challenging what we thought we knew, and suggesting the Lapita journey stretched even further than imagined.

Fijian archaeologist Dr Tarisi Vunidilo puts it simply: "The more Lapita sites we find, the more information we keep adding to our collective history." With new technology and a growing movement to preserve this art, we're not just expanding our understanding, we're safeguarding its future.

Yet climate change is starting to affect how potters like Akesa source clay and dry their pieces. So what happens when the environment that sustains this ancient practice begins to shift? What will become of the craft, and the identity it carries?

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

What began when WWII soldiers brought guitars to our shores has grown into the defining strums of island string bands.  

Now, that sound is under pressure. Electronic music is rising. AI technology is trying to replicate it. Is this how string music is naturally evolving, or do we need to get back to our roots?  

You'll hear from Sir George Telek, the legendary voice who saw Papua New Guinea's string band skills recognised on the world stage, as well veteran Solomon Islands broadcaster Ashley Wickham, who shares how a shared sound unites such a linguistically diverse nation. And in Vanuatu, musician Sam Firi continues his father's legacy, using string band music to hold a community together.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.

The silhouette of the Great Frigate Bird is hard to miss — glossy black feathers, deeply forked tail, and long, slender wings that slice through the sky. But it's more than just a sea bird, its significance runs deep in our culture.

For many island nations, the frigate bird stands as a powerful symbol of strength, freedom, and endurance. We capture it in coming-of-age ceremonies, weave its form into our dances and tattoos, and proudly feature it on Kiribati's national flag.

But now, rising seas, coastal development, and climate change are destroying the habitats they rely on. And when they stop coming, what might disappear with them?

Siosenamele Lui from SPREP sums it up clearly, "If we start to lose these keystone species, we start to lose the language and the knowledge. And bit by bit, our stories become incomplete."

You'll also hear how Rooti Terubea from Kiribati, and George Quadina from Nauru are preserving the spirit of the frigate bird through the enduring traditional pastime of frigate bird catching.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia. 

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, shaping our lives faster than we can keep up.

It's generating stories, images and videos that blur the boundaries between truth and fiction. But for Pacific communities, the stakes are even higher. AI is harvesting Indigenous knowledge, detaching it from its cultural roots, and reframing it through a Western lens. Is this the newest wave of colonial propaganda?

AI ethicist Dr Karaitiana Taiuru poses a powerful question: "What do we do when our stories aren't our stories anymore?"

In this episode, Julia Pahina and Namulau'ulu Nu'uali'i Eteroa Lafaele, founders of Aotearoa-based tech company Fibre Fale, share how Pacific communities can reclaim agency. They're building pathways for Indigenous engagement with AI, empowering people to shape technology on their own terms.

Culture Compass was produced by Deadset Studios for ABC Radio Australia.