Sipping Koko

June 20, 2020July 6, 2020

Why We Livin’ Fast – We Have to Make This Moment Last: Teaching Our Youth to Live

Part of the title of this recent blog comes from the song, “My Shot” from the hit musical Hamilton. In this song, Hamilton reflects:

I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory
When’s it gonna get me?
In my sleep, seven feet ahead of me?
If I see it comin’, do I run or do I let it be?
Is it like a beat without a melody?
See, I never thought I’d live past twenty
Where I come from some get half as many
Ask anybody why we livin’ fast and we laugh, reach for a flask
We have to make this moment last…

June 16, 2020July 6, 2020

Privilege and Rugby

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Some of us have attended protests, many of us are educating ourselves, and movements are being made. Most of these have been surrounding the Black community, their stories, their history, etc. and rightly so. The many things we can learn from their community and how we can support them is incredibly important. I have been so encouraged to see the voices raised from the Pasifika community in support of the Black community and the those within our community who identify with both.

June 9, 2020July 6, 2020

Fa’afetai for Black Lives – Past, Present, and Future

Unless you’ve been living under a rock with no internet connection or like some orange man living in a bunker (yeah, homeboy is scared and he should be), you probably will emerge what is going on lately. However, if you don’t, then you already know about the movement that is happening in terms of The Black Lives Matter Movement. You know about George Floyd, Ahmad Albert, Breonna Taylor, and sadly, the list goes on.

May 29, 2020July 6, 2020

Star Mounds is Not a Hotel Name

Once again, the people have to fight against greedy people who care more about what’s in their pockets rather than preserving our ancestry. This time it’s happening in Samoa, and let me tell you, I’ve had it with Samoa’s elitists. This time it’s O.F. Nelson Properties Limited. They want to sell our sacred land to the highest bidder without thinking about the consequences this will bring about to our heritage.

May 6, 2020July 6, 2020

Say No to the New Lands and Titles Bill

I’m not a lawyer and only took a business law class back in university, but even I can spot the holes in the newly proposed Lands and Titles Act Bill that is meant to repeal the 1981 Bill. There are a lot of opinions out there right now – many who are opposed to this Bill, and rightly so. This Bill will give the government power to slowly remove matais from the process, take declared or customary land, use smoke and mirrors as a way for the Head of State to make whatever rules he/she wants to, and so much more. So, with all this I’m going to break down some of my findings and why you should care and start calling your family on the island to protest this Bill. Also, before I dive in, there’s a petition you can sign opposing this Bill. Sign it here.

April 30, 2020October 29, 2020

EMPOWEREDPASIFIKAWOMEN – Grace Teuila Evelyn Iwashita-Taylor

Empowered Through the Arts

Grace Iwashita-Taylor, breathing bloodlines of Samoa, England and Japan. An artist of upu/words led her to the world of performing arts. Dedicated to carving, elevating and holding spaces for storytellers of Te Moana nui a Kiwa. Recipient of the CNZ Emerging Pacific Artist 2014 and the Auckland Mayoral Writers Grant 2016. Highlights include curator of poetic theatre show UPU with Silo Theatre, writer of theatre work MY OWN DARLING, holding the visiting international writer in residence at the University of Hawaii 2018, Co-Founder of the first youth poetry slam in Aoteroa, Rising Voices (2011 – 2016) and the South Auckland Poets Collective and published collections Afakasi Speaks (2013) & Full Broken Bloom (2017) with ala press

April 14, 2020July 6, 2020

Is Representation and Recognition Important on Tik Tok?

Since Women’s History Month, you could say that I’ve had a bit of writer’s block, loss of inspiration, and a bit exhausted. However, something has happened since then there has been something that has gained momentum since then and I’m not talking about COVID-19. I’m talking about Tik Tok. If you’re like me, a bored adult who has to stay home all day and work from home, you need something to distract yourself. For me, that’s Tik Tok.

For those that don’t know what Tik Tok is, it’s a social media platform that merged with musical.ly. By 2018, it blew up and then COVID-19 happened and many millennials are hopping on board. To say Gen Z is happy about is a joke.

March 31, 2020July 6, 2020

Women History Month

Today is the last day of Women History Month, and it has been a great month. Aside from what we are dealing with in terms of COVID-19, I have learned so much from all of you and from our ancestors.

March 30, 2020September 8, 2020

#EMPOWEREDPASIFIKAWOMEN – Josephine Barbara Autele

Empowered Through Ambition

I am a young Samoan lady. I currently work as a Ramp Agent for the airlines. Born and raised in Hawaii my early years but I call American Samoa home. I am the eldest of 5. I am the host of the PolysRUs Podcast. I have ambitions, would like to be successful and eventually give back to my Polynesian community. I’m just a small fish in a big pond tryna grow out of it.

March 29, 2020September 8, 2020

#EmpoweredPasifikaWomen – Jessica Magro

Empowered Through Storytelling

My name is Jessica Magro – I am a 26 year old first generation Australian-Samoan woman living in Brisbane, QLD, Australia! I’m a sister, daughter, partner and filmmaker. I am also half Maltese which has attributed to me not looking stereotypically Samoan. I’ve lived in Brisbane all my life and have been lucky enough to go back to Samoa a few times over the years but I have always felt like an imposter not knowing the language or practicing religion with the Samoan Church. I’ve grown up feeling very much like a coconut which has taken me many years to fully embrace. As a filmmaker I want to give us coconuts a voice because there is not just one way of being Samoan or Pasifika and that’s what I love so much about connecting with and embracing the Pasifika diaspora.