Fiji – Sipping Koko

July 23, 2020September 8, 2020

Loud & proud. Hyena laughing. Brown woman.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, history was made in our community. A show that I’ve been extremely psyched to see dropped, and it has made waves across the world. That show is SIS. It was made by mainly by Pasifika women for our community. For those of us who have been searching for media where we can see ourselves, this is a blessing and something to be proud of. While many have been singing its praises, there are those ready to tear it down. Before I go into that, I want to tell you what I saw.

In summary, I saw a show that makes me feel proud of our heritage. It makes me feel like I can be comfortable in who I am. It showcased not just me, but it showcased me and my cousins hanging out. When I watched the show, I wasn’t watching women and men portraying characters. I was watching my family be authentically themselves. I saw my family and ancestors. Sure, some of it was dramatic, but come on it’s comedy and honestly, our families are filled with drama and laughter. It’s the first time I have watched a show and thought, I finally feel seen. That’s the power this show has. That’s the path this show is creating for our people.

SIS has created a space for me and my cousins to be proud of who we are.

Before you read anymore, this is a SPOILER ALERT. There are different aspects of this show that I’m going to dive into, and I hope you watch the show before reading the rest of this blog.

February 23, 2020July 6, 2020

PolyX NZ: Experience the Beauty of Polynesia

In just a few short days, the kickoff to New Zealand’s newest show will happen! Showcasing six Polynesian countries. Plus, if you get the dinner and show ticket, you get to have some of the best food in the entire world. So, what am I talking about? It is PolyX NZ! The Polynesian experience that you don’t want to miss out on if you are in New Zealand or visiting the country.

October 22, 2019July 6, 2020

Plastic: How This Term Continues to Hurt Our Culture

This topic has been in the back of my mind for a long time now. It hasn’t been an easy topic for me to really formulate the words on how I feel about the term “plastic ________.” No matter what island you descend from, you can be called a “plastic Samoan,” “plastic Maori,” etc. if you happen to not know the intricacies of the culture you’re from, but guess what? Some of us didn’t get the choice. So, let me start from the first time I heard the term “plastic.”

August 25, 2019July 6, 2020

Sipping Koko

Let’s Talk…

“So’o le fau i le fau.”
Translation: “Join the hibiscus fibre to hibiscus fibre.”

Now, I don’t speak fluent Samoan, but according to the website I went to, that’s a Samoan proverb that means “Unity is strength.” This is something that I think can perfectly describe the Polynesian community physically and metaphorically. We are a people that when we come together there is great strength.