Stories From The Pacific

Maohi scholar and anti-nuclear testing activist, Tamatoa Tepu-i-hee-ah-ree-e (Tepuihiari’i) grew up on the island of French Polynesia, Tahiti. He had a humble childhood, playing with his family, friends and neighbours in the forest, swimming in the rivers and beaches. But something sinister had been occurring on his island for the three decades before he was born. From, 1966 to 1996 the French government undertook over 150 nuclear tests in the south-east of French Polynesia, Tahiti - despite the protests at the time. The effects of radiation exposure to the surrounding ocean, land, Indigenous Maohi people and others exposed to the area has been slow, but certainly not missed. Tamatoa tells us how this testing has affected his community, not only physically, but socially, mentally, physically and spiritually. While it may be an easier and indeed, safer, option to just leave his island and start somewhere else - away from sickness, it is not an option for Tamatoa and he along with many others are making their voices heard.

Marita Davies believes that all Kiribati people are caretakers of stories, and her recent stage play, The Flying Canoe, allowed young Kiribati children to see themselves and their community on the stage.

In school, Dion Enari was told by his guidance counsellors that his life and career would only amount to the stereotypes that had been cast upon other Pacific Islander men his age. He has since proven them wrong.

As a child Milly Grant Koria discovered she held a unique gift. These gifts allowed her to see and speak with those who have died, some of whom we refer to as our ancestors. However, Milly was not always encouraged to use this gift. Through years of the stigmatisation of spiritual healing practices of Indigenous people and what we think we understand as "black magic", she was taught to believe that these gifts were something she should fear. As the years progressed, more ancestors and teachers visited Milly and showed her how to use these gifts without fear. Today, Milly helps all those around her, from private clients to institutions like museums and even the police force in open investigations.

Koteka Wenda's childhood is full of bittersweet memories and lessons. Her early memories are of her family fleeing West Papua as political-refugees to live in exile in the safety of the United Kingdom. It was in exile where Koteka and her family discovered what it means to grow a community and continue the spreading of their message to "Free West Papua" using their abilities as mucians, educators and living witnesses to being a West Papuan in Indonesia. Koteka is now developing her own understanding of the unique position she holds as a young-exiled-woman to bring fresh perspectives and goals to the "Free West Papua" movement.

Matt Howard was excelling in his career as a paralegal in the military, but after falling in love with the storytelling tools of a camera, he risked it all to follow this new found passion. Living on the beautiful island of Pohnpei, Matt was raised by matriarchs and says his childhood was rich, full of imagery, stories and memories that should be captured for all to see. Later in his childhood, Matt's move to Hawai'i with his family revealed the uniqueness of his island home and he now uses the work in his co-founded production company, Soused Life to give people a window look into everything he loves about his home.

Danielle Morgan's singing career reached its heights following her win as the first female singer of the Pacific Break competition in 2022.

Feleti Lotulelei did not intend to be working in social work. But since working in a youth-support program he has never looked back. He shares how important it is for youth to feel supported in learning and strengthening their cultural identity as a way of feeling connected to a community. Feleti talks about how his work incorporates the values around 'it takes a village to raise a child' and 'you cannot be, what you cannot see'.

Kumu Michelle Manu teaches her students to live a life of "intentional movement". These students are learning the ancient combat martial art of Lua which was once practiced by many Hawai'ian women warriors before it went into hiding in hula dancing. By reviving this practice Kumu Michelle hopes to break the stigma that femininity could only ever mean fragility. She hopes to encourage others to bring out the warrior spirit within them, the way our ancestors did.

Graham Tipene's canvas is not limited to just paper, his skill as a Māori design specialist, extends to everything his children can see across their landscape - architecture; motorways, pathways, and the people that walk out of his moko (tattoo) skin marking studio with a 'new face'. Graham's artistry and wisdom is a reflection of the lessons of his adopted Mother and his deep-rooted connection to his community in Ōrākei, Auckland Aotearoa New Zealand. Graham is a man living a life of intention, weaving the lessons of his ancestors into his practice today for the future of not only his children but also the young ones he may never meet in his lifetime.

Stories From The Pacific

Jasmine Stole Weiss' early-journalism career found her in a crime reporting job which saw her reporting daily on the worst days of peoples lives. It took the pause of the global pandemic to allow Jasmine to reflect on where she saw wanted to take her skills as a storyteller. So, she left the newsroom and began publishing wholesome and positive feature stories in her own newsletter with a sole focus on platforming her own Micronesian community.

Jemmason Power has always been a career driven woman and this drive has certainly paid off. From being a pro-netball player, to working for modelling agencies, being a professional facilitator for her community and then landing a role in the television series, 'Black Snow', Jemmason is no stranger to hard work and success. But, at the peak of her career in the television and film industry some hard hitting conversations with her family and community encouraged her to reconsider what does 'the peak of life' really mean? Jemmason is discovering the answer through the many sacrifices made by the women who both raised and surround her today.

This edition of Stories from the Pacific was a repeat of the program broadcast on 31st May 2023 When Samoan-Tongan Thomas Fonua was 16, he had a life-changing decision to make. Either play for New Zealand’s under-19 rugby team, the first step towards becoming an All Black, or join Black Grace, New Zealand’s premier contemporary dance company. Thomas' dad warned him against choosing dance over rugby, fearing that people would judge him, but he chose not to take his dad’s advice and ended up touring the world as a professional dancer. Now, Thomas is better known for his drag queen persona, Kween Kong, a name that was earned on the rugby field. Fresh from tearing up the runway on the international smash-hit tv show Ru Paul’s Drag Race down under, Thomas Fonua aka Kween Kong joins Bobby Macumber on Stories from the Pacific to talk about following your dreams and carving new pathways.

Lydia's story of her marriage with her first husband details 12 years of significant abuse, but she's using it to educate others who may be experiencing something similar.

When Visila Koliqaqaru Lagilagi started boxing, she didn't know where it would take her. She just knew it made her feel strong. It's a strength that she has had to draw on many times, particularly five years ago, when a chance accident paralysed her husband.

Jordan's been drawing since for as long as he can remember. He started by holding children's books up to the window and tracing around the images. It was then that he discovered that drawing offered him an alternate universe, in times when he needed to escape. Now in his mid-20s, Jordan is quickly becoming one of PNG's leading visual artists. This edition of Stories From The Pacific was a repeat of the program broadcast on 28th June 2023

Scott Waide never set out to be a journalist. In fact when he was leaving school he wanted to join the army and train as a pilot. But his mother said "no way" and some school counsellors set him on the path of becoming the storyteller he is today. Now he is known throughout Papua New Guinea for holding power to account, promoting media literacy and community-led journalism, and mentoring fellow journalists.

This edition of Stories from the Pacific was a repeat of the program broadcast on 7th June 2023 Finau grew up watching her brothers play soccer from the sidelines. When they were short on players, she got to join in. As an adult, she no longer had to wait her turn. Finau went on to represent Fiji in soccer, alongside her two brothers who played soccer and rugby for Fiji. They stood side by side at the Pacific Games. It was years later that Finau saw a female referee for the first time, not realising that this was a pathway she could choose. It wasn't long before Finau switched from being an international player to an international referee. She went on to officiate several international tournaments, culminating into the FIFA Women's World Cup. Now a retired referee, Finau is giving way to other female referees to follow in her footsteps. The proud mother joins Bobby Macumber on Stories from the Pacific to talk about the different opportunities that sport has given her.

Godfrey Jordan Abage was a grown man when he discovered the West New Ireland custom of shark calling in Kono village, Papua New Guinea. Shark calling has been practiced for thousands of years and Godfrey is one of the locals fighting to ensure that it will continue for generations to come. Right now, the shark population around Kono seems to be growing, but Godfrey and his fellow villagers are worried seabed mining will change that.