Stan Walker shot to fame during the 2009 season of Australian Idol, winning over the hearts of musicians, judges and fans alike. Since his win, his fan base has grown to tens of thousands, both here and across the ditch, and his debut single Black Box hit the top of the charts within its first week of release. QIANE CORFIELD-MATATA caught up with the talented musician, our latest MOVER & SHAKER during his first return trip to New Zealand, and found out our latest ‘star’ is still a humble Maori boy at heart.
Maori and Pacific people rate high in all the wrong statistics. We are at most risk of life-threatening diseases and are dying prematurely. Although we are regularly bombarded with messages telling us how bad smoking is for our health, how many people die each year from heart disease, and how to combat the obesity epidemic, we are still living unhealthy lifestyles. In our COVER STORY Deputy editor QIANE CORFIELD-MATATA gives us the bare statistics, reveals the true state of play, and talks to health professionals about how we can take a proactive step to changing our lives for the better.
Are gangs seen as a substitute for families for Pacific youth in south Auckland? How do Tokelauan teenagers in Wellington cope with living in crowded homes that span three generations and often include extended family? These questions and more were tackled in three groundbreaking reports by the Families Commission recently published. SPASIFIK editor INNES LOGAN provides a snapshot with this major ISSUES FEATURE.
Also in our latest issue, award-winning columnist PAEA WOLFGRAMM warns Pacific and Maori people to use their democratic right to vote or lose their say, with MPs debating the Super City debate in POLITICS. In BUSINESS we cover the Return to Roots Mission, and Solomon Islands PM Dr Derek Sikua is our latest LEADER OF THE PACIFIC.
There’s also exclusive book extracts from INGA TUIGAMALA and on the life of BILLY T. JAMES while our original humour columnist James McOnie makes a welcome return in our COMEDY section.
In SPORT & LEISURE, our latest SPORTS SHOT captures the huge waves in Hawaii last December and the surfers who dared to ride them in honour of a Polynesian surfing legend, INNES LOGAN comments on Sport & Celebrities, we feature basketball veteran PAUL HENARE and only the second Polynesian to play in the National Basketball League. We congratulate Maori ultra distance runner LISA TAMATI on her length of the country New Zealand run, focus on football and its growing popularity in the Pacific as our latest PHOTO ESSAY.
There’s all this and much more in our latest Issue of SPASIFIK magazine. Get it now!
