April 18th 2018
EDUCATION
A Different Path
Teresa Toailoa is setting out on a path of her own in Engineering. The 20-year-old enrolled into the NZ Diploma of Engineering at Manukau Institute of Technology.
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April 13th 2018
EDUCATION
New Graduate Pathway for Maori and Pasifika Students
At the end of 2018, three tertiary students heading into their last year of study will join Fonterra for a twelve-week paid internship, where they will be exposed to different parts of the business and mentored by senior leaders.
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April 6th 2018
EDUCATION
Building a pipeline of jobs in Tamaki
The Tāmaki Jobs and Skills Hub has been running since late 2013. It helps job seekers get work ready by offering support with things like writing CVs, providing career advice, applying for jobs online, driver licence training, job matching, and mentoring for the first year of employment.
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April 3rd 2018
EDUCATION
Ivan - Towards a career in carpentry
Samoan-Maori-Croatian Ivan Bakulich Tuita’ali’i decided conventional school wasn’t for him anymore and after an uncle’s suggestion he’s on his way towards an apprenticeship and a career in carpentry thanks to OCA.
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March 23rd 2018
EDUCATION
Paea - Enjoying the lessons at OCA
Being at OCA and working towards a Level 2 Certificate in Foundation Skills (Carpentry and Fabrication) has confirmed for Paea that carpentry is what he wants to do with his life. Read his story
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March 22nd 2018
EDUCATION
Skills - Celebrating exceptional Pasifika apprentices
Five standout Pasifika men have been acknowledged by their employers and training organisation for their commitment to trade apprenticeships, receiving the Skills Pasifika Specialist Trades Scholarships which include a financial grants of $2000 to be allocated to training fees or tools.
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January 31st 2018
EDUCATION
Pacific Youth Awards: Excellence and Outstanding Achievement
The Prime Minister’s Pacific Youth Awards are still open for 2018 applicants and won’t close until February 6th. The awards recognise excellence and outstanding achievement by Pacific youth in New Zealand.
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November 29th 2017
EDUCATION
Former Minister Embraces new Role
The 2017 General Election saw Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga leave more than a decade of local and national politics for a new career as Deputy CEO for the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), which officially welcomed him in September
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November 23rd 2017
EDUCATION
OCA: Trades Training for Pacific Youth
OCA is working to generate more young Pacific people into higher paid employment, delivering a student-focused, career focused and industry-driven programme.
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November 17th 2017
EDUCATION
Schooling South Auckland
As the need for more Pacific teachers grow, and in direct response to teacher shortages in Auckland along with a demand from those wanting to study teaching in South Auckland AUT is moving their School of Education to South Auckland from February 2018.
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November 9th 2017
EDUCATION
Starting University the Nesian way: UniBound Summer
The UniBound programme gives Pacific and Maori students academic preparation in numeracy and literacy as well as a University 101 guide to getting a handle on studying at the University of Auckland.
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November 2nd 2017
EDUCATION
Symposium provides platform for unity in Tonga
A symposium designed to spark meaningful dialogue around Tonga’s fledgling democracy provided a successful platform for unity.
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October 30th 2017
CAREERS
NZ manufacturer sets up in Samoa
Wiring company Fero, who start operations on the first of November in Samoa, are urging other businesses to look at doing the same.
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October 20th 2017
EDUCATION
Niue Language in crisis says one academic
Niueans are celebrating their language, culture and heritage this week in New Zealand as part of the Pacific Language weeks however one academic says the language is at crisis levels with New Zealand-born Niueans not speaking the language, RNZ reports
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October 10th 2017
EDUCATION
Careerforce - Earning while learning
McKenzie Tuala-Pine is a youth coach with Reconnect Family Services who is studying Careerforce’s New Zealand Certificate in Youth Work. Read how she gets to inspire young people to build positive futures and be the best mum she can be for her daughter Layla at the same time.
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October 9th 2017
EDUCATION
Pacific learner success in workplace setting
Pacific learners engaged in workplace training have the best chance of success when they are part of a supportive team learning environment, new research shows.
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October 6th 2017
EDUCATION
The Contemporary Tongan Drum getting International Props
Massey University graduate Rachael Hall who was inspired by her Pacific heritage, has won international acclaim for the unique musical instrument she designed and handcrafted herself based on the traditional Tongan lali.
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September 13th 2017
EDUCATION
NZ-made stories for learning Te Reo
To help children learn Te Reo Māori the Eardrops Company has released three audio stories (100% Te Reo Māori) and three bilingual audio stories (English/Te Reo Māori) to celebrate Māori Language Week.
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August 30th 2017
CAREERS
Samoan man awarded at Diversity Awards 2017 for Walking the Talk
Diversity Awards NZ recognises and celebrates NZ businesses and organisations championing diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This year the Walk the Talk Award went to Samoan man Fatu Patolo
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August 30th 2017
CAREERS
Maori and Pacific Academics encouraged to become lecturers at AUT
The 2018 Early Career Academic Programme at AUT offers up to six Maori and Pacific scholars their first, full-time, permanent appointments as research-active lecturers.
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August 11th 2017
EDUCATION
Cook Islands Heroes
South Auckland teacher and writer is back with the next instalment of his Pacific Island heroes series: Cook Islands Heroes.
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August 7th 2017
EDUCATION
First student film from NZ to screen at prestigious international festival
A short film by Auckland-based Unitec students has been selected to screen at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which runs from September 7-17.
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July 26th 2017
EDUCATION
Victor Rodger to convene Maori and Pasifika Creative Writing Course
Acclaimed Samoan-Scottish dramatist Victor Rodger will convene the new writing course at Victoria University of Wellington.
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July 11th 2017
Education
Best Pacific: Learning to Win
As Head of School for the BEST Pacific Youth Academy, as well as former All Whites player and successful coach and administrator, Colin Tuaa helps students to gain the qualifications for the workforce of today.
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July 7th 2017
Education
Pacific books round up
From Michael Fitzgerald’s debut novel about the last days of Robert Louis Stevenson, The Pacific Room, to a collection of plays from some talented Pacific playwrights, there should be something you or a loved one might be interested in reading.
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June 20th 2017
Education
Wellington ICT on attracting Pasifika and Maori students
Launched in May 2016, the graduate school aims to create a diverse supply of industry-ready talent for New Zealand’s growing ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) sector.
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June 8th 2017
Education
St Cuthberts Sister Act Scholarship Duo
An engineer, a lawyer, a teacher, a doctor; Tiana and Alayna Willis-Baker change their minds daily about what they want to do when they leave St Cuthbert’s College. The scholarship duo are sisters who were both awarded Endeavour Scholarships to study at St Cuthbert’s College.
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June 7th 2017
Education
Unitec students Waiting for 2017 International Film Festival
Student film Waiting- one of two short films by Unitec students screened at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival over the Queen’s Birthday weekend- has been selected to screen as part of this year's NZ International Film Festival.
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May 26th 2017
Education
Samoan Language Week 2017
Samoa language week / Vaiaso o le gagana Samoa will run from Sunday 28 Mē (May) to 3 Iuni (June) 2017 with various events scheduled throughout the week, around the country, to celebrate.
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May 18th 2017
Education
Cultural values creating strong leaders
Tongan women are using their cultural values and upbringing as a framework to build strong leadership in their workplaces, according to a new study from Massey University.
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May 18th 2017
Education
Petone: to shoot or study
When Petone Groom finished school he was faced with a tough choice: pursue professional sport like his brother and sister or leap into university. He chose to challenge himself by enrolling into university and is currently in his third year of a degree in Industrial Design at Victoria University of Wellington.
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April 21st 2017
Education
BEST celebrates 30 years of graduation
BEST Pacific Institute of Education celebrated 30 years of empowering the Pasifika community into a career-focused education path at its recent graduation at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau.
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March 30th 2017
Education
PEC and MIT team up to deliver programmes in Pacific languages and cultures
The Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Pasifika Education Centre (PEC) have teamed up to deliver programmes in Pacific languages and cultures.
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March 29th 2017
Education
Hawaiian Graffiti Artist Estria Collaborates with Unitec students at Pasifika
Legendary graffiti artist Estria Miyashiro came to Auckland to help create art at the Hawaiian village at this year’s Pasifika Festival by way of a mural, with the help of Unitec and Kelston Girls College students.
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March 8th 2017
Education
PISAN Fono sets up a more connected future
On March 10 - 12, for the first time ever, Pacific and Timor Leste students on New Zealand Scholarships from around the North Island will gather for the Pacific Island Scholar Alumni Network (PISAN) Fono
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March 7th 2017
Education
42nd Polyfest - Nurturing Leadership Through Culture
Cultural groups from secondary schools across Auckland are gearing up for the 42nd staging of the ASB Polyfest, which kicks off on Wednesday, March 15 to Saturday, March 18 at the Sports Bowl in Manukau.
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March 1st 2017
Education
Fitting in to Uni life
New students at the University of Auckland began their first semester of their first year fresh-eyed and bushy-tailed. There is a group of new students, however, who were already used to the hustle and bustle of university life, thanks to Unibound.
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February 27th 2017
Education
Familiar Surroundings for New Minister
Minister of Pacific Peoples Alfred Ngaro revealed his strong South Auckland connection visiting the Manukau Institute of Technology as special guest speaker at its latest networking event hosted by the MIT Pasifika Development team.
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February 20th 2017
Education
New Partnership Combines Maori Heritage with Cooking Skills
Nestlé Cook for Life - Ka Tuna Ka Ora joins Mangere Mountain Education Centre (MMEC) to deliver a unique, interactive, daylong workshop to over 750 secondary school students across Auckland this year.
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February 1st 2017
Education
First-year Pasifika students to get lessons in University life
Victoria University of Wellington is for the first time, running a free academic camp to help prepare newly-enrolled first-year Pasifika students for university life.
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December 9th 2016
Education
MOE launches Pasifika dual language resources
Dual language resources for Pasifika new entrant learners were released on December 5th, launched at Holy Cross School in Papatoetoe, Auckland.
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October 31st 2016
Education
New leader for Māori and Pasifika at Massey Unviersity
New Assistant Vice-Chancellor Māori and Pasifika at Massey University, Dr Charlotte Severne (Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāi Tūhoe) is a geologist, former chief scientist for oceans and Māori development at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and, most recently, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori and Communities at Lincoln University.
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October 13th 2016
Education
Involved in Aganu'u Fa'asamoa 101 to honour mum
The ‘Aganu’u Fa’asamoa 101’ course is an innovative development initiative funded by Pasifika Futures under the Whanau Ora programme, designed to deliver cultural and language-standard skills for a wide range of Pacific families, including individuals from vocational careers which require the use of a Pacific language.
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October 10th 2016
ISSUE 68 EXCLUSIVE
Education
First law student cohort at AUT South Campus
This year Auckland University of Technology welcomed the first cohort of Law students to its South Campus. The new Bachelor of Laws (LLB) pathway signalled greater accessibility to legal education in South Auckland. Now the offering is being expanded to include second-year Law in 2017.
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October 7th 2016
ISSUE 68 EXCLUSIVE
Education
It's your game. Light it up
When Christchurch’s temporary sports stadium lit up in 2012, it was hailed a spectacular success. “Truly heartening!” said Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.“Spectacular!” said Christchurch Stadium Trust’s Jim Anderton.
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October 7th 2016
ISSUE 68 EXCLUSIVE
Education
The Aunties initiative - creating more Pacific midwives
Nga Marsters is a clinical educator and Pacific student liaison for the midwifery programme at AUT South Campus.
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October 6th 2016
ISSUE 68 EXCLUSIVE
Education
Whitireia Journalism developing a new generation of Pasifika
story-tellers
Whitireia has led and illuminated its communities through quality tertiary education for more than 30 years, and it is now the tertiary institution of choice for over 8000 students.
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October 6th 2016
ISSUE 68 EXCLUSIVE
Education
From UniBound student to mentor and beyond
The University of Auckland’s UniBound (Certificate in Academic Preparation) programme prepares Pacific and Māori school leavers for study and gives them a head start at University. We caught up with Kesaia Tapueluelu, UniBound’s first student to graduate from the University of Auckland.
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October 5th 2016
ISSUE 68 EXCLUSIVE
Education
Tackling the Pacific's plastic problem
When visiting Samoa in 2010, Lionel Taito-Matamua saw first-hand a widespread lack of awareness around recycling.
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October 3rd 2016
Education
Unique academic career opportunity for Maori and Pacific
There are six lecturer positions available for Maori and/or Pacific staff available at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), as it seeks to be a university of opportunity for Maori and Pacific people.
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September 15th 2016
Tongan artists rock Wellington art scene
An avant garde Tongan artists’ group currently based at Massey University’s College of Creative Arts in Wellington took its unique brand of modern Tongan art to Wellington.
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September 8th 2016
Book about Tongan Heroes to be launched
The third book in the Pasifika Heroes series, Tongan Heroes, will be launched at Tupu Library on Friday 9th of September during Tongan Language Week.
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August 25th 2016
Rotorua celebrates relaunch of history of Arawa people
Rotorua will celebrate the relaunch of one of the most important books to emerge from the city - the late Don Stafford’s Te Arawa: A History of the Arawa People on Wednesday 24 August.
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August 23th 2016
INFLUX of diverse artworks to understand the Pacific from different perspectives
INFLUX brings together diverse artworks that collectively push and pull our understanding of the Pacific from a perspective that is much larger than Aotearoa New Zealand.
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August 23th 2016
Oceania Media Intern Moana Ageli: Win or learn
Moana Ageli is studying Communications at Unitec and hopes to one day use her degree to encourage, inspire and inform young Pacific leaders of tomorrow. While interning at Oceania Media, publishers of SPASIFIK, Moana shares her goals and plans for the future.
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August 19th 2016
Inaugural Pacific Police Internal Support Network Fono
Pacific police from around Auckland gathered in Papatoetoe for the inaugural Pacific Police Internal Support Network Fono at the end of July 2016, raising important issues faced by the Pacific men and women in blue, while also marking 75 years of women in the force.
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August 15th 2016
Skills Mentor Switched on For Study
As a production engineer at BREMCA, the largest electrical switchboard manufacturer owned and operated in New Zealand, Samoan-born Itunu George Tupai is passing on the skills he has learnt from 15 years’ experience, to young Pasifika apprentices.
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August 4th 2016
AUT students explore Life Below Water for Cook Islands Language Week
For Cook Islands Language Week AUT, who are honouring Pacific Language Weeks through a series of short videos, are focussing on the sustainable development goal ‘Life Below Water’, which champions conservation and the sustainable use of our seas, oceans and marine resources.
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August 3rd 2016
Pacific Researchers Being Challenged to benefit Pacific Communities
Pacific researchers are being challenged to ensure their studies will contribute to Pacific communities and not just to academic knowledge production.
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July 22st 2016
20-year photography project documenting lives of people in Samoan village
Auckland-based Samoan photographer Evotia Tamua will use an artist residency at the National University of Samoa to complete a 20-year photography project documenting the changing lives of people in Salelesi village.
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July 14th 2016
First Robert Burns Fellow of Samoan descent visits Wellington
While in Wellington for the Writers on Mondays winter reading series acclaimed New Zealand dramatist Victor Rodger will attend a talanoa (discussion) co-hosted by Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Luamanuvao Winnie Laban and the Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML).
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July 1st 2016
Pasifika law and culture experts lift lid on hard issues
Academics, law practitioners, university and secondary school students will gather at Victoria University of Wellington next week to take part in the Pasifika Law and Culture Conference.
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June 29th 2016
Young Tongan leader receives award from Queen
Tonga’s ‘Aiona Prescott (21) received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award in late June at a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London, in recognition of exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth who are making lasting change in their communities.
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June 8th 2016
Free Talanoa workshop aimed at getting more Pacific writers published
Pacific writers and community groups with unpublished scripts are being encouraged to attend a free one-day workshop for information on the publishing process.
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June 8th 2015
Pacific & Maori architecture on the rise
Unitec architecture graduate Tuputau John Belford Lelaulu has been chosen as a finalist for the prestigious Cadimage Group Student Design Awards, New Zealand’s top prize for final year architecture students.
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May 24th 2016
How to rebuild post-Cyclone Winston Fiji
Staff and students from Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Auckland will travel to Fiji next month to research how communities can rebuild post-disaster.
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May 20th 2016
Mentor initiative drive Pacific midwives numbers up
Pacific midwife numbers are on the rise in South Auckland, thanks to a mentoring initiative led by Pasifika Midwives Aotearoa, supported by AUT midwifery department.
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May 20th 2016
First law student cohort at AUT South Campus signals milestone for Manukau
AUT this year has welcomed the first cohort of law students to its South Campus in Manukau.
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May 18th 2016
Turning trash into treasure
Research by a Victoria University of Wellington Master’s graduand is revealing innovative new ways to recycle waste in the Pacific using 3D printing.
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May 9th 2016
Strategic perspective, not small decisions
Sonya Hapi’s journey on the board started when her first daughter started at Irongate School and Sonya approached the principal about being on the PTA. The principal suggested she put herself forward for the school board instead, and gave her a nomination form. Sonya went for it and nine years on she is still on the board. While her children are still attending Irongate School, Sonya intends to be there as well, so she is standing again in the 2016 triennial elections.
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May 9th 2016
On the board for all students at school
Rosalie Feleti-Ivala’s eldest child was home schooled, but when she put her name forward for election to the board of Dunedin’s Brockville School three years ago, Rosalie had two children at the school. She knew she could have relationships with teachers, but wanted a deeper relationship and involvement with the school.
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May 4th 2016
Karakia in schools under threat from court action, says academic
Dr Paul Moon, Professor of History at Te Ara Poutama – AUT’s Faculty of Maori and Indigenous Development – says that a recent failed court action to ban Bible lessons from schools will not be the last attempt to remove religious instruction from the country’s state schools and it puts karakia under threat as well.
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May 4th 2016
Pacific high schoolers encouraged to be tomorrow’s leaders
More than a hundred Pacific Year 13 high school students from 30 high schools across Auckland recently attended a special programme with a vision to inspire them to achieve their very best, and assist them to explore and make informative decisions for their educational and career pathways.
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May 3rd 2016
Tonga looking at parliamentary quotas for women
The Tongan government is exploring ways it can increase the number of women participating in politics. At the moment there are no female MPs and there have only been a handful of women in both local body and national politics.
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April 18th 2016
AUT Pacific Islands Families study: Findings to be translated into international context
Researchers at Auckland University of Technology’s South Campus in Manukau will join forces with four other leading research groups in the field of child development studies, thanks to Government funding of $429,017 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Catalyst Fund.
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April 15th 2016
Former Oceania Media intern nabs National Business Review Award
Anuja Nadkarni, a former Oceania Media intern, was presented with the National Business Review (NBR) Award at the annual AUT Awards ceremony on April 12th.
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April 13th 2016
Fijian-Samoan journalist awarded for diversity reporting
TJ Aumua was presented with the SPASIFIK Magazine Prize and Storyboard Award for Diversity Reporting at AUT’s School of Communications Studies’ annual awards ceremony on April 12th.
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April 12th 2015
Eye on health and well-being of Pacific youth
The latest round of findings from the 14 year measurement wave of the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study will be examined at a research symposium being held at the AUT South Campus in Manukau this week.
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April 7th 2016
New book charts the near-demise of Te Reo Maori
A new book on the near-demise of Te Reo Maori in the 19th century hits the shelves in April, and readers can expect its contents to provide a thorough analysis into the various factors that nearly led New Zealand’s indigenous language to becoming a lost tongue.
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April 6th 2016
First Online training course for Pacific media launched
Launched in Samoa in April 2016, the online training course for Pacific journalists and media operators working in the region is set up by The Pasifika Media Association in Samoa, PASIMA.
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April 4th 2016
Hertz Memorial scholarship leads to life changing experience for AUT Māori students
A memorial scholarship to remember former 2degrees CEO Eric Hertz, and his wife Kathy Hertz, has led to a life changing overseas exchange experience for AUT Bachelor of Business students Jessica Hibbert and Cambell Te-Paa.
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April 4th 2016
Writing competition encourages students to use te reo Maori
National creative writing competition, He Huatau Auaha, is open for entries, calling on young minds to express their thoughts and ideas wholly in te reo Māori, in a bid to ensure the language remains alive and well amongst New Zealand youth.
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February 15th 2016
SPASIFIK issue 66
World-first study puts research spotlight on neglected neuromuscular conditions
In a world-first, an Auckland University of Technology (AUT) research team has embarked on a country-wide study of the prevalence and impact of genetic muscle disorders.
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