The Future is Female – Elissa Baledrokadroka
I was brought up on that Spice Girls’ girl power and girls can do anything philosophy. And yet from an early age I learnt that there were certain things that I couldn’t do because I was a girl. Even the word ‘girl’ was symbolic for...
Who’s listening to Millennials in the Pacific?
Have you read anything about Millennials lately? I’ve read countless articles giving varied opinions, but for the most part – we’re labelled lazy, entitled and impatient. [easy-tweet tweet=”But who’s talking to #Millennials in the Pacific? Who’s listening to what we have to say?” user=”talanoa_au” usehashtags=”no”...
What did you learn in 2016? I learnt how to be wrong
I’m woman enough to admit when I’m wrong. When I’ve made a mistake. When I’ve had a lapse in judgement. And I’m woman enough to say, 2016 was full of them. I’ve spent the last two years telling the stories of my Pacific brothers and...
How did Disney get Moana right, and Maui wrong?
Yesterday, I was approached by a BBC editor to write a short piece on Disney’s upcoming movie, Moana, and the controversial costume that they recently released depicting Maui, a Polynesian demi-god and character in the animated film. BBC have released an edited version of my...
Wherever, you belong, you are not alone
How do we know what knowledge is? How do we attain it? And how do we measure it’s worth? Western-thinking associates knowledge with written literature. But knowledge existed long before people could read and write. Across the Pacific, many years before European contact, countless ways of...
Pacific Storytelling: confidence, courage and connection
Storytelling isn’t just about speaking. It’s also about showing. We don’t always tell our stories through our words. We show them through our actions, our work, and most importantly, in the way we treat people. For centuries, Pacific people across Oceania have been telling their stories....
Does my Gender Define Who I am as a Pacific Person?
Every culture has something to be ashamed of, but every culture also has the right to change, to challenge negative traditions, and create to new ones. – Ralph Nader Pacific culture is not exempt from shame. We have much to be proud of, but we also...
What does Cultural Appropriation Mean for Pacific People?
What is cultural appropriation? How does it affect me? Is there anything we can do about it? Understanding cultural appropriation and misappropriation can be difficult. But these questions are important and it’s a conversation worth having. Why? Because we could be practicing and encouraging cultural misappropriation without...
As Pacific People, We Naturally Care for Others… But Where Should We Draw the Line?
As Pacific people, our culture calls us to be selfless – to care for others, particularly our family, friends and the most vulnerable people in our community. You won’t find it hard to find a Pacific person who’d be more than willing to give up...
Sharing the Pacific Spirit in the Wake of Tropical Cyclone Winston
Fiji is more than just a beautiful holiday destination. For many Pacific people, it’s home. And regardless of where we were yesterday – whether we were watching it unfold on the news, huddled up in our living rooms or pressed up inside a cupboard with...
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