Category: Blog

Last year was a huge year for Talanoa. Now that the dust has settled, I’ve taken a lot of time to reflect on what we’ve learnt and the responses we received through our storytelling. One common theme of confession from both Pacific and non-Pacific people...

Last week, I shared my thoughts on the media’s storytelling of the sad death of Tevita Ba Daunibau. Like you, he was someone. A son, grandson, nephew, cousin, friend, and a valuable, young Pacific person. His life was meaningful, and his death – a tragedy....

We Pacific people are made of the tough stuff. We are survivors, early adapters and we never back down from a challenge. In centuries past, we’ve had to fight tooth and nail to survive (if you don’t believe me, read a little on cannibalism and...

“I don’t understand what they’re saying and I tend to withdraw or walk away. I feel embarrassed that I don’t speak the language, but what can I do? I look silly when I try and look uncultured when I don’t.” I listened as a young...

Over the centuries, Pacific people have passed down a wealth of knowledge through storytelling. Many of us cherish memories of people sharing these same stories around the kava bowl, in our churches, in our communities and in our homes. We can remember listening intently to...

When we released “Challenging Pacific Stereotypes” it was less than an hour before my inbox lit up with feedback from a reader. “Great intent to this article but there’s a big hole – what about Pacific Islanders with white skin? Have you considered the things...

As Pacific people, we can feel obliged to gain permission to do things. It’s part of our culture – before entering a new place, new family, even a new job, we’re constantly required to gain permission to arrive, leave and return. Throughout our time at Talanoa, we’ve...

Growing up in the Pacific, I never quite grasped the meaning of mental health. It wasn’t until I moved to Australia and began studying and working, did I realise just how serious and devastating it can be to ignore the immense care your mental health...

As young pacific people, we’re blessed with a lot more than we realise. We can sing, dance, make people laugh, create beautiful art and excel in any given sport (or in anything related to food) – and that’s to say the least. But what might come...

Leading up to our Social Media Marketing Workshop, we thought we’d put together a little something for you, our tribe, for free. Because who doesn’t love a freebie, right? We thought it would give you a head start to running your social media like a boss...