When we first started this list two years ago, there were barely any podcasts by Pasifika people out there. Now, there are more and more emerging and it is so exciting to see!
Keep scrolling to hear what’s out there in the podcast ocean.
*This was first posted on April 10th 2020, and has since been updated to reflect the increase in Pasifika podcasts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He Kākano Ahau is a six-part podcast series commissioned for RNZ as part of the RNZ and NZ On Air Innovation Fund.
Writer, activist, and podcast host Kahu Kutia grew up in Waimana, a small community on the northern edge of Te Urewera. In a place where almost everyone is Ngāi Tūhoe, Kahu was able to learn the stories of her people and locate herself in the world.
In 2015 she moved to Te Whanganui-ā-Tara for university, and found herself questioning her understanding of what it means to be Māori. In an urban setting, Kahu found that a Māori identity was able to be defined in ways she had never considered before.
“I thought this journey would really be about confirming some basic assumptions that I already had. In fact, creating this podcast involved huge learning for me, and more than anything else it reminded me of the power of connection. Not just connection to your whakapapa, but connection between yourself and others, connection to the land beneath your feet, and the power that comes from a community.”
In the six episodes and one short video documentary Kahu sets out to find what connects us as Māori in the city. Her journey takes her between Tāmaki Makaurau, Ōtautahi, and Te Whanganui-ā-Tara. She could never have predicted the twists that would happen along the way. Some heartwarming; some heart breaking.
Whether it’s a journey through the (now destroyed) Tapu Te Ranga Marae, Manu Kōrero regionals in Te Waipounamu, or interviews from the front line at Ihumātao, He Kākano Ahau reaffirms that Te Ao Māori is thriving within every single one of us.”
Listen on Spotify | Apple iTunes | Stitcher | Google Podcasts
“Talking to Everyday Fijians who live the normal life in a foreign land”
Listen on Google Podcasts | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
“Dive into Pacific Island issues alongside a Pacific Islander millenial woman of science. This podcast is done in service to our under-represented voices to shed light upon long-standing social, economic, scientific, political, educational, and cultural circumstances which we grew up with and which connect us.”
Listen on Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts
“Writing the New World’ is a research project led by Assoc Prof Alice Te Punga Somerville (Te Ātiawa, Taranaki) at the Faculty of Māori & Indigenous Studies, University of Waikato; the research is funded by the Marsden Fund.
The project focuses on writing published by Indigenous people connected to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Hawai’i between 1900 and 1975.
Some people published books of poetry, fiction, non-fiction and plays before 1975, but most of this writing was published in periodicals: magazines, newspapers, journals.
Sixteen Indigenous researchers have worked with Alice on this journey of connecting with the massive, multilingual and rich legacy of writing in the Pacific region.
The project celebrates what can happen when we connect across generations, archives, disciplines, institutions, communities, experiences, and perspectives.”
Listen on Buzzsprout | Spotify
“This is a platform to share my process and journey as a New Zealand born, Samoan women, scientist. As well as chatting to other indigenous scientists about their journey.”
Listen on Spotify | Apple iTunes | Podtail | Google Podcasts
“A cinematography podcast that is less about craft and more about the film industry. Join Lucas Tomoana as he gives career advice for the real world of a freelancer in the camera department. So if you’re just about to start your career or looking to bump up the camera department ladder to become a Director of Photography this podcast is here to help.”
Listen on Listen Notes | Podtail | Spotify
“A place-based environmental justice podcast exploring our paths to liberation through grassroots revolution storytelling. Honest dialogue and genuine listening are key starting points for radical transformative change. Take a journey with us and stay rooted.”
Listen on Anchor | Spotify | Apple Podcasts
“Yesterdays shared indigenous knowledge”
Listen on Spotify | Stitcher | Apple Podcasts
“This Matariki, listen to enchanting stories of each star in the Matariki cluster, below in both Te Reo Māori and English. Each beautiful recording in this podcast depicts the significance each star has over our wellbeing and environment and is brought to life with an accompaniment of bespoke sounds from Aotearoa’s forests, birds and water as well as Māori instruments.
Spark has collaborated with Dr Rangi Matamua, Stacey and Scotty Morrison and Rhonda Tibble, who have narrated the stories and helped guide the way they are told.”
Listen on Spotify
“Lilika and Maxine are two Tongan sisters, born and raised in Hawai’i, now living on opposite ends of the Pacific Ocean, sharing their experiences on history, culture, and family, while relating it all to their present realities. From California to Japan and back to Oceania.”
Listen on Spotify | Soundcloud | Buzzsprout
“Pasifika Issues Podcast started with conversations between two Pacific Islander law students, Ruby Fanaika Fa’agau and Leauma Alefosio. These students, along with fellow leaders, started the first student organization called the Pasifika Law Students (PLS) while in law school, the first of its kind in any ABA-Approved Law School in the United States. The PLS Organization is a monumental accomplishment because it caters primarily to Pacific Islander law students. There is none that exists in any ABA-Approved law school in the entire United States. While in law school, Ruby and Leauma recognized the need to have such an organization in order to assist first-year law students with the rigors of legal studies and also with the transitioning phase. The first year of law school is considered the most challenging year and so to have such support is crucial. Further collaborations between the two legal scholars led to many more conversations on issues facing the Pacific Islander communities not only in the United States but also abroad, realizing that there is a lack of legal assistance within the Pacific Islander communities, which sadly, in any capacity. And so this Podcast is an extension of PLS through commentary that is intended to assess, dissect, analyze, and interpret not only legal issues but other relevant topics pertaining to the Pacific Islander communities. Ruby and Leauma will utilize their legal education and work experiences to help their audience understand the complexities of such issues.”
“Your newest Pasifika-Australian faves speaking on all things Western Sydney and the journey to self-discovery in a world we can’t seem to find where we fit.”
Listen on Apple Itunes | Soundcloud | Spotify
“The Real Tautala is a podcast hosted by a Big Beautiful and Vivacious Samoan and Black woman who isn’t afraid to give you the capital “T” on topics pertaining to Pasifika, Black and POC people everywhere!”
Listen on Soundcloud
“#WhoAskedHer is a podcast by Papua New Guinean women.”
Listen on Soundcloud
“Streaming the antics of our Samoan & Afro-Latino family. A safe space for discourse around Pasifika & PoC experinces. Afio mai!”
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
“Hear stories from successful Pasifika people across the globe (the good, bad and ugly) so that our listeners can listen, learn and be inspired to live their best lives too”
Listen on Apple i-Tunes | Spotify
“A playful Polynesian podcast to promote other podcasts, people, personalities, poetry, random thoughts and ideas. Ultimately, it’s something I wanted to do to honor my dad since he loved to talk and so I named this pod after him ‘The FT’ Podcast. I love you dad!”
“K’aute Pasifika is a Pacific Island initiative Community owned, highly mobile, providing Primary healthcare and social services for Pacific Island people.”
Listen on Apple iTunes
“Welcome to the Talanoa Podcast, a digital forum to share and discuss the topics that issues that shape the experiences of Pacific Islanders in the United States.”
Listen on Podbean
“Conversations with Fijian blogger Isabella Naiduki who is currently living in the UK with her husband and 3 children. In this podcast she shares their experience as a Fijian family living so far away from their idyllic island home.”
Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts
“The Pacific Current is a podcast focused on the modern-day Pacific Islander. Our goal is to inspire, connect, and flow with people of our islands. We focus on creative, cultural and business minds in the community today who are shaping the future of those in The Pacific, specifically Hawaii. From entrepreneurs, fashion designers, entertainers, farmers, educators, and philanthropists, we interview people who are molding the future of Pacific people. We are a small group, but believe that the islands of the Pacific are a tightly-connected group of people whose story needs to be told through modern forms of communication. By utilizing today’s technology, we can spread our message much further than ever before. The common thread that binds each of our guests, listeners, and hosts is our love for these islands and her people.”
Listen on Sticher
“Collecting all the Pacific Island experiences of Utah, building a bridge to the broader Community.”
Listen on Voice Republic
“Unapologetic talanoa from the concrete Ocean. We envision an Oceania uprising through storytelling and fellowship that makes healing a reality. Hosted by BexxBumble & DBoy.”
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud
Freedom for Fiji hosted by Jope Koroisavou
“Bula Vinaka,
Welcome to my podcast, this is a platform where I voice my opinions about Fiji pollitical situation and also talk about issue that affects our nation and especially the youths”
Listen on Apple iTunes
