Ice cream celebration and mourning...

Last week, I was able to attend a Scholarship luncheon for some of the students in our postgraduate diploma course (from my colleague's class) who had received scholarships.

I offered to be the designated staff driver to support the celebratory group. However, I missed the turnoff on the motorway and had to drive in a roundabout way to get to the venue on time.

It was a very happy occasion that helped to distract me from some very sad news about the sudden death of a work colleague who had passed away that very same morning.

There are now plans for many to pay their last respects, and I found it so sad that I had blogged about the 65th birthday gift that I had given to her, only for her to pass away a few weeks later from a suspected aneurysm.

We will dearly miss her, and so driving down to Hamilton for the celebratory occasion kept me busy and in good spirits with the group and afterwards I was 'shouted' to an ice cream at Pokeno, which is known for its amazing flavoured ice creams, as can be seen in the photo.

The particular flavours I chose were a scoop of rum and raisin (I like the raisins but not so much the rum), and the top scoop was deluxe ambrosia on a fresh cone. It was definitely worth the trip, and then we returned to Auckland, and I took the weekend to mourn before returning back to marking student work.

It was also a reminder to cherish the times that we have with our loved ones and to take the time to celebrate the little ones as well as the big ones. She reminded me of the 'salf of the earth' kind of person who got along with everyone and didn't let her circumstances affect her outlook on life. She was also super-fit and I'm glad that I got to know her as a friend and colleague...

 

Open Day at Manukau campus of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi...

 

Last week, I was invited to TWWOA (Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi's) Open Day to sit on a panel with other postgraduate students and share our study journeys with prospective Master's or PhD students. It was a real honour to sit there and share, and also especially to meet my supervisor and gift her with a measina kava or ava bowl (symbolic) from my studies.

In my rush to get to the Open Day, I remembered I still hadn't bought her the measina gift from Samoa, so I decided to go to my local Sei Orana SSAB store, just down the road from where I live and to find that special 'something' for her.

There, I bought a small tanoa and a lavalava to go with it. The very helpful cashier put it in a box with the lavalava and added a symbolic hibiscus flower to go with it. Then he tied a beautiful burgundy ribbon around it after I placed a handwritten card inside it.

I was beaming when I walked out of that shop, as I had finally kept true to my promise and when I passed it over to her, I knew that she was quite 'chuffed ', and I was honoured that she accepted it with much grace. She was certainly that quiet support that I needed during my studies, although she probably didn't quite know what I was on about half the time.

But I will always acknowledge that she played a pivotal role in my completing my PhD in the way, shape and form that it took. She gave me the space to just 'breathe' in completing my nemesis PhD. That was all I needed in that space, and the thesis was able to take form and thrive...

Hidden gem of a poem on a bridge...

 

Here's a piece of poetry etched into steel on a bridge that I frequently walk across. It's interesting how it's placed at the beginning and the end of the bridge, and it's the first time that I've encountered poetry etched onto a sculpture on a bridge.

It doesn't say who the author or the sculptor is, and many people walk past it every day and would be none the wiser.

I think it's one of those hidden gems that it just takes one to have a close look and then be presented with a poem; it's so neat to see.

I'm sure that there are more of these hidden gems placed around, but it might take a good eye, some patience, and not being rushed to be able to 'catch' these moments.

Which reminds me that I'd been so busy with so many things on my plate that I quite missed the annual poetry day last month. So I thought I'd write a poem about the poem that I'm blogging about and see how it goes:

Poem etched on a bridge

Many don't see you as they run, walk, cycle across the bridge

holding hands, exercising, talking, laughing, puffing away

you hold your space, waiting, watching, wondering if someone

will behold your secret, your hidden gem, a poem of a fish.

A little hand wonders at your markings as she places her hand

on the words that she hasn't quite deciphered, so young, patient

whilst her grandmother pulls her away to see the funny birds.

A sad figure with tears stops but doesn't see you, eyes afar.

Another walks past but then backtracks, missing the words 

but seeing the deliberate rust above the anonymous sculptor's

artwork, then rushes away to capture other thoughts 

then you see her slowly walking, reading the words suspended.

Time stands still as she ponders, continues walking, absorbing.

Ash-grey hair poking out of a sun-bleached hooded jacket.

Life has been kind to her, and she reads between the lines that

someone had taken the time to present a moment of beauty.

She sighs, sees the expanse of the bridge ahead and wonders 

how a moment of slowing down allowed her to experience 

the delight of a poem carefully crafted and etched into a bridge

whilst others rush past into their day, missing a rare beauty.

 

Kelly-styled white stitched bag...

 

I've been really enjoying the space of working with Babylon leather and stitching this Kelly-styled bag from a kit.

As a creative practitioner, I find myself looking towards my next project, whether it's a painting, a sketch, or crocheting a scarf, visiting a museum or viewing an exhibition; the creative possibilities are endless.

This is currently my favourite thing to do, as it reminds me of the skills that my mother taught me of hand stitching or hand sewing with a creative project in mind.

I know that it harkens back to the creative DNA that was passed down from my matriarchal ancestral line, with my great-grandmothers from Samoa, weaving mats and making tapa cloth whilst learning the skills and tools entailed.

Passed down to me through my mother and now to my daughters, with my youngest announcing that she was the first in her photography class to complete her photography board ready for examining at the end of the year.

This gave me great satisfaction in knowing that the creative gene has been passed down to all three of my children, each having completed senior years with art or photography and creativity as a part of their educational learning journey.

Now looking forward to making a Berkin-styled bag as my next project with a different colour and size. What's so neat is that I don't have to think about cutting out the pattern or priming the resources because that's already done.

All I need to do is follow the video instructions and try to keep in sync with the sewing of it, then relax and enjoy the creation. But that's another journey and I'll post on the finished product of that too when the time comes...

Over 1 million views and new novel work...

 

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A big THANK YOU for the 1,000.000+ views on this blog. I hope that it is of some use to regular readers, especially if you're interested in some of the topics that I regularly blog about.

I'm also encouraged to announce that I'm working on my second novel. The first I wrote back in 2012, and it's still making its way towards printing. Now that's another long story.

Perhaps the two go hand in hand someday, but currently working on drawing the threads together with memories, ideas, character arcs, timelines, places and events.

There's so much to take into consideration, and even more so with some parts radiating out from my life experiences and also with the ways that I view the world.

It's been some time in the making, as I knew that it would have to do with an epic journey of sorts and of finding what I was looking for from the get go.

I'm also interested in how it draws from my PhD indigenous research and some of the things that I discovered along the way. It's also informed by my growing up in Aotearoa NZ and some of the profound things that I learned about Samoa as well. 

That's enough to go with as I continue to sort and check out pieces of the puzzle or mystery of this novel. Not to mention that I will have different 'voices' and perspectives in the novel with so much to write about. The world is a writer's oyster...

New sponsored child with 'World Vision'...

I received an exciting letter this month and wondered why it was so thick. As you might know, if you've been following my blog over the years, was that I was inspired to sponsor children not only overseas but also within my own country.

With the overseas organisation, I chose to stay with World Vision, as it's an organisation that I have known since growing up in church, and our Sunday school used to sponsor children in those early years.

When I started having children of my own, I thought that it was important to be able to share the burden with other mothers overseas who needed support and over the years, I've been able to sponsor children in different overseas countries.

The letter I received from World Vision explained that the child that I had sponsored for some years in Bangladesh was now exited from the programme. They had fulfilled their goals of becoming self-sustaining within the World Vision programme that the community had been able to sign up to and no longer needed the support of the sponsors. 

It was so encouraging to see the community's 'thank you' video, and I was encouraged that the goals of receiving better sanitation, educational supplies, growing food, having small businesses, and children's educational goals had grown so much that they were able to exit the programme.

I think one of the goals that really stood out for me, as a sponsor, was finding out that they had been able to stop 123 child bride marriages that otherwise would have taken place. If anything, it's things like that that compel me to continue to support the education of children and especially girls in third-world countries.

They've now given me another option to support another child in another area in Bangladesh, and I'm happy to support. I've now signed up to support areas where the need is greatest, and I'm happy to support any child. 

If it's something that you think you can financially commit to in monthly, annual or fortnightly payments, then I'd encourage you to do so. I get so much joy in sending Christmas and birthday cards to the child with stickers and encouraging letters to the family. In supporting other families in other countries who need a helping hand...

 

IIRC International Indigenous Research Conference, 2026 Auckland...

 

I am looking forward to presenting at IIRC 2026, the International Indigenous Research Conference taking place at the University of Auckland from 17-20 November 2026.

It is one of the International Indigenous Research conferences that I've been looking forward to attending. I don't think it will be the same as the WIPCE World Indigenous Peoples Conference in Education 2025 that I really enjoyed presenting at in November of last year and having a book stall there, but it still will be very interesting to attend.

The abstract that I submitted was around 500 words, asking for details of Indigenous researchers from potential presenters that align with the overall conference theme of: Kei tua o te pae| Beyond the horizon. Now this is a very interesting research theme, and there are also sub-themes as follows:

* Pae Ahurei - Living Uniquely

* Pae Ora - Living Well

* Pae Tawhiti - Living Lightly

* Pae Auaha - Living Smartly

I'm awaiting further instructions for my conference funding application with my wānanga (Māori tertiary higher learning institute), and also the conference organisers, and the strand that I have been accepted to present at is the 'Living Uniquely' strand, which will again be very interesting to consider...

Kelly-like hand sewn bag...

 

This is the finished product from my attempt to hand-sew a 'Kelly'-like bag. The kit was from a company called 'Babylon Leather' that's based in Portland, Oregon, USA.

I had no idea about how popular 'Kelly' and 'Birkin' bags were until I came across social media posts by Love Luxury based in London and Dubai.

I'm definitely not a connoisseur of fashion, but I like the idea of a French company called 'Hermès' fashioning practical but iconic bags in the 1980s that were named after Grace Kelly (after she popularised it by being photographed with it) and Jane Birkin, a British/French actress who gave the owner the original idea on a plane flight.

You might have read in earlier blogs that I love handcrafting just like my mum and namesake great-grandmother. I've made handmade bags before, but this takes it to a whole new level.

The kit comes packed with all the pieces, equipment, and thread you need for sewing the bag together. In fact, it even comes with a 'dust bag', free gifts of two small scarves (to tie onto the bag) and a long strap for crossbody or carrying it as a shoulder bag.

I enjoyed making it so much that I've ordered another kit in a different colour and a medium bag. The bag pictured is a small bag similar to a small Kelly. It also comes with a lock and key which is a first for me to see. I'll be blogging on the next one and looking forward to the kit arriving at my front door very soon...

Gift giving at birthdays...

 

It was definitely a busy weekend as I worked through with my students, but before my class started, I was made aware that one of my colleagues was celebrating her birthday with a cake and food at the staffroom.

I quickly went to sing "Happy Birthday" to her then quickly drove home to pick up a couple of my handmade gifts and gifted them to her in a box tied with string and a homemade birthday card.

At the moment, I'm crocheting winter scarves (although Spring weather is starting here), and last year I made some woollen bags with some beautiful wool.

I was able to gift my colleague one of each, as I'd known her for around 15 years. She also asked me to take some cake home (which I did), and my family members loved her carrot cake, which is also a favourite of mine...

Tongan language week 2026...

 

Malo e lelei, and happy Tongan Language Week to the many Tongans around the world. Interestingly, last night my beloved and I watched a Tongan commentary about the close links that there are between Tongans and Samoans, which go way back to the Tui Manu'a dynasty of Eastern Samoa that ruled all of the Samoan islands at one time.

I had heard and read about the political power of the Tui (King) of Manu'a, which relates to a group of Eastern Samoan islands. However, I wasn't aware that Tongan scholars had also studied the links between Tui Manu'a and Tui Tonga.

So much so that the three types of Tongan language that are spoken, i.e. that of the language used for the Royals, the nobles and commoners, have words that link to Samoan origins, especially in the language employed for the Royals. That's a blog for another day.

If you've read in my earlier blogs, I have Tongan ancestry that we have lost connections to, as my maternal grandfather was a fluent Tongan speaker, as was my namesake and great-grandmother Eleni. I was told by my mother that often when they were arguing, they would speak in Tongan so that others weren't able to understand them. An interesting strategy to employ when not wanting others to know.

I was also aware that both of them spent time in Tonga and that we had a Tongan connection with one of my great-grandmother's sisters marrying in Tonga and living there. Sadly, we no longer have that connection, but I'm still proud to have that Tongan connection, which is estimated in my DNA to be about 10% (ancestry.com).

It is great to know about the Tongan connection and the commentary also confirmed for me some of my own research that I was aware of back in the 1980s of connections of Samoa with the location of other islands i.e. Tonga meaning south (of Samoa) and Rarotongan meaning (lalo - under or beneath Tonga) and Tokelau meaning north east as the island of Tokelau is positioned north east of Samoa. Something new to learn...

Candice Owens a great debater...

 

I don't usually comment on other YouTubers' posts, etc., but I thought for this particular online debate that I would make an exception. The highly viewed (well over two million views) weekend debate, with over three hours online, was between Candice Owens and a guy called Andrew Wilson, with another commentator known as PBD or Patrick Bet-David as the moderator.

I've been fascinated in the depth and breadth of the online investigation that YouTuber and public commentator Candice Owens has gone through since the public assassination of her good friend Charlie Kirk, whom I didn't even know about a year ago. 

New Zealand is a long way from the States, and our politics are markedly different, with our Te Tiriti o Waitangi or Treaty with Tangata whenua or indigenous peoples of this land. I found it interesting that Candice Owens, a young black woman who strikes me as very knowledgeable about global and internal politics within the States, was debating a white older man who didn't seem to be as knowledgeable, but he seemed to have a certain arrogance about him during the debate.

I won't go into the details of the debate, but in my opinion, and in that of many other online commentators, Candice Owens won hands down. I watched Wilson use bullying tactics, deflect questions, pivot when he knew things weren't going well, heckle her, and he had an incessant shaking of his foot, which really told of his nervousness, or rather, it was telling of the overt amount of stress that he was experiencing.

On the contrary, Candice Owens was the real master debater. I had watched her on an earlier online debate take on a group of young liberal debaters as a conservative woman and stand her ground really well. 

Her cool, calm demeanour must have been off-putting to Wilson because he seemed so agitated by her and his comments to her reflected that, especially in a comment when he said that he thought that "all women were retarded", which he reportedly said was a 'tongue-in-cheek' comment. I thought that that particular comment revealed more about his character and conceding the debate because Owens didn't flinch at all and annihilated him in front of a global audience. A deeply embarrassing debate for him.

I think that the late Charlie Kirk would have been proud to have had a friend like Owens. Someone who deeply cares about the murder of her friend and would try to find out the truth about his public assassination. She even put her life on the line, as I'm sure that the powerful people behind his murder would not be happy and are probably agitated by her asking further questions about the case.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family for protection and blessing, as not only was she pregnant at the time of the debate, but she's also a mother with children who count on her to be present for them. This was no mean feat, and I'm glad that Owens is a role model in many respects for young women who have a faith and a passion to live authentically despite the evil that surrounds us...

Passing of a well-respected rangatira (leader) Mr Stirling...

I'd like to pay homage to a rangatira (Māori word for leader), a kaiako (teacher) and a beloved teaching colleague for many years, Mr Te Kepa Stirling, as I knew him.

I started high school, and he was the Māori teacher at my high school, Ngā Tapuwae College (before it became a kura - school of Māori immersion), with his late wife as a school councillor. 

They were big proponents of te reo Māori (the Māori language), and I remember taking his class to learn Māori words, especially the Lord's Prayer. He also played the guitar, and I remember he had one finger missing but still played waiata (Māori songs) with gusto and had the rest of us singing along.

He was a formidable teacher and one that you didn't want to mess around with. He was a no-nonsense guy, but then when I got to know him better, I learned that he had a good sense of humour with a real heart for his people and te ao (worldviews) Māori.

There was a big restructuring of the school back in the 90s. It became one of the first campuses nationwide, with the school's name changed to Southern Cross Campus, encompassing the next-door Māngere Intermediate school that I had earlier attended. A primary school was moved onto the campus from down the road, and the rest was history.

The Māori bilingual classes then applied to become a kura and were next door to the campus and kept the name Ngā Tapuwae, where it became one of the most sought-after schools of Māori immersion that scored high marks for their students. Mr & Mrs Stirling's daughter, who was a couple of years older than me, became the principal.

After leaving high school, I went to Uni for several years and completed my first Master's degree, then returned to train as a high school teacher. I later met Mr Stirling both as experienced educators (he more than me), and we both worked on Ministry of Education contracts.

I distinctly remember him driving me to visit another colleague, and he showed me a shortcut to the city from where we both lived in South Auckland. Often when I drive down that road, I remember him showing me the road and the good relations that we had. Him as an experienced tangata whenua educator, and me as a fledgling diaspora Samoan educator at the time.

I had a lot of respect for Mr Stirling, as it was from him, his wife and colleague that I heard the Māori language spoken at school, as it wasn't commonly heard in the circles that I had growing up. It's a different story now, as I work and study within Māori tertiary education circles, but he would have been one of the first pioneers and just a year younger than my late dad.

It was so sad to hear today about his passing, as I had attended his wife's tangi (Māori funeral arrangements) many years ago at the kura where there were a lot of educators, students, and families who paid their respects at the time. They also left a special legacy in their vocal advocacy for te reo and te ao Māori, now with a kura onsite where Māori can succeed in an environment that espouses their cultural understandings. 

He reminds me of my dad; they were men of integrity who loved and served their communities. They were proponents of culture and language and believed in the integrity of tikanga/kawa or tū/aganu'u or protocols/traditions that needed to be passed on to the next generations. Interestingly, both had daughters who have continued in their legacies and trusting that this will continue with next generations...
 

Vai, Wai, and the important of water...

In past classes that I've taught, I've asked my students to consider what element they've felt associated with from their (indigenous) perspectives.

For me, it's water or vai in gagane (language) Samoan or wai in te reo (the language) Māori. I've always felt drawn to water, and perhaps that has to do with my Samoan heritage and DNA.

I remember learning to swim with my favourite strokes being back stroke, breast stroke and side stroke. I must confess that my freestyle isn't so great by my beloved's is.

All my children have been to swimming classes and in my 20s and 30, I enjoyed participating in Dragonboat and especially Outrigging or Waka ama, which is a type of canoe with an ama or outrigger. However, nowadays I'm enjoying my 5 - 7 km walks close to water, and this pic is of a beach that I walk around. I find water calming and soothing when it's still. 

It helps me to relax and to enjoy the soft lapping on sunny days near the beach. In fact, I got married to my beloved on a beach in Fiji, i.e. Sonaisali Island, and upon the loss of my late dad, when all of the funeral arrangements were completed, I was able to cry my heart out near water, which I found healing.

In Samoa, it's been a blessing to have been able to build on my late father's communal village of Fasito'o-uta, a house that is next to the open ocean with a view of the island of Savai'i from our outside porch. I've also participated in 'pure' or cleansing ceremonies with past classes when teaching/learning about 'tikanga' or Māori tradition and protocols. Water holds a special place in my heart...
 

Graduation cake for our eldest...

 

Here is a pic of our eldest's graduation cake that I forgot to post about on the day of her graduation from AUT (Auckland University of Technology) Bachelor of Laws.

She also won a top prize from one of her classes regarding indigenous laws that she was particularly fond of discussing with me, given my interest in indigenous research.

She actually had two other cakes, one from her BBF as they had been high school buddies who had both decided to enter law schools but at different universities, though only metres away from each other.

For this particular cake, I went in with my youngest to the cake shop to discuss the design of a book with yellow and pink tapa-type print on the top, frangipani with pink centres on the top.

The mortar board, coloured forest green with ribbon around the scroll, depicts the colour of the hood for law graduates of the university.

Inside the book cake, our youngest chose a marble cake with chocolate and vanilla and the mortal board filling was her favourite - a red velvet cake. The sad thing about our festivities was that I had to work on the weekend of her graduation and wasn't able to spend the Saturday and Sunday together.

However, we had a fun time and with some beautiful memories that were captured by a professional photographer and also our handy phones. I'm so glad to see her complete this part of her journey. It definitely was hard fought and we're so proud that the next generation are continuing on with my late father's wish for them to do well no matter what life's path they decide on...

"Culture is what shapes your ideas" Photograph by Iriyahz Filisi (2026)

 

Photo by Iriyahz Filisi (c) 2026

One of the things that I've been pleasantly encouraged by is the creativity that I believe was passed down through generations on my maternal side. 

Starting with my namesake, great-grandmother Eleni Tuilimu nee: Spitzenburg, to her son (my granddad), who was a jewellery maker, then to my mum, who was an amazing creative, i.e. could sew, knit, crochet, weave, make handicrafts, and amazing cook.

Then passed down to me with my interest in the arts and fine art, handicrafts and creative writing. Then to my children, with the elder two taking art into their senior high school years and now the youngest taking photography in senior high school.

This is a poster that was created by our youngest in her photography class, bringing together her interest in Samoan culture and a wordsmith too. She displayed the depiction of one of the weapons that Nafanua (an historical Samoan warrior woman) was believed to have used in a historical battle that she was, as I retold the story of in one of my books...

He Ara Rangahau - The path/ways of Indigenous Research...

 

This was an article that was written a couple of months ago after I graduated with my PhD from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. It summarised the journey that I had taken (which was a very long in decades) to complete my studies.

I think that in taking my time, learning from my communities and not compromising and walking away from some academic environments, I was able to write a thesis while being immersed outside of academia

I was able to authentically write in such a way that it was recognised by the markers and the committee who awarded me with a first equal top thesis prize for the year. I must say that when I first read the report from an eminent Māori academic who supported my thesis going to examination, I simply cried.

It has been my nemesis for so many years, so it was a sigh of relief and a sign that it was meant to be and that the eminent academic understood why I wrote it that way. My pathway to completing my PhD had to go through the fire and through an indigenous lens as a diaspora Samoan woman matai (chief), and there was no other way to write it.

I'm considering now publishing it (not all the research speak for the academy) but more the personal stories, as it was hard fought and I think it can help to inspire other would-be academics or even just the lay person who's interested to consider their own personal stories as being worthy of sharing. 

Again, I thank God and my parents; my mum always believed in me from the start and my late dad, who planted the seed and dream within me to even consider the 'doctor/ate' path, although he meant a medical doctor, but as a creative, I was able to put my own spin on it...

First Class visit to Papakura Marae...

During the weekend, I had the privilege of taking my class to visit a local marae called Papakura Marae. 

It was to be my first time visiting there, but its reputation preceded it, as I had heard about all of the neat community work they did during the COVID-19 lockdown some years ago.

I was the van driver, as we only had a van full of students; we didn't need to use the other two vans that had been booked, as others were catching up with their work back on campus.

It was also a privilege to have had a family of three associated with the marae and another who worked at the marae and joined my class last year. There, I had promised that I would bring a class not only to visit but to get to spend a half day there to learn about the marae and the opportunities that it offers its community.

We were formally welcomed onto the marae with a powhiri (māori welcoming ceremony), with two ladies of our group who were able to karanga (special female call) in kind, and one of our group who was fluent in te reo (language) Māori was able to respond and thank the marae representatives for welcoming us into their space.

We enjoyed having morning tea and lunch there at their beautiful whare kai or place of eating. I must say that I enjoyed their meals as it was cooked with a lot of  'love' compared to the catered food that we usually receive on campus. There I was able to catch up with two of my former students, and it was so neat to see how far they had gone with their practices.

We were taken on a tour around the marae and got to learn about the different carvings and pou (poles), their names and the stories behind them. I also learned that a lot of the carvings had been carved through a relationship that they had with TWOA Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, where I currently work, and it was through a programme like mine that students and their teacher were able to plan and carve out the pou.

We learned that there were at least 62 services that the marae offers to its community that were not only for their Māori communities but also for non-Māori. They also gave a copy of their publication about the marae's backstory.

My students absolutely enjoyed themselves for our fieldwork excursion and we also got to learn a lot along the way, so much so, that when it was discussed the following day in class with the rest who hadn't been able to attend - there was so much to share and I was so glad that I was able to share that learning opportunity with them...
 

Congratulations on law degree graduation of eldest...

 

Congratulations to our eldest child who graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from AUT University this morning.

It was a mad rush to get to the University, located in the CBD (Central Business District), to grab our family tickets and then be seated at the Aotea Centre, awaiting the start of the graduation ceremony.

It was encouraging to see the other graduands with many families seated around, and when it came time for our graduand to cross the stage, we all stood up (7 of us) and sang "Ua fa'afetai..."

I had already prepped our group to stand up and sing loudly and even encouraged my beloved to lead the song, as I'd be able to harmonise loudly, which we did. It was also encouraging that our graduand said that she could hear us from afar and that we were in tune!

We later drove over the shore to a lovely restaurant in Devonport by the wharf to have a late lunch with our new graduate, her maternal gran (my mum), our family and her friends. She had been at the Museum taking photos, which I've witnessed over the years as many taking graduate photos there.

There were several gifts that she received i.e. three cakes, including a cutting cake, beautiful flower bouquets, a graduation teddy bear, some measina that my beloved brought back from Samoa i.e. carved replica weapons, many leis to name a few. With lots of well wishes for the future ahead ...

Live action "Moana"...

 

Last night, I went with my youngest to watch the highly anticipated 'live-action' Moana movie that still stands as my fave all-time Disney production. It featured Dwayne Johnson as the better-looking character of Maui, and Moana was played by the debut of Catherine Laga'aia.

It was so interesting to watch because I knew of Catherine's Samoan grandparents who attended my birth church with our families until they both passed on. Catherine's Samoan features so embodied her grandparents, and I can see that they live on in her, and they would have been so proud of her too.

They made wonderful contributions as actors of Samoan/Pasifika descent to the story of our ancestors' wayfinding voyaging, and craftsmanship of seafaring vessels that brought them as pioneering explorers to establish thriving islands in the Pasifika long before Captain Cook's voyages.

I am so pleased that this generation of young people (and some of us oldies) also get to hear/view/read of such amazing explorations that have brought us the cultural practices and considerations that we have today that set us apart from other cultures as our point of difference/s.

Yes, absolutely enjoyed it and I would highly recommend it as a family-friendly movie to watch. It was also very interesting to see the intertwining of Hawaiian, Samoan, Tongan etc. dance moves, Pasifika actors and art. An array of what makes us proud Pasifika peoples...

Celebrating Matariki 2026...

 

Happy Matariki! It's been interesting to observe the uptake of many in Aotearoa New Zealand to celebrate Matariki, which is known as the star cluster that rises and is visible to announce the traditional Māori new year.

Even in Shopping Malls, as pictured here, there are displays to explain Matariki and the nine stars that make up the cluster, with different properties associated with each.

I've also heard of some who choose not to celebrate it, but I think it's because they may not understand or have been told about the importance that the celebration entails.

From a video that I watched recently on social media by Prof. Rangi Matamua, he explains that in its essence it's about three things:

1. Remembering those who have passed since the last Matariki or even those dearly beloved.

2. Celebrating the presence of whānau/families today and being (for me) grateful to have this time together over a special meal.

3. Future-focused in planning for the year ahead and where you'd like to be (by next Matariki).

That's it in a nutshell, and I'm encouraged as a New Zealander and SamoaNZ that such indigenous knowledge is validated with holidays that now exist to not only be relevant to my life today but also for those to know that Te Ao Māori (worldviews) are relevant for us as a nation...

Toy Story 5 Review...

 

    

It was quite a surprise when I found out that Disney and Pixar were launching a Toy Story 5 movie, having watched the movie from the beginning before having children and then having them grow up and watching the movie franchise.

I watched it last night with my younger two, and we were pleasantly surprised as we didn't quite know what to expect. We were especially interested in wondering how they would treat the idea of technology taking away from the focus on playing outside, and make-believe, etc.

It was very encouraging and a reminder of what it was like to play as a child before technology came around. It was also interesting for me to reflect on how different it was for me as a child, enjoying playing outside all day on a Saturday and not coming inside until it was evening.

I see the differences in Samoa when I'm visiting, where there are fewer children on devices, and they are out playing or engaging with each other. It's a reminder that with the advancement of technology that children should be encouraged to take time out to enjoy the natural world around them...

Gift acknowledging PhD graduation...

This week, I received a beautiful gift of a kete (basket) and paua (abalone) shell earrings in acknowledgement of completing my PhD.

It was such a surprise, and I was able to humbly thank my manager on behalf of 'Te Manawa Houkura' (the name of our Indigenous Research team) at our campus.

It's been quite a journey, now that I'm completing my nemesis degree and considering the many other interests and pursuits I have. 

With more tala or stories to retell, more books to write, edit and publish, some exhibitions to consider and my usual handicrafts that are cyclical.

I'm also encouraged that my work doesn't stop with the completion of my thesis but that it continues in supporting other students, and particularly those who are from indigenous cultures, to continue in their studies.

I'm also looking forward to the end of the year, when there are plans for an end-of-year graduation party, but that is still to be confirmed, with many other things happening in the interim and particularly for my eldest graduating with a law degree at the end of this month.

So never a dull moment with a two-week holiday break for the degree and post-grad' students and for me to catch up on marking those who are catching up on their assessments...

Guest Speaker at Careers Expo 2026, at Auckland Showgrounds, Greenlane...

  
This week, I had the privilege of being one of three guest speakers at an 'Inspiring the Future' event at the annual Careers Expo, which went over a two-day period that many Auckland secondary school students attended.

In the session that I attended, there were students from the Deaf Education school and two other local high schools. The two other speakers were also women, with one who was a Car collision specialist (mechanic) and a Scientist.

It was also neat that my three children attended with me as well and gave their support, as well as having a look around at all of the stalls of different universities, Technology Institutes, various career pathways, with lots of giveaways too.

I was able to give a short 10 - 15-minute talk about being a (self-published) author/illustrator, and I was also able to share about my books and how I came about to writing ancient Samoan stories and illustrated the pictures too.

There was an opportunity to ask questions, and I was able to answer questions around why it's important and how I was aware that the stories that I had researched many years ago as a part of my first Master's degree could be lost if I didn't start sharing them in book form.

It was such an honour and privilege to be able to share my journey, and I was also able to thank the organisers for such an opportunity, as I often don't get the opportunity to thank them. I also like encouraging students to try their best at whatever they are good at as I remember thinking during my final senior year at high school that "my ambition was to have an ambition" as I wasn't sure about what I wanted to be/do.

Next week, I've also been booked to attend another school and am looking forward to sharing with them as well...

Neice's Wedding Proposal...

Yesterday, I attended a proposal ceremony for my niece, who my parents had helped to bring up. I was at first surprised that it had been considered to be at the grave of my late father, yet I understood why it was important. 

As the youngest, my dad had a soft spot for her, which didn't always sit well with me to have favourites, but I also understood the special place that he had for their youngest.

I still remember, in his last years, how my late dad would speak with me to ensure that I promised to look out for her, as I did for my own children. He knew that he could trust me, as he had important values that he brought me up to do the same with mine.

It's a promise that I've kept, in the background, checking in every now and then and ensuring that all is well. I'm also glad that my own children feel protective in the same way, of each other, as they were all brought up together.

it was beautiful to have our mum there to witness the occasion. The pic shows a siapo or tapa cloth where the proposal took place in front of my late dad's gravesite. It was actually the first public proposal that I've ever been to, except for my own, which was private but at one of my favourite places, at the beach at night with the light of the moon.

After the proposal, she said "yes," and he gave her the engagement ring (which must have been a sigh of relief for her newly engaged partner). Then a small group of family and friends went to a newly renovated local restaurant that I had not been to before, and we simply had a great time there. 

I think the only thing missing was a dance floor. We then departed for home as the newly engaged couple continued their celebration with an after-party, with some club-hopping afterwards. But not for me, as the night before, my sister and I had been cleaning and preparing the site before the proposal.

All in all, it was a beautiful celebration and declaration of love, and I wish the newly engaged couple all the best as they look forward to planning their wedding for the new year. Already, there's a buzz of excitment as this would be one of the first weddings in our family for my children's generation to come...

Te Puhi Mote Ali...

I have a lil' sister who likes to have an eclectic mix of music, and when I listened to this song, it had a Pasifika vibe, which I believe is Tokelauan influenced. I've had it on repeat, and you can probably see why. Have a listen and see what you think...

Happy Birthday to our Mama...

 

Today, we celebrated the birthday of our beautiful mum and grandmother, who has been a blessing and inspiration to us all.

We thank God for a wonderful Mama/mum who helped us to see the beauty of what it was like to be a mum, wife, sister, auntie, grandmother, friend, etc., in all her special ways.

Through her creativity, I became creative as I saw her sew, design and make our clothes, cook wonderful meals that were second to none, clean and tidy, she demonstrated independence in her thinking, a handicrafter of Samoan mats and many other things and still took time to teach us. She showed us tenacity with a grace about her.

Today we took her out to lunch at a local cafe and enjoyed our time together. Three generations laughing and talking with her as she enjoyed going out and about with her family. She was generously spoiled by her grandchildren and then after blowing out the cake, with sparkly grape juice and saying affirmations we had another round of karaoke which brought about more laughs and some off beat singing.

All in all, we all had a great time and enjoyed ourselves immensely. My mum is my heroine and also for my children in demonstrating unconditional love and helping us to grow to be better women and carers in our family. I pray that God continues to bless, protect and shower her with His love and grace. We are better people for having been placed in her care and love...

Happy birthday to my beloved...

 

I really liked this AI-developed Pacific beach scene that I'm working on to send to my beloved as an inspired birthday card, as it's his birthday today.

He had a countdown to his birthday last night with some of the family who were still up and around. It was continued with his birthday breakfast and going to church, then we'll wind down with a family dinner out at one of his favourite eateries of Indian food.

Yes, I know not Samoan food as he had spent some years in India during his missionary days and still enjoys curries and special Indian/Asian dishes too.

It's also a long weekend so it's great that he gets to take some time out during the King's birthday weekend and take some R&R (rest and relaxation) during this weekend.

He also teaches, like me, and is currently completing his creative practice-led PhD at the Auckland University of Technology, which is a mainstream university, quite unlike the wānanga or indigenous and Māori spaces that we frequent as part of the community.

Wishing him God's blessings and a neat birthday and to have an enjoyable year despite the pressures of studies, working and the many things that he does in the communities that we are involved in. I'm so glad that we have been together for some 25 years having celebrated many birthdays along the way...

Radio Samoa Interview 20 May 2026...

One of the things that my late dad asked me to do was to speak on Radio Samoa about my books, but I wasn't confident in my gagana (language) Samoa in that I spoke everyday Samoan and not the matai (chiefly) language.

However, upon graduating on the 1st of May with my family there to witness the event (although missing my mum and lil' sis'), I knew it was time that I fulfilled his wishes, and this interview was the result.

In my nervousness, I completely had some foggy moments in forgetting the name of the ship that my parents left Samoa in, which was the Tofua, and the name of my late cultural supervisor, Funemalafai Dr Silipa Silipa, who first gave me the idea of the topic of Measina a Samoa.

I'm still on a 'high' from finally completing my nemesis PhD journey that evaded me for decades, since my 20s, as it seemed as if I would never finish it with so many things happening in my life. It's such a blessing to now be on the other side of the fence where the 'grass is greener'.

I have another radio interview on 531PI Radio next week on Samoan language week here in New Zealand, and looking forward to sharing some of the information that the thesis writing and seeking helped me to understand with more speaking engagements to come next month...

 

Happy Heavenly birthday to my late dad...

 

Yesterday, we celebrated my late dad's birthday, which would have been his 89th birthday. We went to visit his gravesite and had our family devotional prayer there, then headed out for a quick drive, and then back home.

I then baked together two boxed cakes that came with icing - cos I was too lazy to measure out ingredients then baked them together. I cut the large cake in half and added the icing.

We then burst out the bubbly (non-alcoholic of course) and drink it with the cake. It was such a neat time of coming together as a family and celebrating him and the legacy that he left behind for us to continue. So it was a celebration and one we'll keep doing.

I also read the posts that my youngest added to her Instagram account in acknowledging being named after him. As my dad was the first visitor who held her and I knew that I would name our youngest after him and carries the name well for him.

Today, I went for my usual brisk one-hour, 5 km walk and enjoyed the scenery, the fresh air and the beautiful water. I feel like I get drawn to the water as its calming and lovely on a sunny day. It reminds me that we have been blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the world...

PhD graduated and awarded 1st = Top PhD thesis...

 

Here's a pic of one of my graduation photos in the local marae (Māori meeting house) with the traditional carvings and taniko (traditional wall hanging) patterns, earlier this year, for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi (Māori Indigenous Education institution of higher learning).

I'm also holding the flax flowers that I received in having been awarded the "Emeritus Professor Roger Green (ONZM) Award for Top Thesis" (2026) as first equal with another PhD candidate.

It was indeed a pleasure to receive the award, as my colleague was able to deliver the valedictorian speech in honour of all those who had graduated that day.

I was also honoured to have some of my family there and especially my beloved and children, as it would have been too much for my mum to travel the three and a half hour drive. 

Instead, we made it a road trip, staying over two nights at an Airbnb and having an enjoyable time with good company. It was also a time of relaxation, chilling and listening to music and being together as a family. I think it solidified how important it was for me to enjoy this time with my children in sharing with them the end of a journey that had been one of my goals to complete. They have now seen the completion and the joy that it brought to all of us...

Finally PhD grad' completed...

 

It's finally official in completing my PhD graduation ceremony in Whakatāne yesterday with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

Here I am dressed in our regalia for PhD students, with one of my examiners. Her late father had been an important figure and worked for Māori Affairs.

Her esteemed father met with the former Head of State for Samoa, His Highness Tui Atua (he does have a longer official title) and whose writings I also used as an important part of the methodology for my PhD thesis.

It was such a beautiful day with so much more to write about as my family accompanied me down with two full cars and after a 3.5 hour drive we finally arrived at our Airbnb that my eldest booked for us. We hurriedly attended the Powhiri (Māori welcoming ceremony) the day before the graduation.

That's all for now with so much more to write about. It was such a blessing to attend with my family and my mum waiting at home as the long ride would have been too taxing. With more to come...

Confirmation letter for PhD Grad'...

 

It's official! Today I received an email confirming my PhD graduation, in person, on Friday, 1st May 2026. I'll be travelling there with my family as it's been a long time coming.

We're looking at spending the weekend there, and then we'll all travel back after soaking in the sights and chillaxing in Whakatane. I've travelled to Whakatane once by plane and then by car with one of my children, and it will be great to take them down one last time. 

That's been the great thing about the development of online virtual meetings, because it helped keep down travel costs, and I could still meet with my academic supervisor regularly online without having to travel far distances.

In fact, my beloved is considering visiting Gisborne whilst we're down there, as I haven't been back to Gisborne in years. However, we'll be keeping an eye on the weather with some of the rainy storms that we've been encountering so far.

It's quietly becoming exciting in anticipation of this massive milestone for me which has been my nemesis for the past decades. It's neat to know that my graduation will signal the end of one journey and the start of another...

Countdown to PhD Graduation 2026...

 

Source: Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuirangi website 

I'm counting down to my PhD graduation with just 9 more sleeps to go. It is over two days, with the first day of registering, attending the pōwhiri or Māori welcoming ceremony with my family and then ensuring that I have all the vouchers, etc. for the following graduation day.

This is a dream come true as I had planned it in my 20s, and here I am finally at the end of this journey and ready to begin another.

My family will be travelling with me to Whakatane, hopefully all three generations of us, with my mum, if she's up to it as she and my late dad were an important part of my academic, spiritual and cultural journey to bring me to this point.

I'm also so happy that my children can attend from their busy lives and pause with me for a couple of days to celebrate with me, to thank our Atua (God) and to enjoy time together as a family. My eldest helped to book an Airbnb as I had already booked a hotel close to the venue, but she wanted it to be in a special space where we could be together as a family, so I happily changed plans.

It's also special because I'm graduating from an Indigenous tertiary institution, as Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa, which was very important for me to align with, as my thesis is about indigenous Samoan knowledge from my diaspora SamoaNZ perspective.

It's also a little daunting in knowing the journey that I've been on and the beautiful gems that I received along the way in many different forms. My only missing person is my late father. I know he would have been very proud, and I will be taking him in my heart with me as I dedicated my thesis especially to my parents who were there from my very beginnings...

'Grounding' with our natural environments...

Holidays are now over, and we're onto the first week back in Term 2. One of the neat things that we did do over the holidays was to go on a walk at one of the local parks called Totara Park.

The neat thing was that my youngest invited a friend, and we were able to explore the park as well as to enjoy lunch at another local park afterwards.

I think it's really important to get out into the sunshine near parks and waterways, especially when studying indigenous knowledge and information.

It reminds us of how our ancestors were able to accumulate knowledge without the need for digital aids, and also thinking processes that were natural and not recorded through digital means.

Sometimes it's about getting back to nature in seeing the sun, walking through and seeing native flora and fauna, hearing birdsong and listening to the ebb and flow of tides. It reminds me of the importance of  'grounding' ourselves in a spiritual sense but also in a physical sense to remind us about what really matters.

This is in our relations with our Atua (God), within ourselves and with others, our relationships with the environment, and with information as well as our spatial relationships too. To not be reliant on digital information but to believe in ancestral intelligence...

Last days of the school holidays...

This week, my three children went ice-skating, and I tagged along, as it was the last week of school holidays and uni holidays. It was so nice to go out together and to have fun.

Whilst they were skating, I had time to run out to do some quick shopping and also grabbed a snack at the local eatery that included carrot cake, a hot dog, and chips.

After skating, we went to lunch, and they chose to go to one of our favourite spots, which was the local Vietnamese Cafe. This time, I decided to stray from my usual Hinamese chicken on rice with its special soup.

Instead, I chose a combination soup with egg noodles as I'm not a big fan of noodles, but I simply love their flavoursome soups. We all chose different dishes, but couldn't finish them, so we were able to take the leftovers home.

My youngest has improved immensely in ice-skating, and I must say that although I did ice-skate 'once-upon-a-time', I'm most reluctant to take a fall and instead enjoy long 5km walks instead.

I must say that it's quite endearing to see my children taking me out, which still takes a little getting used to, having been a provider for them growing up with my beloved. However, it's also satisfying and a blessing to see them growing up, taking responsibility and showing love.

Today, they also baked a cake to commemorate the 62 years of marriage that could have been (although my dad passed away a few years ago). It still was very special and a blessing to know that it meant a lot to them, which brought tears to my mum, too. It certainly was a blessing...

Attending Auckland Careers Expo 2026...

 

Today I received an invitation to attend the 'Auckland Careers Expo' through the 'Inspiring Future Aotearoa' organisation that I volunteer at.

It's an annual Expo I attended with my adult students many years ago, and it's happening in two months on 17 June, all day but 11 - 12.30pm (my slot).

The venue is at the Auckland Showgrounds in Greenlane near the city centre, and I'm really looking forward to attending as a SamoaNZ author, artist and academic.

It's also after my PhD graduation and will be neat to represent and encourage 15 - 18 year olds to pursue their strengths and goals, as well as to never give up!

This will be my first time attending as a contributor, and that's neat to be able to share stories and to talk about my pathway to becoming a writer, artist and academic with a short-cut story.

Knowing that life was never meant to be easy, but that inspiration comes in many forms, and that I've been blessed to be able to do the things that I enjoy with my family's support.

I also want to encourage listeners to sometimes take the risk to do things that might not be the well-trodden path, but that can be very supportive of helping them to reach their goals. Having supportive family members is also a very big plus as well...

Cyclones concerns...

 

Last night I watched the weather report that was concerning regarding the cyclone that was expected to wreak havoc on parts of NZ. This was especially worrying as Whakatane (the place that I'll be travelling to at the end of the month) had issued a state of emergency with flooding, constant rain and battling the storms.

In parts of Auckland, people were racing to buy up bottles of water and other supplies in case of being stuck in homes with no electricity or water. We were asked to shore up supplies and to stay at home and not take any unnecessary travel in case of high winds and constant rain.

The storm was expected to hit Auckland last night, at around midnight, but by then I had already gone to sleep as I was so tired from my 5km walk with my beloved in the morning and a one-hour treadmill session whilst my family did some sparring and boxing.

I woke up early this morning to a calm day with light rain. However, my place of work had already issued a statement to say that there was to be closure at all of our North Island campuses and satellite sites for the weekend, including Monday.

My birth church also issued a statement on social media to say that there was to be no church services in light of the weather warnings, and instead, we would be gathering on a social media platform (as we did during COVID). 

This Sunday, I think I'll remain at home and be thankful that it was mild for my family, but my heart and prayers go out to those who have been hit and have now a cleanup to content with...

First week of School Easter holidays...

 It was great for me to watch the highly anticipated movie "The Magic Faraway Tree", which was based on books by Enid Blyton, as one of my favourite writers when I was at primary school. In fact, I enjoyed her books so much that I read quite a few of her series before I reached 10 years old.

I took my youngest, and it was interesting to see how the movie had been translated into a more recent time, with the parents having more participation than in the book. I was also interested in seeing how each of the characters featured in the movie, and there were some changes but still translated well.

However, I did find it interesting that features of the tree were not demonstrated more in the movie. As I had bought a copy of three books in one and read it in Samoa before returning back to NZ at the beginning of the year in wanting to refresh my perspective of the book before watching the movie.

I enjoyed the movie and would recommend it for younger children as it still does have a magical quality about it, but not as much as in the books. So these school holidays, with only one more week to go, I might have a look and see what else is on offer for my youngest too...

"Amazing Grace" song by Chris Tomlin...

 This Easter Friday, we spent time as a family, with some of us attending the morning service at Life Church South. There was a special presentation, beautiful worship music and also Communion together. It was definitely a special time together.

After the service, we were blessed with hot cross buns (either chocolate or the traditional sultanas) with butter! We then made our way home and started our BBQ (or rather, my beloved) with the rest of us making different dishes for the lunch preparation.

It was good to have a prayer time together for the meal outside, and a reflection of what Easter meant to us, and so good to have three generations of family together. We later dispersed, with the children playing Monopoly together, and with their complementary music blaring outside, as I watched a movie with my mum.

Into the evening, we had our usual family devotion and were reminded that Easter is a special time in remembering the importance of our faith and the sacrifice that was made for us in the death of the Son of God so that we might have life after this life on earth departs from us...

"Moana" live action movie upcoming...

 

The highly anticipated live-action movie by Disney of "Moana" is set to hit the movie screens in July of this year. I still remember viewing the movie first animated movie of Moana, back in 2015 in Fiji when it made its debut, and I simply loved it.

Now, some 11 years later, the live-action movie is ready for release, and I'm really looking forward to it. With Dwayne Johnson as Maui and Catherine Laga'aia (Samoan/NZ/Australian actor Jay Lagaaia's youngest daughter).

It's a long story but Jay Lagaaia's Samoan parents attended the same church as my Samoan parents until they both passed away. However, Jay had long since moved to Australia with his family, and it's so neat to see that both he and his family have experienced success in their chosen careers.

Only a few more months to go and already I can see a mixture of Māori, Samoan, Tongan and other actors in the cast of Moana. Something to look forward to in July and check out the new movie trailer above. It definitely sets high expectations for the upcoming live-action movie...

Busy postgraduate graduations...

 

This week was very busy with our two classes from the 2025 cohort graduating with a Kaitiakitanga Postgraduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision level 8.

It's very much like a first-year master's course with academic rigour and from an indigenous Māori lens through the concepts to the knowledge sharing as well.

I'm so proud of this cohort, as some have matriculated into our institute's postgraduate master's programme called 'He Waka Hiringa'. 

The qualification is called an Applied Master's of Indigenous Knowledge, which both my sister and beloved are graduates of. It is so encouraging to see many more go on the journey to see where it will take them.

I'm also looking forward to my own graduation, which is only a few weeks left now. Preparations have been made for our family to travel to Whakatane.

The powhiri (Māori welcoming ceremony) is on Thursday, April 30th, followed by the Graduation ceremony on the following day. There will be more to blog about as we look forward and count down to the travelling days...

PolyFest 2026 Cook Islands stage...

Yesterday, my family came out to support our youngest, who performed at the 2026 PolyFest (Polynesian Festival), i.e. the largest Polynesian Festival in the world.

She chose to represent her secondary (high) school on the Cook Islands stage as one of the principal drummers in their band, and we were so proud of her.

They had been practising for practically 6 days a week for at least a month to get ready for the festival as they supported the dancers in the drum beats.

Cook Islands drumming still remains as my favourite drum beats to listen to, and so to have our youngest as a drummer for their school was a bonus for me too. As I had learned to dance the Cook Islands drum dance when I joined our Cook Islands dance group as a young dancer, which is a lot harder than it looks.

We're now awaiting the results of the competition to see how our youngest school fared in the competition and also to see what they may need to improve on after reading the judge's comments and scorecard. 

It was approximately a 20-minute dance routine with music, songs, dances, and costume changes. It was also good for me to see other parents as Samoans, Tongans, Māori etc. also encouraging the child to join from other cultures as it promotes a better understanding of the different cultures' protocols, dance and teachings.

This year, our youngest brought along four of her friends to join in the drumming group and she also wants to continue next year and we are fully supportive of her continuing next year. It was so neat to see the commeraderie and the support that everyone gave as such a blessing for an important event each calender year...

Happy 15th Birthday to our youngest...

 

Yesterday, we as a family celebrated my youngest's 15th birthday party after picking her up from school, having finished her Polyfest practice and whisked her away to a family dinner at the Valentines Restaurant on North Shore.

We had an absolutely lovely time together with lovely surroundings and delicious food. There were three generations present with my mum, her grandmother, her auntie, siblings, a friend and we as parents.

This is the party vibe birthday cake that we picked up for her as a vanilla cake with strawberry icing. She also had a restaurant chocolate mud cake, making it two cakes that we took home and celebrated with sparkling grape juice.

Then it was time for speeches, blowing out the birthday candles, and singing that timeless birthday song with present openings and a lot of laughs along the way.

Tonight is her last practice together with the Cook Islands drumming group, and looking forward to tomorrow with their performance on the Cook Islands stage at 12.30 pm approximately.

We'll be there cheering them on, and I'm looking forward to attending the biggest Polynesian Festival in the world with 6 stages of: Māori, Cook Islands, Tongan, Samoa, Niuean and the diversity stage. It will be so busy looking for limited parking but well worth the time and wishing her team the best in the competitions....

Māngere Arts centre Tatau (Tattoo) Exhibition...

Today I had the privilege of viewing two side-by-side exhibitions at the Māngere Arts Centre that featured two Samoan artists on tatau, or the traditional art of Samoan tattoo.

The two artists are: Siah Finai with his exhibition called "Tala mai lo'u Nu'u: Stories of my Homeland/Community/Family".

The second artist is Galumalemana Su'a Sione Sialaoa, and his exhibition is titled "Journey, Truth, and Respect."

Both artists display bold depictions of tatau, and the exhibitions have run from 21st Feb until 11 April. I would highly recommend the exhibitions to those who are particularly interested in the iconography of the tatau and understanding the meanings of this visual storytelling art form.

To me, these exhibitions are so important in ensuring that the information is passed onto next generations and that some of the things that were obscure and hidden, i.e. only those who are in the circles have access to the information, have been shared through this exhibition.

Unfortunately, I was unaware of the live tatau exhibition that happened on Saturday as it would have been an honour and a privilege to have been able to share this with my students but there may be other possibilities in the future...