Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa, “The Great Connector” of all Polynesia, linking the Pacific to Aotearoa. Our Pacific ancestors were unrivalled navigators who explored and extended the known bounds of the Pacific. Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa, the Pacific Moana, was one of the last areas of the earth to be explored and settled by humans.  The early Pacific expansion took with it a meld of cultures and evolving languages.

A very special event is taking place this month – the first Melanesian Festival in Auckland. The festival celebrates the beauty and culture of the Melanesian countries of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands.

Heritage Gallery Te Koputu a te Whanga a Toi Whakatāne Galleries at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi Whakatāne Galleries warmly invites you to view the exhibition Hina Sings by Sue Pearson and Pauline Reynolds.

Pacific Cooperation Foundation congratulates Laulu Mac Leauanae on his appointment to the position of Secretary for Culture and Heritage and Chief Executive, Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

On 27th August a special event marks the one-year anniversary of the Government formally apologising for the impact on Pacific families during the Dawn Raids in the early ‘70s. We spoke with Josiah Tualamali’i, former PCF Board Member and Pacific youth advocate about his thoughts one year on.

PCF was delighted for the second year to partner with the Lagi-Maama Academy and Consultancy in the delivery of ‘Arts of Moana Oceania’ - ‘Tok Stori Tuesdays’ - Phase III’, 2022 series. Lagi-Maama have now documented this series to share, with the first release featuring Pitcairn Islander Meralda Warren, supported by her ‘Ahu Sistas – Norfolk Islanders Jean Clarkson, Sue Pearson and Dr Pauline Reynolds.  

The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) event, ‘Voices of the Pacific’, hosted by Horticulture NZ at the Sky Stadium in Wellington from 27-29 July, received an excellent response from attendees. The conference brought together Pacific and New Zealand Government Ministers and officials, RSE employers and horticulture industry groups to celebrate 15 years of the RSE scheme in New Zealand.

When communicating ideas such as colonisation, climate change and being part of the Pacific diaspora, world renowned poet Dr. Craig Santos Perez, chooses poetry as his vehicle to disrupt apathy and raise the Pacific voice.

In the next instalment of our Pacific Language Week celebrations, Pacific Cooperation Foundation and TupuToa were hosted by Microsoft.

US Senator Caroline Kennedy travelled to Guadalcanal this month to pay remembrance at a special dawn service. Ms Kennedy’s father, the late US President John F Kennedy arrived in the Solomon Islands shortly after the six-month long Guadalcanal campaign.

For Cook Islands Language Week, Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani, we interviewed well-known Cook Islander Tauraki Rongo and asked him what makes the Cook Islands so special.

PCF have partnered with TupuToa to showcase Pacific Islands Language Weeks in 2022. Learn about what is happening for upcoming Kiribati and Cooks Islands Language Weeks.

We interview Tapuaki Helu, about FAFSWAG’s recent exhibition at Documenta 15 in Kassel, Germany.

Minister of Pacific Peoples and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Aupito William Sio has been appointed by the Commonwealth and by the United Nations to be Aotearoa’s advocacy champion for Small Island States.

New Zealand has aligned with the US and the UK in signing an informal agreement called Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP).

The 2022 CHOGM in Rawanda closed with the announcement that the next chosen venue country for 2024 would be Samoa.

On 7 July Solomon Islands celebrated their Independence Day. In 1978 Solomon Islands gained self-governance and became a sovereign country.

The Minister is attending the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Suva

U.S. Territories refer to a group of geographical areas in the Pacific Ocean. These territories often reflect a mix of American culture and different local cultures, providing a unique experience.

The Pacific Cooperation Foundation has partnered with Horticulture New Zealand to celebrate the Pacific Islands’ contributions to the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE) in New Zealand, at the HortNZ Conference on 27-29 July in Wellington.