Stories From The Pacific

Meet a film producer, documentary director and visual storyteller based in Auckland, New Zealand, whose work is rooted in the heart of the Pacific. Born in Vuaki village, Yasawa, from Matuku Lau and raised in Suva, Fiji, Elizabeth Koroivulaono brings powerful authenticity to the screen, capturing the lived experiences and voices of Pacific communities with deep empathy and an Indigenous lens. Her...

Melanie Kawa lives and breathes rugby union.  You may recognise her from her time playing on the field when she was captain of the Papua New Guinea Palais women's seven team or when she was representing the Melbourne Rebels. Melanie was also the first Papuan woman to ever play professional rugby in France for the Montpellier Hérault rugby club. Today she sits on the board of directors for Rugby Vi...

Born in Papua New Guinea and raised in Australia, award-winning writer and filmmaker Alana Hicks has built a career weaving resilience, humour, and identity into unforgettable stories.  From her prize-winning essay Medium Beige to her acclaimed short film Chicken, Alana reflects on growing up between two cultures, surviving moments of violence and racism, and turning those experiences into art.  I...

When Lesley Wengembo was just 10 years old, he picked up a pencil and drew a portrait of his grandfather. His grandfather looked at it and made a prediction that would shape the young Lesley's life forever. Years later, Lesley received an invitation that could have launched his career onto the world stage. He packed his bags, left Papua New Guinea and flew to Sydney. But that's when everything cha...

Monica Paulus is a human rights activist and co-founder of both the "Highlands Women Human Rights Defenders Network" and "Stop Sorcery Violence". Monica is a protector of women accused of and affected by sorcery and witchcraft accusations. Hailing from the Highlands of Papua New Guinea from the village of Aregol, Monica takes us on a journey through her life – sharing the struggles, hopes and her...

Maohi scholar and anti-nuclear testing activist Tamatoa Tepuihiari’i grew up in French Polynesia and had a humble childhood, but something sinister had occurred on his island three decades before he was born. Do you have a story idea for this program? You can email us on: storiesfromthepacific@abc.net.au

Lydia's story of her marriage with her first husband details 12 years of significant abuse, but she's using it to educate others who may be experiencing something similar.

For Thomas Manglona, journalism is life. Hailing from the island of Rota, Thomas is a native Chamorro multimedia journalist, whose work in covering government, social justice and environmental issues for TV, has solidified him as a trusted and respected figure within his local community. For Thomas, he has always loved journalism and storytelling and he has always known what the final goal would b...

Agapetos Aia-Fa'aleava has always been compelled to speak up against social injustice, and when she learned a law in Queensland had let pubs and clubs deny entry to Pasifika people with facial tattoos, she spoke up once again. She did this in the form of a documentary and a PhD, Illegal Ink, which explores culture and tattoos and considers who should and shouldn't be allowed to wear the malu. This...

LLane Munau is a filmmaker from Bougainville. The Crisis began she was 10 years old and her father decided to move the family inland to escape the brunt of the violence. In the bush they spent about half of the decade-long civil war, which killed 20,000 people. And for a while, Llane was protected from the harsh realities of the conflict.  This edition of Stories From The Pacific was a repeat of t...

There is a children’s book that can be found in schools across Kiribati called Teaote and the Wall. It’s about one woman’s quest to build her own sea wall to protect her home in Tarawa from rising sea levels. The book is based on the story of i-Kiribati woman Teaote Davies and introduces children to the human impacts of climate change. Teaote also happens to be the Aunt of Stories from the Pacific...

A big mining company. A small island. And a lawyer just two years into practice. William Kadi from the Solomon Islands’ western province took on the case on behalf Wagina’s 2,000 residents, who were opposed to the idea of digging up 60% of their land for bauxite. Throughout the gruelling process, William’s escape was music. And he soon found himself going from a huge legal battle to a huge hit son...

When Tau'ili'ili Alpha Maiava plays the nose flute, he is transported back in time. He knows it is the same sound his ancestors heard 400 years ago. But this sound, along with many others, have almost been lost to history. Tau'ili'ili is travelling across the Pacific Islands to gather stories of extinct and endangered instruments like the nose flute. He hopes sharing this traditional knowledge wil...

When Visila Koliqaqaru Lagilagi started boxing, she didn't know where it would take her. She just knew it made her feel strong. It's a strength that she has had to draw on many times, particularly five years ago, when a chance accident paralysed her husband.

Matt Howard was excelling in his career as a paralegal in the military, but after falling in love with the storytelling tools of a camera, he risked it all to follow this new found passion.  Living on the beautiful island of Pohnpei, Matt was raised by matriarchs and says his childhood was rich, full of imagery, stories and memories that should be captured for all to see.  Later in his childhood,...

Kumu Michelle Manu teaches her students to live a life of "intentional movement". These students are learning the ancient combat martial art of Lua which was once practiced by many Hawai'ian women warriors before it went into hiding in hula dancing. By reviving this practice Kumu Michelle hopes to break the stigma that femininity could only ever mean fragility. She hopes to encourage others to bri...

For millions of people around the world, Kim Sasabone needs no introduction.  As the lead singer of Vengaboys, she's helped sell more than 25 million records worldwide, and the Dutch pop phenomenon's songs have filled dancefloors, wedding receptions and party playlists for nearly three decades. From Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! to We're Going to Ibiza! and We Like To Party!, the Vengaboys became one o...

A proud Gudang/Yadaykenu and Saibai man, Jay Wymarra is a hilarious comedian, fierce drag performer and self-confessed "black nerd". Born in Townsville, raised across Canberra, Fiji, and Wollongong, Jay's comedy blends sharp wit with deep love for community. From open mic's in Cairns to the stages of Edinburgh Fringe, he uses laughter as both survival and celebration. Whether he's serving up Reann...

For Kathy Martin, maps aren’t something you find on your phone — they’re inherited, passed down in the way your aunty cuts fish or says your name like it belongs to the land. Raised in Piis-Paneu in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, Kathy grew up knowing place wasn’t something to chart, but something to feel. She travelled between islands as if the ocean were a highway, guided by language, me...

Born of Fijian heritage, but raised in the heart of Western Sydney, Isaac Nasedra accidentally stumbled into environmental forensics, due to a university admissions error, only to discover a lifelong calling to protect the Pacific.   From running for state parliament in a sulu, to challenging the status quo of "polite" activism, Isaac is on a mission to prove that Pacific Islanders are not just pe...

In this episode of Stories From the Pacific, our guest traces her journey from a curious child in Fiji — gazing out across the ocean — to a leading neuroscientist exploring how the human brain works. But for Dr Suhailah Ali, understanding the mind was only part of the story. She came to realise that science alone isn’t enough if we don’t also fight for the world we inhabit.  Now a passionate clima...

From the rugby fields of Cairns, far north QLD, to representing his country by captaining the Kumuls, Rod Griffin has carved out a career defined by resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to giving back.   A proud Papua New Guinean who made his mark in the game, Rod has played for clubs like the Wests Tigers, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and Ipswich Jets. But his legacy extends beyond the...

In this episode of Stories From The Pacific, Wendy Mocke sits down with rugby icon Toutai Kefu — a powerhouse No. 8 whose story is deeply woven into Australian rugby folklore. Born into a family legacy that helped shape the game, Toutai rose from a Queensland debut sensation to a world champion, delivering one of the most unforgettable moments in Bledisloe Cup history. From triumph to heartbreak a...

Aselu Vaguna O'Brien is a draftsman, climate advocate, and a man of many talents—though if you ask his friends, he's also just 'Strawberry,' the guy who won't stop talking about rugby or his love for fresh fruit. Born in Fiji and raised in Tuvalu, Aselu's journey has taken him from engineering to media, from construction sites to mapping coastlines that are disappearing before his eyes. Today, he'...

What if healing didn't begin with blame, but with responsibility? Matt Brown's journey from a complex childhood in Aotearoa New Zealand to a barbershop chair sparked an unexpected global movement. What began as conversations between men hiding their pain became She Is Not Your Rehab, a call for men to stop outsourcing their emotional wounds to the women in their lives. Matt shares a powerful story...