Latest news with #PacificIsland
The Spinoff
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Event noticeboard: Inter-species collabs, free festivals and dancing at 3am
The Spinoff's top picks of events from around the motu. Weekday workers rejoice! It is a long weekend and we are also not termites, who do not sleep and instead work until they die (must feed, build and protect the colony). Yes, sun and warmth might be distant memories, but that does not mean we can't have fun. Almost everything on this week's noticeboard is inside, where you will be protected from rain. Music: Pulotu Underworld presents Road To Glasto fundraiser Neck of the Woods, 155B Karangahape Road, Auckland Central 10pm-3am Friday, May 30 $40 – $55 I don't think anything feels as good as partying for a good cause, as what could be hedonism is re-routed to also tick the type two fun box. This Friday, Pulotu Underworld, a collective based across Aotearoa and the UK that celebrates Pacific music, culture and artistry founded by Lady Shaka, is putting on a fundraising show. They need funds to get artists over to the UK, where they will be the first ever Pacific Island collective to curate a stage at Glastonbury. All five artists heading to Glastonbury will perform, so it's a taste of the famous festi right here on K Road. The dancefloor will be ruled by Mokotron (Ngāti Hine), Poppa Jax (Ngāti Raukawa ki Wharepuhunga), Katayanagi Twins – DJ Fine China, Rain (Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Samoa, Tonga, Niue) and DJ K-Swizz (Cook Islands). They say it's your chance to support Indigenous excellence and it's also your chance to dance. Northland Film: The Chodge Event Cinemas, 18 James Street, Whangārei 6.30pm Thursday, May 29 $19 – $23.50 Part of the Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival, this is a local documentary about an award-winning home built on the banks of Lake Whakamaru. Sculpture: Yellow Post Brick Bay, 17 Arabella Lane, Snells Beach 10am-4pm Monday-Friday, 10am-9pm Saturday, 10am-5pm Sunday $18 There's a new addition to the 2km sculpture trail, a yellow tower based on hākari, the massive, pyramid-shaped structures on which Māori would showcase important feasts. Tāmaki Makaurau Music: Thee Golden Geese at Wintergeddon Mainstage at Armageddon, Auckland Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane West, Auckland 11am Saturday, May 31 $28 or free for under 12s (Entry to Armageddon) A pitch of 'very unusual', 'waterfowl themed' and 'an incredible multimedia storytelling experience' is possibly an undersell for this band. It might just be a once-in-a-lifetime-what-is-happening-wow kind of experience. The Button Factory, 2 Abbey St, Auckland Central 2pm-12am Sunday, June 1 $5 – $100 There will be a market, tattoo artists, DJs, live music, a raffle and more to fundraise for a family trying to escape Gaza. Improv theatre with music by Samara Alofa and PollyHill that will explore youth perspectives on democracy and civics. Palmerston North Market: Red Cross book sale Barber Hall, Waldegrave Street, Palmerston North 10am-8pm Friday, May 30 10am-6pm Saturday, June 1 10am-4pm Sunday, June 2 10am-2pm Monday June 3 Free entry The annual book sale is here, just in time to get reading material to cosy up with by the fire. Napier Exhibition: Pūrākau o Te Whenua MTG Hawke's Bay, 1 Tennyson St, Napier 9.30am-5pm daily Free If you've ever wondered about the story of Ngā Tohorā e Whitu (Seven Whales) or how Lake Waikaremoana or Te Mata o Rongokako got their names you will find all the answers here. Te Whanganui-a-Tara This is an album informed by inter-species collaboration put together by a drummer and percussionist of found sounds. Blenheim Marlborough Art Gallery Te Kahu o Waipuna, 15 High Street 10am-4pm Tuesday-Sunday until June 8 Free On tour from the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata are paintings of New Zealanders, by New Zealanders. Ōtautahi 'This is an hour long show, performed by one person, who has no idea what they are going to perform before the show. As much as this is art, this is also a feat of physical and mental athleticism.' Ōtepoti Music: Pearly*, HōHā and Eris Yours, 43 Moray Place, Dunedin 8pm Saturday, May 31 $15 (all ages) I'm unfamiliar with Pearly* but HōHā hold a special place in my heart and are not to be missed. Hokitika Food, dance, music: Culture Fest '25 Enjoy food, dance and music from the Phillipines, Germany, South Africa, Ireland, the USA, China and India.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Inaugural Keith Locke Memorial Debate
Keith Locke - Latest News [Page 1] 'We are encouraging people who wish to remember Keith to attend, as well as those who have an interest in the topic regardless of their views or place on the political spectrum,' said his sister Maire Leadbeater. More >> 100th anniversary for those jailed for WW1 'sedition' Tuesday, 13 December 2016, 3:28 pm | Keith Locke On Thursday 15 December there will be commemorations in Auckland and Christchurch, marking 100 years since arrests began for 'sedition'. More >> Keith Locke starts "Not in our Name" spying petition Thursday, 12 March 2015, 4:04 pm | Keith Locke Former Green MP Keith Locke has launched an internet petition, in the form of an apology to several Asian and Pacific Island nations for the GCSB spying on their government communications. More >> Keith Locke presentation on Countering Foreign Fighters Bill Thursday, 27 November 2014, 4:33 pm | Keith Locke It's a pleasure to be able to talk to members of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee again, and remember my 12 years on your committee. However, I don't wish my submission today to be taken as endorsement of the completely unnecessary ... More >>
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Farmers lead Aussie research team to 'unreal' discovery on island
For 7,000 years, a giant boulder has been resting on a hilltop in the middle of a Pacific Island. When people first arrived in Tonga around 3,000 years ago, they began clearing land around it, and until recently, few knew of its existence. Australian-based researcher Martin Köhler had spent the day on the island of Tongatapu looking at smaller rocks they'd found using satellite images. The University of Queensland PhD candidate was working to understand how big the tsunamis were that thrust them from cliffs on the southern end of the island, further inland. 'On the last day of fieldwork in the late afternoon, we were talking to some farmers, and they said, 'Why aren't you looking at the much larger boulder further inl›and?',' Köhler recalled as he spoke to Yahoo News on Thursday. 'We were really interested, because a larger boulder further inland meant a much larger tsunami.' Köhler and his team followed the farmers past their crops of bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, yam, and taro roots. When he stood at its base, he was shocked by its size. A photo taken later shows Köhler looking very small compared to the 1,200-tonne rock, which measured in at 14 metres long, 12 metres wide, and 6.7 metres high. 'I really couldn't believe the size and where it is — 200 metres inland is quite far for tsunami boulders. It was unreal,' he said. Prospector makes 'ripper' 90-year-old discovery in thick bush Item found among human skulls sheds new light on ancient civilisation Tense moment rare 35kg creature lowered into remote Aussie forest The University of Queensland team used computer modelling to determine how big the wave that carried the boulder from the edge of a cliff to the island's highest point. They calculated that a 50-metre-high wave, that was sustained for 90 seconds, would have been needed to shift the rock. While Tonga is still regularly hit by extreme weather events, a wave this big hasn't hit the island since humans arrived. Co-author Dr Annie Lau noted the 2022 tsunami killed six people and caused widespread damage. 'Understanding past extreme events is critical for hazard preparation and risk assessment, now and in the future,' she added. The research has been published in the journal Marine Geology. It's not the first sizeable tsunami rock found on Tongatapu. Another well-known boulder is considered a historical landmark on the island's northeastern coast. While it's bigger – measuring 30m long by 10m high – it wasn't moved ashore until 1917. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Dame Winnie Laban Awarded Honorary Doctorate Recognising Achievements For Pasifika
Press Release – Victoria University of Wellington The Honourable Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban DNZM, will be awarded an honorary doctorate by Te Herenga WakaVictoria University of Wellington at the graduation ceremonies this May. Dame Winnie is a distinguished and transformative leader who has driven profound changes within Aotearoa New Zealand's political, social, and educational landscapes. From her career in politics as the first Pacific Island woman MP in New Zealand, to her role as the first Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pasifika in New Zealand—at Victoria University of Wellington—she has consistently broken down barriers for Pasifika representation and strongly advocated for the needs of the Pacific Island community. Her parents emigrated from Samoa to New Zealand in 1954 and settled in Wainuiomata—where she still lives—raising her and her brother, Fauono Ken Laban there. She grew up in an 'aiga entwined in public service, which instilled in her the traditional Samoan value of supporting other people. After completing a Diploma in Social Work at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, she worked as a family therapist, probation officer, social worker, and community development worker. The closure of the Kenson Industries car part factory in Wainuiomata, where many workers, primarily Pacific Islanders, lost their jobs with no support, motivated her to stand for Parliament in 1999. As an MP from 2002–2010, she worked tirelessly on behalf of Māori, Pasifika, working-class communities, and the elderly. One of her proudest achievements was leading the charge to repeal the Employment Contracts Act and replace it with the Employment Relations Act, to bring good faith negotiations into law. Her dedication to improving the lives of others carried on into tertiary education, and during her tenure as Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pasifika at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington from 2010–2024, the number of Pasifika students enrolled at the University, as a percentage of the student population, increased from 4.7 percent in 2010 to over 6.6 percent in 2024. 'Education has always been a passion of mine because it's very consistent with my commitment to social justice,' Dame Winnie says. 'Because I feel if you have an education, you have more choice, and more doors open to you. But secondly, you research, you read—you're an informed citizen.' Dame Winnie believes passionately in making education accessible for all, and spearheaded initiatives such as the annualPasifika Roadshow, which introduces the university experience to people within their communities, as well as funding a scholarship and promoting Pacific student success in other ways. Chancellor Alan Judge says, 'Dame Winnie's contributions to the University, and to all of New Zealand, are immense. During her impressive career she has consistently worked to uplift and celebrate Pacific peoples, and we are pleased to award her this honorary doctorate in recognition of everything she has achieved.' Dame Winnie is a founding member of The Fale Malae Trust, a group whose vision is to build an internationally significant, landmark Fale Malae that will be a place to gather, learn and celebrate the contribution that Pasifika arts, cultures, and histories make to our national identity. Her leadership in this space and in Arts and Education will continue to shape the future of Pacific Islanders in both New Zealand and the wider Pacific region. Dame Winnie says, 'I am humbled and honoured to receive an honorary doctorate.' Dame Winnie has earned numerous accolades, including the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2020 Women of Influence Awards, her Damehood in 2018, and an honorary doctorate from the National University of Samoa in 2023. A Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington honorary doctorate reinforces her legacy as a trailblazer and tireless advocate for the value of education. The honorary Doctor of Literature from the University will be awarded to Dame Winnie at the second graduation ceremony at 3 pm, Tuesday 13 May.
The Spinoff
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Spinoff
The new English curriculum is not the real enemy
A teacher at a formerly decile one secondary school outlines why the new proposed curriculum might help address inbuilt inequity in our education system. This article is a response to an argument against the curriculum published on The Spinoff last week. As I lay in an MRI machine today, I pondered what it was about the reaction to the new English curriculum that really grated on me. And through the loud growl of the machine, one word stuck out: inequity. As an English teacher in a (formerly) decile one secondary school, where the majority of students are Pacific Island, Māori and Asian, our biggest barrier is the inequity built into the education system. As my eye mask and headphones kept me safely cocooned in the dark and stopped me from panicking about the walls curving around me, I thought how inequity is a constant shadow at school. It slinks through our hallways, hides in the dark corners and competes with the pūkeko in our playground for any scraps or crumbs of success. Luckily the voices and laughter of our students always chase away both the pūkeko and the shadows. But it is an ongoing battle we can't forget or defeat, yet. So when other English departments and teachers in Aotearoa express frustration and anger about the new English curriculum, I have to wonder if they are fighting the same war we are. Because in my school community we fight every day to empower our students to succeed, despite the barriers they experience. Unfortunately it is students from low decile areas who often need specific, explicit teaching with clear sequences and connections, like the new curriculum proposes. Literacy is essential and no matter how smart a student is, without it, they are limited and their world will shrink. Our students deserve to have the same access to the world as anyone in the decile 10 school 20 minutes down the road. If there was a turning point where schools and English departments should have made a joint decision to fight back, it was the introduction of the new Common Assessment Activities (CAAs); or the halving of school lunch budgets; or the continual erosion of learning support in our schools. All of these critical issues are linked to inequity and discrimination in our education system. Because these things all compound and, through no fault of their own, Māori and Pacific students are the ones who suffer the worst educational outcomes in Aotearoa. When the new literacy CAAs were designed and trialled in schools in 2022, less than 3% of decile one students in the pilots passed the literacy (writing) assessments. This is a horrifying statistic and if anything should have mobilised English teachers to take a stand, it was that. There is a strong relationship between equity indexes and student achievement rates, with higher decile schools showing much higher achievement rates and low decile schools performing significantly lower than other schools. Despite the discrimination inherent in those results, the CAAs were still introduced to NCEA with minimal revision. This is inequity in action and should have been condemned by everyone. In 2018, New Zealand was revealed as having one of the least equitable education systems in the world. This inequity is sadly nothing new. New Zealand is ranked in the bottom third of countries across all three measures of educational inequality. Māori and Pacific children are less likely to receive the same opportunities as Pākehā and Asian children because they are disproportionately affected by financial and material hardship, and a system that doesn't meet their needs, according to further analysis commissioned by UNICEF. It's time to try new ways to reduce the gaps in the system – our students deserve better and we should be advocating for them all to succeed. We owe all students the same opportunities and that might require us to leave the political distrust and dislike on the sidelines for now. This new English curriculum is not the real enemy – the real enemy is the impact of inequity and discrimination on Māori and Pacific students. It is unforgivable that the blatant disparities in our education system have been ignored for so long. Sadly, most governments have done our Māori and Pacific students a major disservice in low decile schools. We need a change. We need hope for our subject and our students. Reducing cognitive load by increasing what becomes automatic in English will hopefully lead to more creativity not less (ie. if reading and spelling and grammar become automatic there is less cognitive load on the brain which frees up space for higher level thinking and creativity). It will open up opportunities for more sophisticated thinking and hopefully it will mean we no longer get students who arrive in year nine English unable to read or write. Because that is truly heartbreaking. The reality is that previous English curricula have not served all students equally and as teachers we need to face that difficult truth. Explicit teaching and stronger guidance about when and what to teach is not inherently bad just because it has been designed by a curriculum panel we are critical of. Yes, the removal of links to te ao Māori and Te Tiriti is deeply concerning, but we still have the freedom to choose our texts and plan units that connect to these fundamental principles we believe in so strongly. A more prescriptive curriculum is hopefully made more tolerable by the impact of structured literacy, giving us year 10 students who can use punctuation and grammar correctly and know what language features are! Structured literacy, the science of learning, clear sequences for each year level and explicit teaching, could in fact be a way to reduce barriers to equity and inclusion and give all our students the opportunities and qualifications they deserve. I know my students are bright, funny, insightful teenagers who have so much to offer and so much to teach us if we give them an equitable chance.
