Latest news with #SamoanCulture
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Pasifika staff taking pride in cultural work attire
A Samoan community engagement staffer at a New Zealand bank says the company's Pasifika uniform raises awareness "of our many Pasifika cultures". Pacific attire, such as the ie faitaga for men and puletasi for women, has become a regular part of professional dress at ASB. Niuafolau Joel Amosa said the first question from his Samoan family was how it would be perceived. "But I think being 2025, you know, everything's available to be yourself," he said. "And I think outside of that, just proud that ASB have jumped on board and supported us from start to finish. "If anything, it raises awareness of our many Pasifika cultures. And it also allows a bit of curiosity - to be asked, what is that? And allows for just a nice touch of bringing your full self to work." He said he feels like it's connected with the daily routine of Samoan life or Pasifika life. "You wear your best when you go to work, when you go to church, so it's a big sign of respect. And so I feel very at home to where Pasifika attire in amongst a corporate environment and also outside." In 2013, Niuafolau graduated from the University of Otago and took a position as a receptionist at the ASB head office in 2015. Niuafolau now looks after a team of community bankers and the relationship manager of schools. Smiles and joy for Niuafolau Joel Amosa (Left) and Lani Punatai (right), who now get to wear their Samoan Number 1s to work in a corporate space. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro Niuafolau's soātau (colleague) Lani Punatai is another who is proud to wear something close to her cultural identity. She's an insurance product manager. She said as a Pasifika committee, they wanted "our people to be comfortable in their own skin". "Bringing their whole self to work each day." Other New Zealand companies like Air New Zealand have also been developing in this space. Air New Zealand's Samoa country manager Samantha Imo-Munif said when Air New Zealand rolled out their uniform, it was about the visibility of culture in a workplace. "Seeing the Ie faitaga embraced in our new Air New Zealand uniform, designed by Emilia Wickstead, is incredibly meaningful. "It's more than just a uniform element; it's a visible expression of identity, respect, and cultural inclusion." She said the uniform change has also resonated with Air NZ's Samoa-based team. She said the company's Apia team played a key role in how the piece was incorporated into the uniform. "The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many of our Pacific colleagues expressing pride in seeing their culture acknowledged so authentically." The Pacific engagement manager at Auckland University of Technology, Lemoa Henry Fesuluai is also a Samoan lecturer and cultural expert. He said he is all for promoting cultural attire. "When I was at school, when students were coming with their Ie faitaga or the long dress for the ladies, for the females, I was always trying to make sure that it maintained the same value of the school - that [it] aligned with the values of the school - as well as maintaining our Pacific beliefs and principles and customs; in the sense that it wasn't worn disrespectfully or wasn't worn out of a wrong colour; that it still aligned well with the school uniform requirements and regulations. "I am all for the for seeing that stuff, and it's great to see, because now what I think it is - despite what people may think in terms of the business ventures or that part of what people may critique - is that I see now that that's the evolvement of where as a nation that we're moving to. "And it's taken X amount of years to get to this part where we're looking at the importance of dress code and attire. "It's understanding that that attire in our sense is the formal attire; it's the cultural wear that's widely accepted in our society." Rosalyn Clarke GM for Business Transformation and Customer Engagement Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro Rosalyn Clarke, ASB's GM for business transformation and customer engagement, said this uniform is a way of celebrating and recognizing Pacifika culture within their wider ASB whanau. "This was an initiative driven by our people," she said. "ASB's been a proud supporter of Polyfest for the last 40 years, and so in this 50th year - very special year of Polyfest - creating this uniform and having it ready for the 50th year of the festival, just seemed like the perfect way to honour that connection." The collection features a men's sulu and a women's top and skirt set. "It was designed collaboratively with input from our Pasifika network community. Every piece has cultural meaning and significance. So we really wanted it to be something that our people could wear with pride and with respect." Clarke said the response has been "overwhelmingly positive". "What I've loved seeing is that both our Pasifika staff and non-Pasifika staff have both really expressed an interest in wanting to wear this uniform. And even better, we've heard from our customers of Pasifika heritage that when they visit an ASB site and they see our people reflecting traditional Pasifika-inspired dress, it helps our customers feel a greater sense of belonging as well."
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Samoa Language Week: A Black Ferns sevens player's journey
Shiray Kaka in her traditional Samoan attire performing a Siva Samoa. Photo: Shiray Kaka Former Black Ferns sevens player Shirray Kaka says one of the reasons she is learning Samoan to pass on her heritage to her baby boy, who is due in August. Kaka first played for New Zealand's sevens team in 2013, and has an Olympic gold medal from the Tokyo Games. Her mother is Māori from Ngāti Maniapoto and her father is Samoan from the village of Moata'a. "Just growing up, my mum and dad were quite young when they had us, so they left their families quite early, so we didn't really have a chance to learn either Samoan or Māori, or be around our Samoan Māori family," she said. "So now that I'm pregnant, there's just this overwhelming feeling of learning Samoan and being able to gift the knowledge of our people to our son." Shiray Kaka and her Dog, whom she holds dearest to her heart. Photo: Shiray Kaka Kaka has been to Samoa once, and wants to go back, but she places a lot of importance on keeping language and culture alive for the next generation. "I don't know how to say it, but for me, it's one of the most important things in my life right now, especially seeing or just understanding how lost I felt without the language and without the culture," she said. "It's not just about going out and speaking every day. It's kind of just living out your culture as well. "My beautiful grandma... she's probably been my connection to Samoa since I was born just because of who she is as a person," Kaka said. "Everyone in her community knows her as the Samoan auntie." She said her grandmother is another motivation for her. "Before she gets too old as well, I want her to be proud of her Samoan granddaughter." She said she took her husband, Gillies - also a New Zealand sevens rep - over to Samoa in 2018. Shiray Kaka of New Zealand runs the ball during the HSBC Sydney Sevens women's pool A rugby match between New Zealand and Japan at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Saturday, January 28, 2023. (AAP Image/Steven Markham/ Photo: AAP / "It wasn't until I took my husband, Gillies, over to Samoa and I saw the plant plantation where my grandma used to get veggies and stuff from. I went to their homestead when my poppa used to live, and saw areas that they built, and just where they grew up, where my grandma grew up, and once I saw that, I felt such a connection to the place. "I guess seeing that made me want to do more for my people but in order to do more, I needed to do more work myself, first of all, to then give to other people." She said she wants to learn more about the tikanga of her culture. The Samoan word akin to that is aganuu. "So that I can then pass down, feel more connected and start teaching once I feel more comfortable." She attends lessons every Friday, which are tailored to her. "So at the moment, I'm learning about how to speak to [my] son in Samoan and how to ask him if he's hungry, or how to tell Gillies to walk the dogs. "One session a week on Friday, and then just daily prayers and stuff that I can learn each week." Kaka played netball and touch before getting into rugby in high school. "Honestly, I do not know anything about whole family loves league." She said she also has a desire of playing for Samoa one day. Photo: PHOTOSPORT "Obviously I love playing for New Zealand, but there's a sense of wanting to go and play for Samoa too. And there's people who have done it, like Niall Williams, she's played for New Zealand Rugby and then gone and played for Samoan League." She said she thanked her Samoan side for the grunt to be able to tackle and run over people. Her advice for others also on a language journey is that consistency is the key. "I've just fully embraced that I'm Samoan, and I will rep it. And if anyone asked me, I tell them 100% I'm Samoan. "If they call me plastic or anything like that, I will fight back at them, and they know it's 100% who I am. "Because if I ever doubt myself of not being Samoan enough, and keep diving into that and keep feeling it, then, everyone else has won, and my people and I are at a loss."
