Visiting gentle Yasur
By Len Garae. Photos: Kersom Richard The closure of borders has seen many Pacific islanders explore their own backyards. For more than one hundred of Vanuatu’s senior public servants, this year’s National Week of
2021
Movers and Shakers
The inaugural Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) Leadership ‘Excellence’ Award has been granted to Fiji’s Vasiti Soko, Director of the National Disaster Management Office.
Niuean musician, actor and entrepreneur: Glen Jackson
By Rowena Singh Niuean musician Glen Jackson did not know that he came from a musical family until he returned to the Rock in 1985. “Growing up in Otara [New Zealand], my mum introduced me to the guitar, I was already
Wish you were here: Pacific islands travel destinations inch towards reopening
Just a few months ago, whether travellers to the Pacific would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was still a matter of debate. But that discussion has moved as quickly as the Delta variant, and it now seems fait
He was lost in the system: Now he wants to change it
Fiji Airways Flight 360 from Singapore arrived at Nadi International Airport before I did the morning of 18 July 2018. I lost that race by minutes, and found myself in a pre-pandemic, bustling hub where hourly flights
“We stand by what we said”
The Micronesian Leaders Summit discussed COVID, transport and the Pacific Islands Forum. Leaders of five Micronesian countries have moved to strengthen their sub-regional co-ordination at the 20th Micronesian
More than skin deep: The Pacific beauty industry
Coconut oil is a staple in most Pacific households. It perfumes the air at many traditional events. We massage our babies with it, use it to treat hands roughened by sea, salt and soil (and a bowl too many of kava),
How effective is climate finance in the Pacific
“Climate finance cannot be about loans, we cannot give our children the burden of servicing our debts.” That was the message Oxfam in the Pacific’s Regional Director, Raijeli Nicole delivered at a recent online
Changing prescription for regionalism
The former Secretary General (SG) of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), Dame Meg Taylor, discussed her prescription for Forum leadership when she participated at the Blue Pacific Futures Webinar on 3 November
A workplace culture of giving
An aspect of the Pacific culture that I love is how communal-centric it is! The concept of sharing and giving is imprinted onto us like the dark black and brown inks that dance across our tapa, nga’atu or masi,
Solomon Islands’ Small Jam: Waiting to rock dancefloors
A couple of months ago we profiled Papua New Guinea’s Justin Wellington, one half of the team behind global TikTok and iTunes reggae hit “Iko Iko”. This month it’s the turn of the second half of that
View from the West: The COVID 360 shuffle
By Dennis Rounds Kava sessions in Western Fiji can be quite “intellectual” with discussions around the tanoa ranging from fishermen’s tales to “bush lawyer” arguments about politics, democracy and the economy.
Wish you were here: Tourism inches closer to relaunch
Just a few months ago, whether travellers to the Pacific would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was still a matter of debate. But that discussion has moved as quickly as the Delta variant, and it now seems fait
Tourists trickle into Micronesia
By Bernadette Carreon Palau’s cautious return to tourism this year is being closely watched by its neighbours as it has had to respond to fluctuating case numbers in its tourism source markets. Palau slowly reopened
He was lost in the system: Now he wants to change it
By Jason Jett Fiji Airways Flight 360 from Singapore arrived at Nadi International Airport before I did the morning of 18 July 2018. I lost that race by minutes, and found myself in a pre-pandemic, bustling hub where
“We stand by what we said”
Micronesian leaders discuss transport, COVID and the Forum split By Nic Maclellan Leaders of five Micronesian countries have moved to strengthen their sub-regional co-ordination at the 20th Micronesian Presidents’
More than skin deep: The Pacific’s beauty sector
Coconut oil is a staple in most Pacific households. It perfumes the air at many traditional events. We massage our babies with it, use it to treat hands roughened by sea, salt and soil (and a bowl too many of kava),
From seaweed to spa
Nama Fiji is a business built on a Fijian delicacy more often associated with lunch than lotions, and the determination and energy of Debra Sadranu. Sadranu came to Fiji in the mid-1990s. A trained beauty therapist, she
Loloma Fiji: A labour of love
The makers of the Loloma skin care range liken the experience of unboxing its product to opening a husk to find a coconut inside, with its distinctive golden ball packaging resembling its key ingredient, coconut oil. It
Paddling Reverend creates global ripples
By Anendra Singh Mother Earth speaks volumes when it comes to defining life, but the Reverend James Shri Bhagwan believes a more universal dialect does that better.In trying to put global existence on its axis from a
Boosting networks against transnational crime
By Nic Maclellan Last month Tongan police confirmed that more than 14 kilograms of cocaine had washed up on beaches in Vava’u. Police say the drugs have an estimated sale value of over $5 million pa’anga and more