Dear USO

Well, it’s the day after sentencing. My first official day as a prisoner. I think I’m still a bit shocked, actually. I’m not sure! I guess I still feel the same as before sentencing. ‘Numb’ I wasn’t feeling anything. Moments before sentencing, I wasn’t scared. My heart wasn’t beating out of control like it usually does when s**t’s about to hit the fan. The many thoughts that race through my mind weren’t there. I’ve been going to court so many times throughout this year that maybe I just didn’t care anymore. Maybe I did care because, honestly uso, I wasn’t expecting 11 years. I was expecting less but, oh well. You do the crime, you do the time. It still hasn’t quite kicked in yet. I can say I’m in an actual jail now (nothing to be proud of).

Mt Eden prison, on the third storey of the south wing. It’s old, like some sort of a medieval castle, a dirty old s**t hole. I can certainly feel the history of this place. The evil, the bad and the ugly, it’s creepy. I’m all good uso. I appreciated you and the boys being in court yesterday, showing the support for your uso. I felt the love despite the loneliness of standing in that dock feeling the weight of the law crashing down on me. I held my head up high, hearing the judge hand down that 11 years for aggravated robbery. I tried not to show weakness as I looked back at my mum in tears, as well as my partner. The pain I’ve caused so many people as I walked off the dock and away from freedom. What I did was f**ked up! For so little I’ve paid a heavy price. My good boy image had everybody in disbelief eh?

Big scene, we just carry, we just carry on as if nothing’s happening. After the showers, the call was made for breakfast. The warder called out a few names. Those prisoners were to pack their belongings after breakfast and ready for the bus to ‘Pare’ Paremoremo prison. My name wasn’t called out but I’m hoping to head there in the coming days or hopefully the new prison, Spring Hill, south just before Meremere. I’d go crazy if they sent me down the line somewhere. This is one of the consequences. You really don’t have a say in where they send you. This really sucks now; it’s starting to hit me now. What if they send me to Rimutaka or Christchurch? I’ll never see my precious little daughters for ages. They say ‘harden up’ but it’s hard when you have little kids. Damn, I miss them so much. I miss everybody and everything, even the littlest of things we take for granted out there that never cross our minds, I think of and miss as I sit in my jail cell. Even opening a window, now my window to the outside world for the next decade is a 14 inch TV screen. Uso, do not come into prison!! Don’t do anything stupid that may land you in here for the year I was in remand. I heard so many of these criminals stories and I’ve found that it always seems to end with Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve. Anyhow, I’ll end this letter here bro. this has been a brief in the events and thoughts of the last 24 hours. All my love to the family and the boys. I’ll write some more in the coming weeks.

ALL I REALLY WANT…… is to make the most of my time in jail.

My new year’s resolution is to give up smoking, write a children’s book and have a regular work-out/training schedule, so I can have a Sonny Bill Williams body. The main goal is the ‘stop smoking’. I realize I’m in here and missing out important years with my kids, and I have to make up for it when I get out. Having my health and living long enough to watch them grow, and so far so good. I’m not very good at writing but I have a lot of thoughts and to save myself from being seen as that guy who talks to himself, or to the wall, I write it down. I’ve written a little story, needs work but it’s a start. The third is really ambitious, but I’ve got plenty of time for it. It won’t happen overnight but it will happen!

The letter I wrote is to the uso’s that jail is not the place you want to be. I just thought after reading your article on “GANGS, a family affair?” I could share my experience as a first time offender/prisoner as I see it. Maybe, it would help deter our boys away from here. Your magazine is not the type of mag’ I get into, but since we prisoners are not allowed ‘BOYS’ MAGAZINES anymore, my girlfriend has brought me the last 2 editions.

Yours faithfully

T.B.
(full name withheld)

Fatu,
Uso,
tulou, tulouna lava Poutasi, Falealili’s blood lines
mingle in Aotearoa’s heartland carrying
beating primeval mantras dancing to lively pulsing rhythms
chants, blazing colours and hip hop raps
undercurrents running deep in the strong Polynesian arterials
the dead and new firmly embrace our senses
Your cooling fret, is for our futures, past and new
Friend you navigate us again, to a new Hawai’iki
from these weather beaten ‘burbs.
As the pantheon follows, I climb like Emmaus,
the kauri to glimpse at you tufuga.
Coloured leaves sparkle the air,
falling and twinkling in your wake.
Teine and tama Niu Sila siva siva mai,
Sau’ ia ta o, ma fa'afoga mai e
luga o le au’ala e o’o i ai tatou,
mau’ai se fa’amanui'aga o aiga tasi
here our futures, past and new
we lightly slip in and out, in and out

Fuimaono Tuiasau, Auckland 2009

Grubby fingers and coffee stains

Dear SPASIFIK,

I like reading my favourite mags in hardcopy and whilst overseas, I used to wait for a few weeks until my mum sent me her copy of SPASIFIK - after it did the rounds of the family in Glen Innes, her workmates at the hospital and then on her coffee table! But since being home, it’s always a treat to pick up the latest edition and slowly go through every page taking in all the great stories of successful PIs - without the grubby fingerprints, yellow marker ink, and coffee stains. Very inspirational! I'm writing this email slowly reading the latest edition, having a cuppa waiting for Tagata Pasifika. Well done guys and keep up the superb work.

Ia manuia, Peter.

VOICE OF THE PACIFIC

Dear SPASIFIK team

I have just returned from Samoa with my family. My husband, Charles, arranged for a longawaited family holiday with our two boys – Keanu and Joshua – to see where my father, grandmother and other family members all come from.

The day before the tsunami we planned to take a trip on the ferry over to Savaii. My uncle is buried there together with his father. We had to get up very early in the morning to catch the first ferry.

We left home after 4am and arrived in time to queue for the ferry. Everyone just drives on to the boat and then you sleep on the trip.

We were travelling along and then the chap in the van parked next to us received a phone call on his mobile. He jumped out of his seat wide-eyed and climbed out of his van window to stand on top, all the while looking around in every which way. We just thought he must be looking out for his family on the wharf at Savaii.

The next thing, an older gentleman came to the window of the car and told my husband: “Tsunami coming”. We noticed the boat was turning around... I checked my phone and there were three missed calls and two urgent texts about an earthquake in American Samoa since we’d left the mainland.

The crew came and got everyone out of their cars and asked everyone to go to the back of the boat. We were handed out life jackets and told to put them on. The captain was headed to deep water – we couldn’t berth at Savaii and we couldn’t return to Apia.

The waves were too rough. All we could do was hope to ride the wave when it came. We are members of Pt Lookout SLSC (QLD, Australia), our boys are nippers and we can all swim, so my husband just talked calmly
and reminded them they had trained for this.

People started to pray and the boat went very quiet. There were some big waves and we were buffeted from side to side, but after three hours the captain spoke to the crew and decided to make a run for Savaii. We landed safely at Savaii only to receive another SMS that the sirens were sounding again and it was time to head for higher ground.

I wrote this feedback because when we were in Sa’ my sister introduced me to SPASIFIK and it just blew me away. All these stories about these different aspects of P.I. life, and with all the people I’d looked up to for years but had never seen stories about in such depth.

I wanted to write once we got home to say a big thank you for the work that the SPASIFIK team does producing such a great magazine.

Melissa Wong, Brisbane, Australia
(Abridged) 

Hi Innes and Spasifik team,

Thanks for keeping me updated with vip mail. Just catching up with so many emails tonight and came across your email below. To be quite honest I was pretty disappointed in your choice of 'cover shot' for your latest issue. Totally inappropriate - especially given that your featured article is about 'skin art' and the fact that a tiny percentage of the pic is the 'art' and roughly 90% of the cover is bare skin. Not sure if you've already recieved other feedback from the general public, but I wouldn't be surprised if they felt the same photo could also be used for an adult-rated magazine.

Please receive me in the right way. I'm not saying that nudity is not part of Pasifika art or history, but the very size and isolated placement of that particular model's tattoo nowhere near resembles the beautiful malu or other Pasifika tattoos gifted to women. There are so many images that could've have been used to provide the reader with the flipside focus - 90% art/culture and less on skin (such as Issue 11's Style pasifika cover).

I plea with you to please keep Spasifik's visual media modest and honouring to our Pasifika families as I do believe a huge part of Spasifik's success over the years is due to a strong foundation of God values and principles that are widely upheld by our people, including your team of contributors.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Would welcome your thoughts as this makes for a very interesting discussion topic/s. I really love you guys and want others of all ages to continue to enjoy your ministry.

Huge fan,
Helen Oge, 30

P.S This is my own personal view and not the view of my family, colleagues or networks....just me:-)

Wednesday 29th April 2009

Hi just writng to say thank-you so much for the 'return to Witch Mountain' Prize pack.

Im looking forward to taking my children to see the movie, was very pleased to recieve the pack today.

Kind regards
Brenda Sherman

Friday 24th April 2009

HI Spacific I love reading your magazine! I just got back from the Lapita voyage as the expeditions traditional Pacific navigator. I was asked to join not only because of my knowledge in traditional navigation (Tokelau) but also of the theory which encompasses navigation and which was confirmed on Tikopia and Anuta. Our entire voyage was filmed. I believe there is a need to justify the significance of small Islands in relation to Pacific migration especially concerning central Polynesia. The factors involved in Navigation is not highlighted by Hawaiian Polynesian Society so I hope to express more of this. Also there will be a planned single outrigger expedition to further elaborate these ideas. Thanks and even if i dont hear from you I still love your magazine!

Tofa, Tulano
Porirua, Wellington

Hi there

First things first, we love Spasifik magazine! great to see your team supporting and showcasing PI's achievements.

I am very intrigued by Craig W Strong's article about returning, or going, to fiji to work. I believe it is well written and I do agree with Strong. However I feel he should elaborate on this topic. Perhaps he is planning to do so? What is missing is tips on how to move to the islands - where to start looking for employment and accommodation. Especially for those like myself who yearn to travel from Aotearoa and contribute to the island's skillbase and economy. However as I have never lived in the islands, I am unfamiliar with where to start? I have searched the internet for the above however to no avail.

So yes, I do look forward to Strong's future articles!

Ofa atu

Rachel
Auckland, New Zealand

American Football fan writes in

I read the article about American football in your issue of SPASIFIK Sport March-April and how New Zealand could be the new hunting ground for talent. I felt the article was a fantastic source of information on previous Pacific players who have made it into the NFL.

However, I was disappointed that there was no emphasis on the struggle and obstacles many if not all have experienced in order to get where they are. The article came across as though these opportunities are handed out to just anyone with Pacific genetics or rugby union experience.

I think your article had a lot of depth in regards to research of the game and famous players. I was extremely impressed and somewhat proud. But it blows my mind how barely anything was mentioned of the opportunities that can be made available to our young people if they are supported and pointed in the right direction.

American Football is the number one sport in America; therefore players who are driven and dedicated to succeed in the NFL are rewarded greatly. Beyond the dreams most of our young people could even fathom. I know I don't have to tell you this, but I just can't stress it enough! Arena Football, "the stepping stone to the NFL" also rewards players. Having signed a contract to play Arena Football guarantees you housing, food, etc plus a bonus every game you play for the whole season - not to mention the exposure as an international player especially if you are of Pacific descent. With every game, it could possibly bring you an inch closer to Arena Football One or the NFL. Then on top of that there are the life skills forced upon these young men who have the courage to make tremendous sacrifices to follow such a dream. They leave their families, their support systems, and their comfort zones for something that is not guaranteed, and personally I think we need to praise this. We need role models for our young ones and I believe you had the opportunity to do that by show casing the 11 who gained contracts to Arena football for what they really are; humble men, just like most of the ones we have grown up with and been raised by and who just happen to want to do something greater with their lives.

I have been a proud supporter of the Metro Lions NZ Football team for nearly four years now and not once can I recall a scout visiting. Metro have been in the NZ Kiwi Bowl 5 years in a row, including the Metro Colts - under 21 team. NZ is a wealth of untapped talent. Their support system is conceivably huge, with the love of their families, team and club members. On a larger scale unfortunately, it is at a bare minimum including that from our own NZ American Football association - if there is any support at all.

I wish it were as easy as sending anyone over to America to play, but it’s not. Could it be? I believe so. But I think it depends on whether we want to help our people succeed or not.

Regardless of my bold Signature at the bottom! I would like to remain anonymous, should you choose to publish this letter. And in all honesty, I think your article alone could entice me into subscribing! Thank you for your time.

Anon
Auckland

ED – Thanks for your great letter. While we would have liked to have gone into more detail about the American Football scene here in New Zealand and the struggles of the average player with a limited supported base, our interest was in posing the question – why are Polynesians from this side of the world with little experience in American Football, in popular demand? The majority of those who have made it to the NFL or Arena Football from NZ have rugby or league backgrounds hence our reasons for posing the crossover question.

Mahalo for representing the Islanders...It is good to have magazines like yours. I enjoy what new things are happening to different Islanders. Have you ever done a write up on Polynesians in the military?
We are a (Tongan,Samoan,Hawaiian) military family and it would be nice to read about other polynesian military families based around the world.

L. Mailangi

I really enjoyed the contents of this magazine as it covering things that includes Pacific Islanders interests and especially about page 23 of the Nov/Dec SPASIFIK issue for it once again highlights Fiji on the world map.
Congratulations!!!!

Anare Maiwalu
Teacher
Fiji.

What a fantastic magazine, BRILLIANT. I was reading about my poor hometown Otara, thinking what can I do. We need to address this problem. How dare we have killings in Otara. How dare these young of today have these awful thoughts in their minds about harming another human being. We should make a programme showing these youths the harm they are doing, and deep down I'm sure there's a soft spot. Schools and teachers should share a thought or 2 to students, be a mother or father figure to the students. When I was at Hillary the teachers were great (some) but if you had a problem at home you were able to your favourite teacher, or the teacher could spot a student who was having difficult time. It's sad watching tv Otara on Aust. tv. You see the way kids talkand act. Parents also need to be role models.

Linda
NSW Australia

Kia ora to the many staff at SPASIFIK!
I have just finished reading (for the 5th time) the May/June edition of this 'tu meke' magazine! Not only do I work for a company with a staff number of 50 plus, of which I am the ONLY LONELY maori, but I also work in the financial industry where 'maori' have a very low representation, again making me feel like the outsider in my own country as the majority of staff are immigrants from many and varied countries! I was inspired to read the article about the young samoan lady who has successfully operated a hair salon in Grey Lynn, along with her business partner! She had a vision for her business and she has been successful and that's fabulous! I also have a vision to be successful in my new chosen field and that is to be the top maori female in the financial industry as well as being a ' tu meke' role model for all young maori and polynesian girls still at school who maybe considering what career paths to take! Determination, perserverance and self belief in one's capabilities have helped me to succeed so far and holding true to heritage and being proud of who I am. I'm maori and damn it im proud of it!

Chrissie
Auckland, New Zealand

Spasifik magazine is such a motivating and inspiring resource for the Pacific Community. I believe that Spasifik gives a voice and a platform for our people to showcase our true strengths and abilities. As a young Pacific Student our voices are often last to be heard not only because of our traditional culture barriers but because we are also a minority with a bad rep. It would be great if Spasifik could have a place for us as young pacific students to voice our opinions and have a place to call ours.

Winona Ngaro
(living out East now but alwayz Westie@ heart)

Talofa Spasifik team,

Well done to all for your great magazine. It's always a pleasure to see the professionalism and the unique Pacific touch that your magazine bring to our people the world over.

A brief comment on Paea Wolffgrams article on the "lafo" and it's place in our culture. The example and the circumstances used would not be the normal instance where lafo is being offered. "Lafo" is paying homage and token of gratitude. This is slightly different to payment for services rendered. It is also important to know and remember who can and who cannot afford to refuse.

The "Good Samaritan" deed by Malietoa to serve his people is a true and the most honourable tribute to our late "Father". I had the honour of meeting him on a couple of ocassions (we partook in a couple of ales) and he had that Mana which is rare amongst us, let alone any leaders in the world.

Will look forward to the next issue that to read about the incredible achievements of our people.

Soifua

JP
Australia

I was reading an article about a young samoan hairstylist whos done well in her career. I too am a samoan hairstylist except im a male which is very rare in this industry. I teach & do seminars as well as travel both local & abroad. My clients are from all walks of life both men & women.

People find it intrigueing to see a young polynesian male suceed in an industry where im certainly the minority tho i engourage many young polynesians especially males who ask me about it but are too afraid of being stereotyped. I say follow your dream & if let other peoples ignorant stereotypical views put you off from wanting to be in the hair industry, then dont it!

Franc T

At last!

I've been slack in the last couple of years in getting hooked up with SPaciFik. A splendid effort. The visuals and the skills that have put the finger on the pulse for those of us oldies who know what they feel but not quite have the 'iloa' (know-how) to put it across to the new and younger 'generators' the world over.

Fantastic and I am already looking forward to the next.

cheers

Minnow love!

JP

Konnichiwa and Talofa

I have finally managed to get onto your website and read about what is happening in NZ and with our pacific people and its great. Especially being far away from home and missing the pacific flavour it makes my day to be able to read stories of whats happening.
My husband and I are currently living in Fukuoka Japan teaching English to High school students. Its been a great experience and a very awesome opportunity to do this on the the JET programme. I didnt realise there were actually a few islanders here in japan who are on the JET programme or are playing rugby and we have all managed to find each other and when we can have sunday Tona'i together which is great.
Well I just wanted to drop in and say thank you for putting your Mag online for all of us over here to look through and read your stories.

Sayonnara
Ligi and Matthew Toua