Island Roots, Auckland Ways
Longtime friends and children of South Auckland, Mariner Fagaiava, host of Flava Drive, and Allyssa Verner-Pula, emerging academic, are proud to present 'Island Roots, Auckland Ways'. Both in their early 20s, they share a love of cheap eats, the club and are quiet comfortable with living at home. Join them and special guests for weekly episodes covering everything from mental health, speaking your language and the highs and lows of life. 'Island Roots, Auckland Ways' is part of the Flava Podcast Network.
Episodes
This week’s guest is Samoan songstress Spdrtwnbby.
We continue our celebration of Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa with this up and coming R&B teine. After finishing a music degree in university, she released her debut single ‘Pixel Pixie’ - giving fresh off the boat feminine. As Spdrtwnbby establishes a name for herself in the industry, she tells us what it’s like on the real.
This week’s guest is Māori social media sensation Myshaan.
His song ‘Sway’ has surpassed the magic million streams, a song he says has a strong spiritual influence. A returned Mormon missionary, he talks more to his relationship with God. Myshaan’s also got the inside scoop on working with Dinah Jane. Expect lots of singing. It’s giving Hairspray.
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This week’s guest is Māori businesswoman Mihi Sorensen.
Not even 30 yet - she’s a qualified lawyer, homeowner and runs her own pakihi. For those of us brown peeps trying to navigate the white world, Mihi tells of her unconventional path to success. She shows us how to build the life of our dreams through one easy step - knowing your worth.
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This week’s guest is Samoan-Māori content creator Serenity Sola.
Long before y’all started doing TikTok dances, she and her sister Lina started ‘Keeping Up With The Solas’ on Facebook. Whatchu know about influencing? These days, Serenity takes her vlogging camera to the gym. She's lost 40 kilos on a journey to better health. Sissy shares her weight loss secrets with us.
This week’s guest is journalist Toleafoa John Campbell.
It only makes sense that he’s the first Palagi on our podcast, because of his fierce advocacy over many years for Pasifika. We talk the 2009 Samoa tsunami, the phrase ‘skuxx’ and how he got his suafa matai. And Toleafoa whose own show ‘Campbell Live’ was axed, discusses this uncertain time for news in Aotearoa.
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This week's guest is Cook Islands RnB artist Sam V.
He burst onto the music scene as a teenager, likened as New Zealand's answer to Justin Bieber. Sam has recently returned from the land of sex & drugs & rock & roll, with stories to prove it. From that experience, began the conversation around tall poppy syndrome. It really do be our own.
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This week’s guests are broadcasting duo Sia Petelo & Henry Hohenberger.
A chance pairing for the two who couldn’t be more poles apart, has turned into a successful few years hosting ‘The Rush’ radio show. Sia & Henry ooze with a sibling-like sass that make for listening that is 1) funny and 2) painful for our audio guys who would’ve had a field day in the edit suite.
This week, we remember our friend Fa’anana Efeso Collins.
Fa’anana was supposed to join us for a talanoa and we still intend to celebrate him. In this special episode, we reflect on his greatness, his journey in politics and the lasting legacies and lessons he leaves us with. Moe mai ra e te rangatira. Ia manuia lau malaga, Fa’anana Efeso Collins.
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This week’s guest is Gen ‘Ilolahia, co-founder of social media platform ‘The Moanan’.
A proud Tongan, Gen has been on a journey of learning all about his roots. This journey led him to co-founding ‘The Moanan’ with friend Laki Tiatia. Together, they share knowledge about the Pacific with those living away from the Islands who similarly, yearn a connection with the culture.
This week’s guest is Māori broadcaster, actress and singer Alex King.
We welcome Alex back home to Flava, where her radio career kicked off. The daughter of comedian and mental health advocate Mike King, she tried to run away from the entertainment industry. An attempt short-lived as this thespian is made for the stage. Her biggest project yet - reclaiming Te Reo Māori.
This week’s guest is Tongan actor and musician JP Foliaki.
Turning down a boujee corporate job offer was the risk JP Foliaki had to make if he was to reach his dreams. This risk paid off big time with our toko now of the Pacific’s most well-known performers. He reveals the boats he be rocking, the mental toll from playing some characters and why God’s got his back.
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And just like that, we've arrived to the end of our first season. Allyssa has a MAJOR surprise in store for Maz that you won't wanna miss. Plus, we read out what you love about South Auckland and the burning questions you've asked of us. What are our plans for the future? Do we actually hate each other?! We'll be back sometime soon but until then - toe feiloa'i, alofa tele atu x
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In our second to last chitty chat for the season, we treat you with an extremely dope guest in Indira. The Tongan/Fijian journalist is here to drop truth bombs.
Indira got married at a young age, had two children and divorced in the moments following her rise to fame as a reality TV contestant. She built a broadcasting career and now she's studying law? A testimony if you ever heard one.
With an online following of more than half a million people, we're joined this week by a very famous guest. Lisa is known for her #mumlife vlogs but she takes us into life before TikTok stardom - growing up with drag king mums, getting pregnant at 21 and living in a garage. All those things are IRAW exclusives!
On top of all that, Lisa is a businesswoman and homeowner.
Enjoy listening to this inspiring story.
Ua lelei tele le aso, a good day for some IRAW! It's Mental Health Awareness Week and we're joined on the fala by Samoan athlete Symone Tafuna'i. Known to family and friends as Symmy, she has been very open about her journey with depression and anxiety. After recently coming off medication, she says she's "thriving". Symmy shares how she got out of her lowest lows, thanks to therapy and tonnes of support from her village.
Hands up if your parents didn't give you the birds and bees chat... okay... that's everyone so let's get into it on this episode! Like, Maz shares about his first time having sex. We go deep. No pun intended. Funny thing is you grow up and everyone's having their first kisses and boyfriends and girlfriends. Next thing you know, everyone is married. So we also talk about how you're actually not behind when it may seem like it. And t...
This week we're joined by community weaver and finance expert, Latayvia Tualasea Tautai. We're asking and answering those uncomfortable questions: Should you really give your money to that funeral? How much money is in our bank accounts? And when will Allyssa finally get her licence? Malo lava sissy, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
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Another sis from le Southside on the poddy this week, comedian Courtney Dawson. Her career started in the Manurewa Rugby Clubrooms! Courtney's passion for performance as a teenager was put aside when she and her high school sweetheart welcomed a wee pepe.
A couple of years ago, she went full-time on the comedy gig and is lapping it up - recently scoring a show alongside Paddy Gower. She's frank about the fact none of this was plan...
Nau mai anō - this week, we roll out the fala for Sammy Salsa. He's a stylist to the stars, having travelled around the world, setting up shop in wardrobes for some of Aotearoa and the world's top talent. Get your tissues ready, girl. Sammy pays tribute to his family, who've played their role as the village in getting him to where he is today. Functioning as a brown person in a predominantly white workplace is hard aye? Sammy's got...
Girl, they didn’t axe us after the first episode so surely we’re fine! We were really honoured to kōrero with our Southside sista, Azura Lane. So south she and her Pukekohe peeps drank at barn parties, Zu is raw about being Māori but not knowing Te Reo. Our now Flava Brekky host has hosted every single show on the station and she shares that story of patience too. Malo le fa’amalosi Zu, we love ya.
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