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-Tongan entrepreneur Noeleen Tuala.
A simple desire to kit out her grandchildren with Pacific printed manchester turned into the business, PELE Baby. It’s a one stop shop for Nesian playmats, blankets and more. Despite some challenges on her journey, Noeleen encourages our inherently entrepreneurial peoples to unite so we can all eat.
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This week’s guest is Samoan actor Theo Dāvid.
From Manurewa to Ferndale, he plays Viliami To’a on iconic New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. As passionate thespians, Allyssa and the bro indulge on how hard it can be to be acting as someone else. Theo is a man who wants everyone to eat and says unfortunately that ain’t how it works in the industry.
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This week’s guest is Tongan-Samoan musician and broadcaster Charlie Pome’e.
Charlie says he was only pretending to be a radio host on Snapchat a few years ago when in 2023, he got the call up to trial for Flava Breakfast. Plus, what’s the real tea on BFT? And the Three Houses Down frontman recounts how his family band started with borrowed instruments and a dream.
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This week’s guest is Māori-Samoan entrepreneur Jordaan Tuitama a.k.a. Creative Taro.
Out of a need for clothes were stylish and able to fit his build, he began upcycling opshop finds. He’s made a side hustle of this hobby, recognising the kaitiakitanga in flipping already worn material that would’ve just been binned. But get a load of Jordaan’s life story. Teen dad, former gang member and thespian.
This week’s guest is Samoan-Māori DJ Aysha Nanai-Leifi, a.k.a. Fallback.
Like LL Cool J said, she’s on the ones and twos to have you dippin’ it and doin’ it well. She’s bumped shoulders with him. Oh, and Tyler The Creator. An ardent representative of Nesian artistic flair, she has taken to the world stage in America and Asia. We love brown women being bosses like her.
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This week’s guest is Samoan content creator Zarya Ioka.
An influencer fastly on the rise, she was vlogging for fun before there was a word for it. If being married with two children wasn’t already a juggle, she decided to study medicine. Zarya tells us how she does it all, has advice for the young, brown mamas and rebukes Maz’s West Auckland slander.
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This week’s guest is Samoan-Māori singer Jordyn With A Why.
A child of two proud cultures, she shares the journey of accepting both into her life with equal love. She shares about her own children and being a māmā. Jordyn is a woman of incredible strength, opening up about *her* why. Plus, she fights her case for pani popo being the best Samoan dessert.
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This week’s guest is Samoan activist Aigagalefili Fepulea’i-Tapua’i.
She is a daughter of Samoa and South Auckland. An award-winning poet, orator and activist. Formerly the head girl of Aorere College, Fili rose to prominence as a fierce advocate for our communities. We converse over the many kaupapa she stands for and frankly, why you listening should give a damn.
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This week’s guest is Māori musician Greatsouth.
In the final instalment of our NZ Music Month series, the brother is an alt-rock artist from Papakura. We really dismantle the idea that every Southside singer is automatically hip-hop or R&B. He sheds light on his 2023 single ‘Popstar in Manix’ and walks us through the big batch of new waiata soon to be dropped.
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This week’s guest is Samoan performing artist Pati AF.
In 2020, she set the music space aflush in its thinking around Pasifika femininity. She went onto curate Ka’a: The Concert Experience - a safe space for fafine and tagata MVPFAFF+ to dream without bounds. Unapologetically herself, Pati was a hoot to have around our laulau. Talk “too” much, laugh “too” loud? Dis fa u, boo.
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.
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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.
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