PODCAST · society
Stories From The Pacific
by ABC Radio Australia
For centuries, Pacific Islanders have been sharing stories across the region, Stories from the Pacific honours that tradition, allowing the audience to hear in-depth personal stories from right across the Pacific.
Episodes
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PNG artist Lesley Wengembo fulfils a grandfather's prediction
When Lesley Wengembo was just 10 years old, he picked up a pencil and drew a portrait of his grandfather. His grandfather looked at it and made a prediction that would shape the young Lesley's life forever. Years later, Lesley received an invitation that could have launched his career onto the...
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Monica Paulus was accused of sorcery, so she became a human rights activist for PNG women
Monica Paulus is a human rights activist and co-founder of both the "Highlands Women Human Rights Defenders Network" and "Stop Sorcery Violence". Monica is a protector of women accused of and affected by sorcery and witchcraft accusations. Hailing from the Highlands of Papua New Guinea from the...
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Tamatoa Tepuhiarii's island may be slowly killing him but he will not leave
Maohi scholar and anti-nuclear testing activist Tamatoa Tepuihiari’i grew up in French Polynesia and had a humble childhood, but something sinister had occurred on his island three decades before he was born. Do you have a story idea for this program? You can email us on:...
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Lydia Gah's story of survival is harrowing, but by telling it, she hopes to educate and save others
Lydia's story of her marriage with her first husband details 12 years of significant abuse, but she's using it to educate others who may be experiencing something similar.
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Thomas Manglona II's journey to elevate Chamorro voices
For Thomas Manglona, journalism is life. Hailing from the island of Rota, Thomas is a native Chamorro multimedia journalist, whose work in covering government, social justice and environmental issues for TV, has solidified him as a trusted and respected figure within his local community. For...
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Filmmaker Agapetos Aia-Fa'aleava is asking the hard questions
Agapetos Aia-Fa'aleava has always been compelled to speak up against social injustice, and when she learned a law in Queensland had let pubs and clubs deny entry to Pasifika people with facial tattoos, she spoke up once again. She did this in the form of a documentary and a PhD, Illegal Ink…
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While the Bougainville Crisis raged around her, Llane Munau believed she was on a holiday
LLane Munau is a filmmaker from Bougainville. The Crisis began she was 10 years old and her father decided to move the family inland to escape the brunt of the violence. In the bush they spent about half of the decade-long civil war, which killed 20,000 people. And for a while, Llane was…
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Teaote Davies built a sea wall in Kiribati
There is a children’s book that can be found in schools across Kiribati called Teaote and the Wall. It’s about one woman’s quest to build her own sea wall to protect her home in Tarawa from rising sea levels. The book is based on the story of i-Kiribati woman Teaote Davies and introduces children...
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William Kadi saved an island from mining, but that’s just his day job
A big mining company. A small island. And a lawyer just two years into practice. William Kadi from the Solomon Islands’ western province took on the case on behalf Wagina’s 2,000 residents, who were opposed to the idea of digging up 60% of their land for bauxite. Throughout the gruelling process,...
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Tau'ili'ili Alpha Maiava is on a mission to bring extinct sounds back to life
When Tau'ili'ili Alpha Maiava plays the nose flute, he is transported back in time. He knows it is the same sound his ancestors heard 400 years ago. But this sound, along with many others, have almost been lost to history. Tau'ili'ili is travelling across the Pacific Islands to gather stories of...
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For Visila Koliqaqaru Lagilagi, boxing is life
When Visila Koliqaqaru Lagilagi started boxing, she didn't know where it would take her. She just knew it made her feel strong. It's a strength that she has had to draw on many times, particularly five years ago, when a chance accident paralysed her husband.
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Matt Howard’s life-changing decision to capture his Micronesian community through a camera lens
Matt Howard was excelling in his career as a paralegal in the military, but after falling in love with the storytelling tools of a camera, he risked it all to follow this new found passion. Living on the beautiful island of Pohnpei, Matt was raised by matriarchs and says his childhood was rich,...
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Kumu Michelle Manu is reviving the practice of the Hawaiian combat-martial art, "Lua"
Kumu Michelle Manu teaches her students to live a life of "intentional movement". These students are learning the ancient combat martial art of Lua which was once practiced by many Hawai'ian women warriors before it went into hiding in hula dancing. By reviving this practice Kumu Michelle hopes…
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Kim Sasabone: The Vengaboys star reflects on her Moluccan roots
For millions of people around the world, Kim Sasabone needs no introduction. As the lead singer of Vengaboys, she's helped sell more than 25 million records worldwide, and the Dutch pop phenomenon's songs have filled dancefloors, wedding receptions and party playlists for nearly three decades.…
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From growing up during Fiji's coup to the Torres Strait: How comedian Jay Wymarra flipped the comedy script
A proud Gudang/Yadaykenu and Saibai man, Jay Wymarra is a hilarious comedian, fierce drag performer and self-confessed "black nerd". Born in Townsville, raised across Canberra, Fiji, and Wollongong, Jay's comedy blends sharp wit with deep love for community. From open mic's in Cairns to the…
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Maps made of memory: Kathy Martin's story of culture, identity and growing up Micronesian
For Kathy Martin, maps aren’t something you find on your phone — they’re inherited, passed down in the way your aunty cuts fish or says your name like it belongs to the land. Raised in Piis-Paneu in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, Kathy grew up knowing place wasn’t something to chart, but...
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Accidental activist Isaac Nasedra: From university mix-up to fierce Pacific political voice
Born of Fijian heritage, but raised in the heart of Western Sydney, Isaac Nasedra accidentally stumbled into environmental forensics, due to a university admissions error, only to discover a lifelong calling to protect the Pacific. From running for state parliament in a sulu, to challenging the...
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From Fiji to the Frontlines: Dr Suhailah Ali on climate justice, mental health and saving the Pacific
In this episode of Stories From the Pacific, our guest traces her journey from a curious child in Fiji — gazing out across the ocean — to a leading neuroscientist exploring how the human brain works. But for Dr Suhailah Ali, understanding the mind was only part of the story. She came to realise...
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From Captaining the PNG Kumuls to shaping the next generation
From the rugby fields of Cairns, far north QLD, to representing his country by captaining the Kumuls, Rod Griffin has carved out a career defined by resilience, leadership, and a deep commitment to giving back. A proud Papua New Guinean who made his mark in the game, Rod has played for clubs like...
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Toutai Kefu: Strength, legacy and a moment that changed rugby forever
In this episode of Stories From The Pacific, Wendy Mocke sits down with rugby icon Toutai Kefu — a powerhouse No. 8 whose story is deeply woven into Australian rugby folklore. Born into a family legacy that helped shape the game, Toutai rose from a Queensland debut sensation to a world champion,...
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Meet the man using technology to fight for his homeland's future
Aselu Vaguna O'Brien is a draftsman, climate advocate, and a man of many talents—though if you ask his friends, he's also just 'Strawberry,' the guy who won't stop talking about rugby or his love for fresh fruit. Born in Fiji and raised in Tuvalu, Aselu's journey has taken him from engineering to...
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She is not your rehab: How one barbershop sparked a global conversation for men
What if healing didn't begin with blame, but with responsibility? Matt Brown's journey from a complex childhood in Aotearoa New Zealand to a barbershop chair sparked an unexpected global movement. What began as conversations between men hiding their pain became She Is Not Your Rehab, a call for…
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Finding power in voice
This is Namila Benson as you've never heard her before. One of the few Melanesian women to occupy space on mainstream television in Australia, Namila reflects on how her voice became her power. In this powerful conversation with fellow Wantok and Stories from the Pacific host, Wendy Mocke, Namila...
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Samoan clown Tommy Misa on art, satire and finding home
On Stories From the Pacific, host Wendy Mocke sits down with the brilliant Tommy Misa, a storyteller who reminds us that some of the deepest truths arrive wrapped in laughter. From the queer bars of Sydney to the global stage of the Biennale, Tommy's work has carved out space for the misfits, the...
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From Oʻahu to Utah: Policing, Pacific values and purpose
Jennifer Faumuina leads some of America’s most demanding work - overseeing crime scene investigations and critical domestic violence programs - yet her journey into law enforcement began far from the mainland, in the tropical islands of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Now a sergeant with the Utah Department of...
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Māori Einstein Uncut: From viral cooking to culture, language and responsibility
From a sandwich‑press burger and a pair of brown tongs came a signature — and a following. Māori Einstein's fast, funny cooking has travelled from Aotearoa to Adelaide, hitting millions of feeds and landing spots on Sunrise and 7NEWS. In this episode of Stories From The Pacific, host Bobby…
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From netball courts to community power: The quiet force of Sigrid Yaru
Our guest today is someone who doesn’t just pull up a chair - she builds the table. Born in Lae, Papua New Guinea and raised in Sydney, Australia, Sigrid Yaru navigated the culture shock of a new country through the universal language of netball. What began as a way to belong has grown into a...
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From PNG village life to the IT fast lane: How Hane Kokoha reinvented herself through art
What does it take to put yourself first when you've been taught to carry everyone else? Hane Kokoha takes us from a childhood in Daru, Papua New Guinea, shaped by strict, loving grandparents and a deep "family and village" way of life, into the pressure-cooker of adulthood — a demanding career in…
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PNG theatre and storytelling: Sophie Naime and Ellen Mesibere on art, culture and leadership
In this episode of Stories from the Pacific, Wendy Mocke speaks with Dr Sophie Naime and Ellen Mesibere, two Papua New Guinean women whose lives and leadership have been shaped by theatre and storytelling. From radio dramas, church performances and folk dancing to building pathways for young...
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How wearable art designer Elayne Tukuafu challenges the "plastic Tongan" label
Elayne Tukuafu grew up being called "plastic" for not speaking her Tongan language. But as she moved through life, she reflected on how to stay connected to your culture and family in other ways — like continuing cultural traditions with creativity. Elayne traces how Pacific identity is shaped...
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How Torres Strait writer Jasmine McGaughey blends culture, identity and magic
Jasmine McGaughey is a proud Torres Strait Islander and African American writer and editor. She's the beloved co-author of tennis legend Ash Barty's Little Ash series, inspiring young readers right across the country. And her latest work, Moonlight and Dust, is a young adult fantasy novel that...
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Quayd Purcell Ah You on using dance, humour and social media to inspire Pacific creativity
Quayd Purcell Ah You is a third-generation cultural practitioner and aspiring creator from La’ie, Hawai’i. Growing up under the famous Ah You name meant navigating intense family pressure to follow the sporting path, but Quayd found his own voice on stage at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Today,...
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When the storms come: Flora Vano on women, power and preparedness in Vanuatu
Flora Vano grew up drawing courage from stories and from the women who shaped her. Later, she learned the unforgiving arithmetic of cyclones; what happens when winds rise, communications fail, and care becomes a community’s lifeline. Today, as the country manager for ActionAid Vanuatu, Flora…
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Koko Samoa: Fipe Preuss on taking risks and founding a chocolate company
Fipe Preuss is wired for the leap. At 16 she skydived without telling her parents, then learned to find calm midair, underwater, and in rooms full of people. That is the person we are meeting, the risk taker and community maker, who later co-founded Living Koko, a Melbourne chocolate company...
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From rugby star to barber: Tevita Mailau on identity, community and the iconic "horsey" haircut
He ran out in the front row for New Zealand, pulled on the red jersey for Tonga, and battled in the scrums of France — but it was his hair that made him a global icon. Tevita Mailau's legendary "horsey" haircut became part of rugby folklore: tugged at in scrums, turned into memes, and imitated by...
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Willy Missack's journey takes him from Tanna to the global stage
Willy Missack is an inspiring changemaker from Tanna, Vanuatu, whose work has reached far beyond his island home. As a PhD candidate at Victoria University of Wellington and founder of Learn to Serve: Vanuatu, Willy empowers young people to tackle climate and community challenges head-on. His...
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Kalafi Moala risked everything to tell the truth — and nearly paid the ultimate price
Kalafi Moala is a Tongan journalist, editor, and founder of the Times of Tonga newspaper, a publication dedicated to holding power to account and giving voice to the people. His fearless reporting brought him into direct conflict with the Tongan government, leading to his imprisonment and…
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Agent of change: How Samuel Gaskin is redefining representation through art
Samuel Gaskin is a Melbourne-based musician, composer, and creative producer whose work is transforming the arts. With roots in Aotearoa and Nigeria, Samuel has moved beyond chasing stardom to create spaces where communities feel seen, safe, and celebrated. His award-winning works Reckoning and...
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Palau's Yvonne Ueda on faith, conservation, community and farming dreams
To understand Yvonne Ueda's journey is to picture the weaving of a chedecholl mat — each strand a story, each imperfection a source of strength. Her life has been shaped by preparation, patience, and partnership: from a winding educational path marked by setbacks, to discovering identity through...
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From Rotuma to the deep sea: How Fijian scientist Charlene Erasito is unlocking ocean secrets
Stories From The Pacific
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Aboriginal and Tongan artist Mi-Kaisha breaks barriers in music and redefines home
Home can mean many things: the eucalyptus trees and beaches of Sydney, the chaos of New York City or the warmth of family barbecues with music and food. For Mi-Kaisha, home is both a physical place and a community that raised her. As a proud Aboriginal and Tongan artist, Mi-Kaisha's journey has...
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Michel Mulipola on the surprising link between comics, pro-wrestling and activism
Imagine failing high school on purpose — not because you couldn't succeed, but as an act of protest to defend comics as a true art form. This is exactly what Samoan artist and wrestler, Michel Mulipola did. Born and raised in South Auckland, Michel turned childhood obsessions with comics and...
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Guam filmmaker Brian Muna honours Chamoru heritage through film and personal loss
For Guam filmmaker, Brian Muna, storytelling began in a dark room — watching his mother develop photographs and later holding his first camera at juts five years old. But his most personal story came decades later, with his film Chamoru: A lost language — a work exploring identity, loss and...
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Joji Malani’s journey: Healing, Gang of Youths and a record label of his own
Imagine being a teenager stuck in a hospital bed, unable to walk for two years after major surgery, staring out at a rugby field where you once dreamed of playing. For Joji Malani, it was in this painful and isolating moment that music became a lifeline - and eventually a monument to who he is...
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From Pacific island roots to global leadership: How Rhea Moss-Christian made history in tuna fisheries
When Rhea Moss-Christian returned to the Marshall Islands in her twenties, she carried with her questions about language, belonging, and identity. Though the islands were her birthplace, she struggled to feel truly at home in a community that was part of her heritage but felt distant. Raised in...
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Fierce Fijian pride: Why Temesia Tuicaumia wears his sulu as resistence to fast fashion
From Fiji - with fierce pride and unapologetic style - comes Temesia Tuicaumia, a fashion designer, educator, and cultural influencer who's redefining what it means to wear your identity. Temesia is best known for his bold refusal to wear pants, choosing instead the traditional Fijian sulu, a...
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Fijian filmmaker Elizabeth Koroivulaono builds resilience as she drives Pacific voices into the mainstream
Meet a film producer, documentary director and visual storyteller based in Auckland, New Zealand, whose work is rooted in the heart of the Pacific. Born in Vuaki village, Yasawa, from Matuku Lau and raised in Suva, Fiji, Elizabeth Koroivulaono brings powerful authenticity to the screen, capturing...
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Melanie Kawa: PNG rugby union star makes brunch club confessions
Melanie Kawa lives and breathes rugby union. You may recognise her from her time playing on the field when she was captain of the Papua New Guinea Palais women's seven team or when she was representing the Melbourne Rebels. Melanie was also the first Papuan woman to ever play professional rugby…
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PNG filmmaker Alana Hicks talks about creative storytelling, professional liars and shapeshifting
Born in Papua New Guinea and raised in Australia, award-winning writer and filmmaker Alana Hicks has built a career weaving resilience, humour, and identity into unforgettable stories. From her prize-winning essay Medium Beige to her acclaimed short film Chicken, Alana reflects on growing up...
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PNG artist Lesley Wengembo fulfils a grandfather's prediction
When Lesley Wengembo was just 10 years old, he picked up a pencil and drew a portrait of his grandfather. His grandfather looked at it and made a prediction that would shape the young Lesley's life forever. Years later, Lesley received an invitation that could have launched his career onto the...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Stories From The Pacific have?
Stories From The Pacific currently has 144 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Stories From The Pacific about?
For centuries, Pacific Islanders have been sharing stories across the region, Stories from the Pacific honours that tradition, allowing the audience to hear in-depth personal stories from right across the Pacific.
How often does Stories From The Pacific release new episodes?
Stories From The Pacific publishes regularly with 144 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Stories From The Pacific?
You can listen to Stories From The Pacific on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Stories From The Pacific?
Stories From The Pacific is created and hosted by ABC Radio Australia.
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