Villages in Samoa: Lalomalava and Vaimoso Content Creator Franz Liua’ana’s story so far highlights some empowering experiences including a change in career, living in different countries, and finding what feeds his soul, to show that it’s the journey that truly matters. The 31 year-old, has been a freelance creator since 2017 and has worked as a videographer for the New Zealand Warriors and currently has a partnership with Heineken New Zealand. Liua’ana’s work is focused on capturing memories, inspirational sports content and uplifting people through awareness of mental health and making people laugh through social media. From his epic transition videos, amazing shots showing off New Zealand’s beautiful landscapes and the powerful emotion he conveys through his videos and images, Liua’ana just wants to hold a space for positivity. He’s always thinking about “how do we put New Zealand on the pedestal and push out how awesome and green it is?” He says. Describing his work, he says that it’s creative and fun. “A lot of the pieces I try to aim to send out something that’s really cool...If I can tell emotive stories through travelling New Zealand and also my interactions with sports athletes and iconic people then that’s what I’ll choose to do.” “But I think my underlying sort of drive would be telling a story from a Polynesian’s perspective without commercial value behind it. [As well as thinking about} “how do we be Taika’s of Nike and Adidas and tell stories about New Zealand.” Before all of this, Liua’ana was a rugby playing accountant. Coming out of High School, he knew he wanted to be an athlete or an artist but without any knowledge on how to get into the creative scene, he went down another route. “I think most Pacific Island parents, they kind of have a fair idea of where they want you to end up, in your work life. And I totally respect that. I’ve kind of been able to unpack that in my growing up in terms of why they wanted me to do that.” Liua’ana says that he had three career options coming out of College as he was either going to get into law, become a Doctor or get into Business. After trying law, he realised it wasn’t an industry he wanted to be in. Some of his mates were doing accounting so he followed them and moved to Australia to play rugby at the same time. While over there, he made the tough decision to walk away from rugby. “As I got older I realised that maybe rugby wasn’t the thing for me and the passion wasn’t really there...I knew that I wasn’t in the same sort of mindset or work ethic.” “In the back of your mind you always ask the question like am I really following what I want to do? Or is it just because everyone else is doing it and it’s my stereotype to be able to do it as a career?” After this, Liua’ana returned to New Zealand and found himself evaluating his options again. But this time, it was different as he’d find out that letting go of rugby was a blessing in disguise. Using his accounting skills, he started working at an accounting software company - Xero and became a manager for one of the big teams. He says he loved interacting with people and was fascinated by the work of their media team, which he remained in contact with. “Pat MacFie (former Global Director of Media at Xero) opened the door for me so he’s a big reason why I’m working in the creative scene. A few chapters in and it all kind of unfolded from that point on.” With this opportunity, Liua’ana has been able to combine his love of media creativity and his personal identity. Some of his work is influenced by his own Samoan heritage and living in Fiji, Australia and Samoa as a child. “It’s a really interesting question anytime someone asks me where I’m from, I don’t particularly know the answer to that. I always just kind of reference where I previously just came from...that was based around my upbringing. My parents both worked in the Ministry around Church. My Dad was a Pastor so my Mum and he looked after a Church called EFKS.” At 13, Liua’ana settled in Porirua, Wellington which is where he calls home. He says that being exposed to different cultures at a young age gave him perspective which has shaped him into a more conscious person. “If you can understand people on that level of culture then you can understand what makes people tick. You know what gets them going, what motivates them, and what they find appropriate in different areas.” Getting to do what he loves today hasn’t come easy and he knows there are many young Pacific Islanders out there who are storytellers at heart but may be hesitant in getting into it. “They’d be naturally good at it. In terms of pursuing it as a career, it’s more of a perception around what the industry’s like and how difficult it is. People will pursue it as a hobby but as a professional career, it’s just how do you start, what are the opportunities out there? “I think as we move on in this near future, we realise that social media plays a massive part. And it’s just up to the individual to really capitalise on what’s out there” he says. Liua’ana says there are many reasons why he’s proud to be Samoan. “I’m proud to be Samoan because I know that it could be a dying culture in language if we don’t uphold it. We’re underrepresented as well in many areas so whenever one Samoan wins or any Polynesian wins, we all win.” He also appreciates the many lessons he’s learnt that are integral parts of the culture. “I like the values we have growing up being Samoan, no matter how shy or crazy people think we are, I think the values deep down, it’s really strong, it’s very family orientated and that’s probably the biggest thing. We hold each other through that and there’s a strong bond.” His story shows that though the journey may be filled with unexpected experiences and learnings, that you'll always end up where you are meant to be. From moving country, jumping into the unknown to becoming a content creator and letting go of something he thought he’d always wanted, it was all worth it in the end. “You only know what you know. Also you don’t know what’s out there until you hear about it. And that’s kind of what it was like...finding that there’s actually a possibility of doing it, actually getting paid. It is something that's doable.” Liua’ana wants to continue to develop his skills and produce work that he’s proud of. He refers to Maori Academy Award Winner - Taika Waititi as someone he is inspired by and says that anyone in the film or creative industry wants to follow in his footsteps. As he continues to make headway, it’s a reminder that it’s never too late to pursue your goals. “It happens in most cultures as well but I know growing up Samoan, culture is really defined by family values and my grandma always used to say something like ‘you know a Samoan by the way they walk, talk, and their standards.' And you constantly get told that when you step out of line or do something that’s out of the ordinary. It’s those reasons that I’m proud to be Samoan.” Photo Credit: Supplied by Franz Liua'ana
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Villages in Samoa: Vaigaga and Matautu “There are different people, there are different ways of doing things. There’s a whole new world out there but at the end of the day we’re still connected.” Tattooed on Ashley Stanley’s arm is a Sakura which is a Japanese cherry blossom formed with Samoan designs. For Stanley, it’s a reminder of her time spent in Japan as a child and an acknowledgment of her proud Samoan roots. The bond of these two beautiful cultures along with her Niuean heritage has had a significant influence on the way she lives. For Stanley, connection is everything. It’s the pillar of storytelling that allows her to recognise those around her and understand why people are the way that they are. Stanley writes for LockerRoom which is a section of Newsroom dedicated to women in sport. She is also a reporter on Kava Bowl Media’s Pacific Brothers show and runs a sports blog called ‘Beyond the Mark’. This year she won Student Journalist at the Voyager Media Awards. From covering the Black Ferns, New Zealand’s up and coming Olympians, and pushing for equity in sport for women and Maori and Pacific Islanders, in particular, Stanley’s storytelling is truly meaningful. Often presenting people with a new perspective and showcasing her ability to relate to her subjects and audience. Perhaps this stems back to Stanley’s upbringing growing up as one of six children in a close-knit family in the East Auckland suburb of Panmure. Sport has always been a part of Stanley’s life. Her father Joe and brother Jeremy played for the All Blacks. And when she was a child, her father got a job coaching rugby in Japan which is where her family lived for five years. “You might find now with the number of Pacific players playing rugby in Japan or different countries...that their kids are gonna have similar stories potentially like ours. I think we were one of the first in Japan when professionalism was just starting out” she says. Stanley and her siblings were put into Japanese school where they learnt the language and were exposed to the unique customs. As she reflects on this experience, it taught her that though we come from different places, you don’t need to look far to find our similarities. She has the ability to shine a light on this and tell some of the most remarkable and relatable stories of athletes, coaches, and administrators. It all began with her blog that she started at the end of 2016 while working a full-time job as a Business and Communications Executive at AUT. She loved watching sport especially rugby league and her interest in the players’ personalities and life away from their code prompted her to want to know more. “I was like I wonder what they’re like off the field, and I wonder what they do…I couldn’t really find any of those answers about them in the media. It was just always about sports games. So I thought, you know what I want to try...I’m just gonna give it a go and practice what I was learning at work.” That’s where her #personbeyondtheplayer came about. “It was all about just trying to make my own decisions and try something different. I was just curious about people really...and telling people’s stories. And not telling them but trying to share them in a way that honours the person and their family” she says. With dedication to working on her new passion, her thoughtful and eloquent storytelling saw her land a role with LockerRoom in January and from there she resigned from AUT after ten years. She also left with more incredible accolades to her resume with a Bachelor of Business in Business Information Systems and Marketing, and recently a Master of Communication Studies. As a Pacific Islander in mainstream media Stanley believes it’s important to push for more stories of our people. “I think opportunities like the one that I’ve been given are really crucial in an organisation that’s considered mainstream. Being able to have those roles where there are Pacific people who are put in those positions to share or give light on more of our stories. But I don’t think there’s just one way.” In May, she wrote an opinion piece on the impacts of World Rugby Chairman - Sir Bill Beaumont’s re-election on Pacific rugby nations. It called attention to the struggles Pacific rugby players experience with less power and the impacts on them and their families because of political boardroom decisions. When no one else was talking about those realities in mainstream media, Stanley took it upon herself to add another perspective to the continued discussions. With platforms such as Coconet TV, Pacific Brothers and many social media sites, Stanley believes there are less barriers to access and convey these stories. “Now I get to choose what parts of people’s stories I write about from our chats...that’s so much power. That’s probably how I can use my voice and my platform that hopefully brings light to these topics that I’m interested in and that affect our Pacific people.” Stanley also says that having the support of LockerRoom editor Suzanne McFadden and Newsroom have helped her navigate through her early journalism career. “Suze has been amazing with helping me learn all that technical aspect of Journalism that I need and offering a different side of it. To be able to have someone to do that and have someone kindly give me their time, advice and knowledge I definitely wouldn’t have won [the Student Journalist of the Year] without her.” It’s also having McFadden’s support in writing stories not usually portrayed that has helped broaden the conversation around inclusivity and representation. Stanley believes that it’s about pushing for more stories with help from allies in the industry. Something else that isn’t always shared is the experience of learning the Samoan culture as someone born and raised in New Zealand. Stanley says that she didn’t have a “traditional fa’a Samoa (The Samoan Way) upbringing. We weren’t raised like that...there are differences and that’s not to say I’m any less. Growing up I definitely felt like that, I still even feel like that sometimes because I don’t speak Samoan or Niuean.” She admits she would feel shy or embarrassed about not being able to speak the language with the fear that people would assume that ‘well if you don’t speak it, then you’re not.” But she knows that she’s not alone with many Samoans and Pacific Islanders feeling the same way, being in New Zealand and away from the Islands for generations. At times, we may find it hard to express our different identities. But as Stanley reinforces, we all have our own challenges and triumphs and have come from different places, but nonetheless we are all one. “Our world has changed so much. Our people have come over and been influenced by so many factors. My kids being Samoan, Maori, Niuean, NZ European are going to be completely different. It doesn’t make them any less Samoan, they’re still gonna have Samoan in them but their experiences of being Samoan is going to be different as is everyone else’s.” “But I think the perfect thing about it is that they’re all gonna be connected. They’re just all gonna have really diverse and different stories…” One Samoan who everyone wants to be related to is Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Stanley says that he’s got distinctive characteristics that make him who he is. Despite also not being able to speak the language fluently and receiving criticism for it, the connection remains. “Everyone says he’s our Uncle and stuff and you know what, he probably is. As a Samoan, African American raised in America, [he’s got] a different story but he probably relates to a lot of other Samoans being raised in America and that’s okay. He advocated for Samoa in his stories and used his platform to do that...at the end of the day he would relate to someone” Stanley says. The strong family foundation that underpins Samoan culture also has a huge impact on her life. Whether it’s spending time with her family and the importance of honouring them. Though she has many awesome opportunities in sport and journalism and has achieved great things, she doesn’t go without remembering the people who have helped shape her journey. “I know I’m a small part because of my Grandparents' decisions to come here, because of all the things that my Mum and Dad decided to do...it’s small but significant.” She continues saying: “I’ve been in a very privileged position to get here...I definitely wouldn’t be here without my upbringing and the privileges we’ve been able to have because of rugby.” As Stanley maintains a strong voice and helps amplify those of others, she has displayed courage and commitment to change her career and has already made a difference in the landscape of sports media in a short time. She’s not only a tremendous example for anyone wanting to get into the industry but also for her two young children. She shows us that there’s more to someone than meets the eye and that with any chance we’re given, big or small it’s still a moment to be seen and heard. We’re all storytellers in some way and it’s not confined to writing articles. It can be displayed in so many other innovative ways. Stanley says that she loves seeing many of the young Pacific people who take part in poetry slam for example express themselves and their outstanding skills. “I feel like everyone has a different way of storytelling and there’s no right or wrong way. But I think my experiences growing up being Samoan and Pacific in New Zealand has shaped the way that I write.” The pride she has goes back to her lineage and the bonds that will last forever. Though it’s hard to find one statement that exemplifies what it means, Stanley couldn’t have said it any better. “When you’re Samoan you might feel like a small part but you’re part of something so much bigger...I’m connected to my ancestors and they’re still here with us today. That’s what being Samoan means to me.” Photo Credit: Supplied by Ashley Stanley Villages in Samoa: Saina, Lotofaga and Satapuala Savannah Tafau-Levy is a young Samoan woman who wears her culture on her sleeve. As a Communications Officer for Auckland Rugby League, she is also a former athlete who has shown hustle combined with strong Samoan values to achieve her goals. This is something the 24-year-old says began with her grandparents. “We’re such hard workers, for me personally it’s a valuable trait that I’ve picked up from my grandparents. My grandparents laid the foundation for my whole family and are part of the migrants who travelled here for a better life.” These qualities of which she has carried with her throughout her life. “I think our culture itself has given me identity, the values that have been taught such as respect and humility have helped shape who I am...You’d break your last bread with someone if you didn’t have anything else to give.” Part of this is also honouring her Samoan culture through her creativity. With so many compelling and powerful stories about culture and life to tell, Tafau-Levy believes we all have the opportunity to express ourselves and highlight the work of Pacific people. “I think this is always an important thing to do in whatever career path we are in, we should always be praising the work of our Pacific Island people...our voices are so unique but we don’t usually share. I see the stories being told as a legacy being left behind for generations to come. We’re all pioneers...it gives kids hope that they too can do anything they put their minds to.” Tafau-Levy’s own story is intriguing. At the age of 11 when she went on a school trip to meet Mike McRoberts and Hilary Barry from TV3 at the time, she knew that she wanted to get into journalism. Watching them report the news inspired her and from that moment on she has worked tenaciously towards her dream job. Tafau-Levy comes from a big family. As the eldest of five girls and the eldest grandchild on her mother’s side she knew that she had to be a good role model for her younger siblings and cousins. “I didn’t really know or understand what that looked like growing up, but I just knew I had to do my best in everything I did.” Her family lived in Brisbane, Australia before relocating to the suburb of Otara in Auckland. She received the Endeavour Scholarship for her involvement in cultural activities and tremendous academic success, and was educated at St Cuthbert’s College. Despite being part of a small group of Pacific Islanders, it gave her the opportunity to share more of her culture with her peers. Tafau-Levy graduated with a Bachelor of Media and Communications majoring in Journalism with distinction at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. While studying she remained proactive gaining valuable experience through internships with Fox Sports, Channel 7 News Sport Melbourne and the New Zealand Warriors. “To be honest, it was such a stressful, ugly yet beautiful time. Being a broke student away from my family and friends in another country was tough. In my second year I was homeless but was so thankful for the life-long friendships I made over there that two of them took me in.” She worked two jobs at Foot Locker and Nike so that she could fly back to Melbourne for big assignments. But the opportunity to work for a team that she loved and in a world-class competition was worth it. “I believe this opportunity was life-changing, it was definitely my breakthrough into the industry. I also couldn’t have been surrounded by better people at the time, especially my team. We had so much fun,” she says. Warriors PR and Communications Manager Richard Becht mentored her through the experience. The internship allowed her to learn so much more than just journalism. Tafau-Levy says “it exposed me to others in the industry. There’s a saying that who you meet could be your next employer and it was literally the case for me. I had met my current manager Corey Rosser at a press conference during my time at the Warriors not knowing that he’d be interviewing me at a job interview six months later.” This led her to her current role working for Auckland Rugby League. She’s able to show her versatility and ingenuity. The way she describes her role is like “takeaways, one day you want McDonald’s the other day you want Wendy’s.” She began taking photos and writing stories but says that “over time I also manage our social media, present the news, I’ve commentated, I create graphics and film and produce my own mini documentaries.” As well as this, she has done some commentary work with the Auckland Dream. Even with these many talents, Tafau-Levy is always looking to enhance her skills in any way she can. She started doing design and digital content and picked up the skill through watching YouTube videos. This desire to continue improving was also instilled in her from when she played sport. She represented New Zealand in the Australian under 16 State Championships in 2010. Then in 2013 she played for Samoa at the FIBA Pacific Games. Much like her Journalism journey, it took a lot of persistence. “My first trial (for New Zealand) they said I needed to get fit to have a chance, I thought that my chances were over...I was determined to get fitter. Then it all paid off in my second and third trial when I was named in the final squad.” She says that playing for Samoa was “by far the most enjoyable experience...being able to represent Samoa in any sport is a privilege in itself, I am humbly grateful to have had that opportunity.” This has helped her with her career in Communications. “I have an understanding about what it takes to get to a certain level. From fitness, skills to all-round professionalism, it’s admiring to see how far these athletes push themselves.” Despite not being on the court anymore, she loves getting to tell the great stories of so many people on and off the field. Along the way she has also had people to guide her and look to for inspiration. One person she says has helped her throughout her young career is her manager Corey. He “will think this is so cheesy but he is inspiring. He’s been a great mentor to me over the past few years. His writing for the NRL and the work he does for rugby league in general is insane. The dude isn’t loud about it either, he’s a very hard worker and with the way he pronounces Pacific Island names, during his commentary gigs he could get away with being Samoan himself.” She also admires the work of Australian sports presenter Yvonne Sampson, Katie Brown and Tanisha Stanton who work in the NRL. “Tanisha is around the same age as me, it’s cool to see other brown women in the game.” As it’s Samoan Language Week, Tafau-Levy also shared her favourite Samoan food, location and traditions. Like many it’s hard to choose just one Samoan food with all the delicious options when it comes to family gatherings. “My goodness I have so many, does a supper plate count? That usually consists of chop suey, potato salad, crab salad, BBQ and if they are the bomb, a rawfish on the side...can't forget my nana's pineapple pie and aunty's keke saina made from scratch." Lalomanu Beach is a spot that she loves to visit when in Samoa. Her favourite tradition would have to be siva Samoa (dance). “Especially at weddings for some reason, I think it’s the occasion and it’s just a beautiful part of the reception where families can come together and showcase our culture. I know for me my heart races to go up and siva to show my support for the bride and I always feel a sense of pride when doing so.” Through the many lessons and experiences Tafau-Levy has had that have impacted her career path, there’s one thing from her culture that will always remain with her wherever she goes. “I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned from being Samoan is gratitude, just being grateful for where you are in life and what you have.” Photo credit: Supplied by Savannah Tafau-Levy Villages in Samoa: Paia and Afega.
He has learnt the tricks of the trade by spending countless hours studying videography and camerawork on YouTube.
Now with the platform he has, he does a lot of sports graphics, photography and videos. With no cameras around, growing up he didn’t have any photos of himself as a baby but now he has the chance to do that for his two young sons. It’s one of the reasons why he loves what he does. As he says “every picture tells a story.” Playing rugby around the world has helped Iopu-Aso spark his creativity and shaped new perspectives. He says “playing professional rugby took me around the world. We lived in the middle of Tokyo and it was probably one of the best places for any content creator. You just walk the streets and there’s so much culture you can capture on lens and make a story out of it.” Places such as the ice cold landscapes of Vancouver or Hong Kong are also just a couple of the places he says would be awesome to catch on film. Being in these different environments has also helped to mold his own identity. No matter where he goes, family and his Samoan culture is a significant part of who he is. From enjoying his Mum’s lamb curry and sapasui to doing Samoan siva (dance) as a kid. He grew up in the central Auckland suburb of Morningside, with two older brothers and a younger sister. He remembers vividly back in High School at Mt Albert Grammar when he and his brother joined the Samoan group. “It was such a big thing to be up in the front row. I thought I was the man at doing the siva. And my brother put me in the front row and I missed three practices that week. Then we went to perform and I was the one who stuffed up most of the routine so I was put straight to the back.” It’s funny moments like this that Iopu-Aso recalls and seeing so many Samoans on a global stage that makes him proud of his heritage. Like many Samoans it’s seeing someone like the Rock or his childhood hero and former All Black Michael Jones achieving success in their respective fields. Seeing other Samoan content creators is also something Iopu-Aso feels proud of and something he believes builds a sense of community. “It’s cool you kind of band together. A lot of them come out with their own style but you all look after each other and you all kind of communicate with each other on how this is done,” he says. Some people who he has also drawn inspiration from include filmmakers and creators such as Ben Mikha, Carlin Leota, Sam Kolder and Benn TK. “Probably my number one in terms of direction and producing would definitely be someone like Tyler Perry. Just some of the stories he’s been able to produce and some of the writing of movies’ he’s done has been amazing.” Iopu-Aso says he would love to continue travelling, making innovative and meaningful work. “To be able to have my work come out on a big stage where it comes on TV during Super Bowl week. That's definitely a big goal." |
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