Fanene Peter Maivia – Son of Samoa

When an older generation of Ōtara legends come around to inspire a younger generation. That’s what you call tuakana-teina in action. Speaking words of life into young spirits today at Dawson Primary where I’m working with these children to write about inspirational Ōtarians. An architect, a Kiwi league player, a business mentor, an actor, an…

Here’s an interview I did with Radio NZ about the Silent Witnesses project: https://www.rnz.co.nz/life/people/it-was-beautiful-to-see-the-friendships-growing

Today I visited Wesley College and spoke to the students about dreaming big and how reading helps us discover amazing things about ourselves we never knew before.

I’ve been doing a project with these Writing Warriors from Dawson Primary School in Ōtara. We’re making a pukapuka together in which they star as superheroes. These tamariki are creative, clever, imaginative, inspiring!

Spent the morning at Flat Bush School with inspirational alumni Willie Maea, Samson Vaotuua, Greg Va’afusuaga, Jay Paniani and Dr Julienne Faletau as they returned to visit their old school. The Writers Group of children interviewed these tuakana for a book of inspiration that will be called Flat Bush Forever.

On Thursday I was blessed to participate in a rangatahi programme for the uri of Te Ahiwaru – Hapuu of Ihumaatao called Te Ara a Hape. This Kaupapa was designed to support rangatahi and whānau to re-engage with education and inspire their tamariki post COVID. I felt so happy for those rangatahi in the program…