Talofa lava, Mālō e lelei, Mālō ni, Kia orana, Ni sa bula vinaka, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Fakaaue lahi, Halo olketa, Mauri, Kia ora koutou, and warm Pacific greetings to one-and-all!
Firstly, allow me to introduce myself:
O lo'u igoa o Steve Māumālo Pēsētā ma e tupuga mai aʻu i Samoa ma Tokelau (My name is Steve Māumālo Pēsētā and I am of Samoan and Tokelauan descent); 3rd generation Samoan after my grandparents and parents (1st generation a New Zealand born Samoan); my villages are Papauta by way of my birthfather and Vailoa Faleata through my mothers’ side; both villages are on the island of Upolu, out of Apia the capital of Samoa. On my birthfathers side our Matai (Chief) title is Pēsētā and our family name is ‘Seumanutafa’. On my mothers’ side our Matai title is ‘Leota’ and our family name is ‘Wilson’. Through my mothers’ side, I descend from Tokelauan lineage by way of my great, great, great Grandfather who holds an honorary Tokelauan Chieftain title, hailing from of the Island of Nukunonu the largest of the three-atolls of Tokelau. And of course, I am a Born-and-bred Cantabrian, Black-and-Red, One-eyed, Through-in-through and hail from the Mighty East side of Ōtautahi of Aranui (A-TOWN!!!).
A big part of what has informed my youth work practice in the youth development sector here in Aotearoa over the last 30+ years, has been the privilege and blessing to work in various spaces supporting/ advocating/ mentoring young people/ youth leaders from working in i.e., community grass roots initiatives NZ-wide (Restoration House, Restoration RnB/ Hip-Hop band, Unstoppable, AFFIRM, Linwood LYFE festival, KANDU Youth Café Richmond Nelson); Pacific Youthwork Workforce Development (Pou Pasifika); Pacific and General Governance boards/ Advisory and community working groups (SPACPAC, Pegasus Health Pacific Advisory Group, Canterbury University Samoan Students Association, HYPE Youth Board); Local & Central Government agencies (Christchurch City Council youth council, CCC pacific youth forum, NZES, CYFS, Oranga Tamariki); youth justice (Kingsley, TPW, Te Poutama); NGOs (Stepping Stones Trust, Emerge Aotearoa, Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka, He Waka Tapu, Purapura Whetu Trust); Youth specific organisations (YCD, Phillipstown Community Hub/ Centre); rural communities/ regions (Hakatere, Te Tai Poutini, Tasman, Kaikōura); Primary care in the G.P, sexual health, Mental Health spaces (Comcare Trust, Hillmorton Hospital, Totara House, Three Rivers Health, HYPE Youth Health Centre, CAF), Pacific & Māori communities in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin; Sports coaching (basketball), teacher aiding (MoE), mentoring and Work-based Training in primary/ intermediate/ High schools/ wider community (Aranui Primary, Chisnallwood Intermediate, Aranui High School, Linwood High School, Wainoni school, Phillipstown school, Rudolph Steiner school, Freeville school, Linwood Intermediate, Kelston Boys, Avondale College, Tangaroa College, James Cook High, Auckland Grammar Girls Grammar, Otago Girls High school, Mosgiel Primary school, Kaiapoi High school, Careerforce); Disability space (Enabling Good Lives, Te Roopu Taurima, Special Olympics) and faith-related spaces (St Pauls Trinity Pacific, Youth For Christ Christchurch and Nelson, Scripture Union Aotearoa, Atomic Youth Café, Atomic Church Nelson, St Lukes Samoan AOG Church, Peace Chapel Porirua, Otara Baptist, Ranui Baptist, City Elim Church Wellington, Palmerston North Samoan AOG, All-Nations Church Dunedin, Faith family Fellowship Christchurch, Southern Harvest Camps, Red Line Conferences, Promise Keepers Conferences). Which brings me now to Rerenga Awa to share the love and connections that I bring to the table with a tenured perspective, intentional connectivity, and always with a culturally indigenous lens!!!
Mālo ‘aupito