The Moanan
Episodes
Proud to be Chamorro: Micronesians & the Pacific - James Arriola
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode OverviewIn this episode, we explore indigenous approaches to behavioural health, the power of faith and culture in healing, and how Micronesia...
Nuclear Colonialism & Environmental Injustice - Vehia Wheeler
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Between the 1960s and 1990s, 193 nuclear explosions were conducted in Māohi Nui (French Polynesia) by France.In our latest episode with researcher &a...
Who is 'worthy' of receiving our cultural treasures? - Lefaoali'i Dr Dion Enari
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're joined by Lefaoali'i Dr Dion Enari - an Associate Professor from Unitec Institute of Technology, matai (chief) and sogaimiti (wearer o...
Biology for the Pacific, Health and infertility - Dr Zaramasina Clark 🇹🇴
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are releasing our final Flags of the Moana tshirt drop! Listen in to see how you can win yourself a free tee 😉 tshirts will be available via the...
Is self-care selfish?; Niue and Central Auckland; NZ-Pacific vs AUS-Pacific - Asetoa Sam Pilisi 🇳🇺
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Asetoa Sam Pilisi is a community leader and current PhD Candidate of Niuean and Samoan descent. He has done youth work and community work for many yea...
Banaba: "The land that died so that others could live" - Vaitoa Teaiwa Mallon & Hele Christopher-Ikimotu
17 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We'd love to hear from you - we have a talanoa episode coming up! Send us your written or voice recorded messages via email or instagram for us t...
“Too plastic,” connecting to culture away from home, Māori in Australia – Dr Innez Haua
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’d love to hear from you – we have a talanoa episode coming up! Send us your written or voice recorded messages via email or instagram for us to...
Western science vs indigenous knowledge, measuring Pacific ethnic identity in psychology - Dr Sam Manuela
26 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’d love to hear from you – we have a talanoa episode coming up! Send us your written or voice recorded messages via email or instagram for us to...
What’s happening in New Caledonia? - Billy Wetewea
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’d love to hear from you! We have a talanoa episode coming up! Send us your written or voice recorded messages via email or instagram for us to di...
Validating Indigenous Knowledge & Experiences in Universities - Dr Sereana Naepi
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Is University still the pathway to prosperity for our communities?How are Indigenous knowledges valued within Western Universities? Bula vinaka! In ...
Exploring vā/wa, indigenous architecture and the future of Pacific ideas - Leali’ifano Prof. Albert Refiti
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leali’ifano Prof. Albert Refiti is a Samoan academic whose work spans multiple disciplines. Originally trained in contemporary architecture, his rec...
Pacific in Australia: Western Sydney, Postcode Wars, Model Minority - Prof Jioji Ravulo
22 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Prof. Jioji Ravulo, a Fijian researcher, shares insights on supporting Pacific communities in Australia. His work covers mental health, substance use,...
Kahiki the Hawaiian Homeland & Moana Connections today - Dr Emalani Case
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do our ancestral connections mean for us today? In this EP we chat with Dr Emalani Case a Kanaka Maoli academic, activist, teacher, and writer. ...
We're back with Season 2!
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're excited to share Szn 2 with you! This a little introduction of what to expect this season. Send a textThe Moanan is not just an education...
Ancient cultural practices in the Marquesas Islands and French Polynesia - Kahu Kaiha
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Final episode for our Moanan Abroad series!This week we have Kahu Kaiha – a Tama Enana community leader, artist, cultural practitioner and polyglot ...
Pacific Megalithic Monuments, Artefacts and Identities with Elijah Lemusuifeauali'i
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What do our megalithic monuments and artefacts tell us about our past? How might these inform our present? We're joined by Elijah Lemusuifeauali...
"Being humble" & Reviving Tongan Tātatau (Tattooing) with Su'a Suluape Aisea Toetu'u
23 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to wear the tattoos/markings of your culture? What, if any, are the responsibilities to these markings? Why was Tongan tattooing los...
Moanan connections - a Cook Island perspective with Mike Tavioni
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
EP06 with Mike Tavioni A master carver, multidisciplinary artist & knowledge holder, Papa Mike shares his knowledge & insight into our ances...
Pacific Diaspora and Identity: A Deep Dive with Lana Lopesi
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
EP05 with Dr Lana Lopesi.Dr Lopesi is an Assistant Professor in the department of Indigenous Race and Ethnic Studies, University of Oregon where she t...
CHamoru carving and culture
25 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
EP04 with traditional CHamoru carver Hila’an San Nicholas Representing a new wave of young Indigenous knowledge holders, Hila’an shares ancient C...
Maluku - the Pacific peoples you haven’t heard of
18 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that one of the largest Pacific diasporas in the world are Melanesians in the Netherlands? These are the people of Maluku, who are known...
Rediscovering Wisdom: Tongan Philosophy and Cosmology with Tēvita Ka'ili
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined by Professor Tēvita O. Ka‘i, a prominent Tongan anthropologist and scholar whose work focuses on Indigenous Tongan knowledge, cultura...
Indigenous Hawaiian philosophy & history with Kalehua Krug
04 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Aloha mai kakou! Welcome to our ‘Moanan Abroad’ season. To kick off this series we have Kalehua Krug. A kumu (school principle), kakau marker (Haw...
Christianity, colonisation & indigenous spirituality (Pō Talanoa Winter)
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We hosted our Pō Talanoa Winter last month with our local community of Moanans. From Christians to Indigenous Spiritualists to Atheists, we had a ran...
FestPAC 2024 Recap (Bonus Episode)
27 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are back for a special episode!Last month we were privileged to attend The Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, Pacific Arts Festival, or FestPAC....
Pō Talanoa Autumn (Bonus Episode)
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode we share the live discussions from our Autumn Pō Talanoa event held a few weeks ago.Tune in to hear the voices of our Moanan ...
EP 10 - Q&A w Gen & Laki (The Moanan)
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our final episode for SZN 1! For this episode we asked you, our community, to send in questions & topics for us to discuss. We had a range of his...
EP 09 - Bradford Haami
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Final guest for season one!In this episode, Bradford Haami (Ngāti Awa), an accomplished author, researcher & lecturer covers a range of mātauran...
EP 08 - Manase Lua
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest this week is Manase Lua, a matāpule from his village of Vaini in the Kingdom of Tonga. A keen learner of Moanan history, a community & ...
EP 07 - Ma'ara Maeva
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Kia orana! In this episode we sat down with archeologists & cultural educator Ma’ara Maeva - a native to Mauke, Cook Islands. In our talanoa he ...
EP 06 - Daren Kamali
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Bula vinaka! This week we are joined by multi disciplinary artist Daren Kamali from Fiji who shares his knowledge and experience of the Ulucavu - the ...
EP 05 - Richard Moyle pt 2
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In part 2 of our chat with Professor Richard Moyle, he shares with us research he conducted on the island of Takū (PNG). In this episode he shares hi...
EP 04 - Richard Moyle Pt1
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We sat down with Professor Richard Moyle, an ethnomusicologist, who has spent over 50 years working in the Pacific recording music to understand its s...
EP 03 - Julia Mageʼau Gray
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Julia Mage’au Gray, a traditional skin marker (tattooist) & multidisciplinary artist from Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬...
EP 02 - Benjamin Work
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sat down with artist Benjamin Work. Raised in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland, NZ) and of Tongan and Scottish ancestry, Benjamin shares...
EP 01 - Sonny Natanielu
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we chat with Sonny Natanielu about indigenous Pacific voyaging/navigation and experiences of being Moanan in the West.Send a textThe ...
EP 00 - Introduction to The Moanan
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the Moanan Podcast! Connecting Pacific Knowledge to Pacific People. This episode is a quick introduction to who we, what we’re about and...