“We’re everywhere. Where we are right now doesn’t define that we have forgotten where we come from” Faalogo Tana Umaga.
In its fourth year since being elevated into the Super Rugby Pacific competition, Moana Pasifika have finally found a stadium to call home.
The North Harbour Stadium located in Albany North Shore hosted the club’s first home game in its stands last Friday, in its clash against the Highlanders.
Securing a home base has been an ongoing challenge for the club since its first season. Not only has it affected preparations by the coaches and players, but the different stadiums being used by the team failed to draw in fans and supporters.
All these frustrations were put to rest last week as the team ran out to North Harbour Stadium to the loud cheers from their fanbase. And while they suffered a close defeat, it was now certain that North Harbour Stadium is home.
“Watching our culture and seeing our people come to the ground is awesome. That’s been our best crowd since we’ve been put together” coach Faalogo Tana Umaga said when speaking to media after the match.
Fa’alogo however was also asked about their new home, and being a bit distant to South Auckland where most of the pacific community reside.
With its vibrant culture and pacific presence, South Auckland is seen as a major residence area for many Pasifika people in New Zealand.
But despite these claims, Faalogo was strong to defend their new home base in the North Shore, and highlighted that it is not the place that makes the team but the people and community who travel from wherever to support them.
“E le ole fale ae ole anofale/It is not the house, but it’s the inside and the people that make the house” (Samoan proverb)
The coach also emphasised that the choice of making North Harbour their home was due to the factor of it providing training facilities and spaces for the players to train and prepare.
“You know we’d love to be there (South Auckland) but there is nowhere we can have one place lined up for us. At this stage for now, this is where we are” Faalogo said
“We do everything we can to respect South Auckland. A lot of our players make the trip everyday. And we acknowledge that”
“For me as Pacific people, we go where we go. My parents came from Samoa, they ended up in Wellington and then came to Auckland. We’ve got people now in the Pacific who are plying their trade in France, so we’re navigators”
Faalogo also acknowledged the North Shore Pacific community. To his surprise he was pleased to find out that there is a large Pacific community living in the area.
“We had famous actor Beulah Koale who lives on this side, who then all of a sudden shows up here and goes oh nah I live out here, in fact there’s a few of us out here.
“We’re everywhere. Where we are right now doesn’t define that we have forgotten where we come from,” said Faalogo.
