Tagata Pasifika - made by Pacific people, for Pacific people.
Aired on New Zealand TV since 1987, Tagata Pasfika has provided representation of Pacific people on mainstream television for the last 30 years. Tagata Pasifika provides an authentic Pacific voice, screening news and current affairs from a Pasifika perspective. Screening 9.30am every Saturday on TVNZ 1.
John Pulu
Presenter/Reporter/Director
John, or JP, is from Holopeka, Ha‘apai & Kolomotu‘a – Nuku‘alofa, Kingdom of Tonga with ties to Lau in the Fiji islands. John caught the bug for the media industry after joining Tagata Pasifika in 2005. He is particularly passionate about utilising the media as an outlet to convey the rich culture and heritage of Pacific people. “I’m a firm believer that Pacific people deserve to be served by and represented in the media, highlighting social issues affecting their community.”
Marama T-Pole
Presenter
Marama began her career at Radio 531pi and later Niu FM. She then worked as a reporter and director for Tagata Pasifika before taking up the presenter role. “I love telling our Pacific stories, and it really is a privilege to be a part of documenting our own history.”
Soana ‘Aholelei
Reporter/Director
Born in Auckland, Soana is from Kolomotu’a and Kolofo’ou in Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu. From interviewing Dames and Hollywood superstars in Aotearoa to cradling abandoned disabled children in Samoa, Soana is grateful for what these experiences have taught her.
Anauli Karima Fai’ai
Reporter/Director
Karima has been with the team since 2012 and operates on the belief that ‘there’s a story in everything’. Highlights so far include travelling on a navy ship to Tokelau and reporting on the 10th Anniversary of the Samoa Tsunami. Karima is of Samoan descent from the villages of Magiagi and Sapapali’i.
Seinafolava Sanele Chadwick
Reporter/Director – Wellington
Sanele joined the Tagata Pasifika team in 2013. Prior to this, he worked at TV3 as a 3 News reporter in Auckland. Sanele is of Samoan descent and holds the matai title Seinafolava from the village of Lano in Savai’i. He is from the villages of Afega and Lotofaga, Aleipata.
Hanalei Foliaki
Reporter/Director
Born and bred in the Western Suburbs of Auckland, Hanalei prides herself in her Samoan heritage. Her passion for visual storytelling began at 17. Now a reporter with Tagata Pasifika, Hanalei hopes to compassionately tell stories of her people in hopes to break stereotypes and create positive impact.
Ann-Tauilo Motuga
Videographer
Ann is passionate about utilising media to address and highlight the stories of our Pasifika people. She completed her Bachelor of Communication Studies at AUT in 2020, and shortly joined the team at Tagata Pasifika in 2021. She is of Samoan descent and hails from the villages of Sataoa and Sa’anapu, Upolu.
Kendall Vano
Junior Journalist
Kendall is a Pasifika storyteller of Cook Island and Tongan ethnicities. Kendall is a member of Pacific Island Screen Artists, and co-hosted a FILM / TV / pop culture podcast called Seen Anything Good Lately?
Neueli Mauafu
Junior Journalist
Neueli Mauafu was born in Christchurch, New Zealand but was raised his whole life in his home country, Samoa. As a junior journalist, Neueli believes that it is his responsibility to share our indigenous tales to the world. Outside of work, he runs a social media sports page called Sideline Samoa.
Gladys Hartson
Senior Journalist
Born in Auckland and raised in Invercargill, Gladys has over 15 years of working for Pacific Media under her belt. She first started as a daytime host on Radio 531pi Ltd. Gladys completed the Graduate Diploma of Journalism at AUT in 2010 and is a former news editor for PMN News.
Antonia Utanga
Digital Producer/ Production Manager
Antonia joined the team in 2016 and over the years, has progressed into many roles including Production Coordinator and Production Accountant for Tagata Pasifika. She has since become the Digital Producer, managing the digital platform tpplus.co.nz.
John Utanga
(News Editor) Producer
Cook Islander John Utanga’s been a journalist in New Zealand for over 30 years. He’s been with Tagata Pasifika for most of that time as a reporter and is now the news editor. John got his start in journalism as an intern on the Cook Islands News newspaper in Rarotonga before moving to New Zealand for further study and work on community newspapers in Auckland and the Coromandel. Outside of work, John’s interests include Pacific Islands politics and cycling. He is the co-author of the book ‘Patterns of The Past: Tattoo Revival In The Cook Islands’.
Ngaire Fuata
Producer
Ngaire has more than 30 years’ experience in television production and more recently film. She’s one of the founding Directors of SunPix, Producers of Tagata Pasifika and the primary digital platform tpplus.co.nz. Ngaire’s production experience expands across scripted factual to drama, having produced award-winning short films Ma and Liliu and co-produced Tusitala Media’s 26:29 supernatural episode for TVNZ 2. She was also EP on the webseries Misconceptions and Soul Sessions, and currently has three feature projects in development. Ngaire is a Pacific Music Awards Trustee and a member of the Film Auckland Board.
Taualeo’o Stephen Stehlin
Executive Producer
Stephen is almost a pensioner but there’s life in the old dog yet. He has been with the programme since its beginnings but has taken time out on other shows in the early days of Māori and Pacific Programmes. He is still trying to learn Samoan through PEC (thanks to his teacher Seumanutafa Daniel Lafaialii) and holds the title of Taualeo’o from his grandmother’s village of Sagone. He was awarded an MNZM honour for services to Pacific Arts and Television in 2008.
John Utanga
(News Editor) Producer
Cook Islander John Utanga’s been a journalist in New Zealand for over 25 years. He’s been with Tagata Pasifika for most of that time as a reporter and is now the news editor. John got his start in journalism as an intern on the Cook Islands News newspaper in Rarotonga before moving to New Zealand for further study and work on community newspapers in Auckland and the Coromandel. Outside of work, John’s interests include Pacific Islands politics and cycling. He is the co-author of the book ‘Patterns of The Past: Tattoo Revival In The Cook Islands’.
