Red Carpet Time
Thursday, 23 March 2023 – 11:21 Red Carpet Time Recently we held a red carpet event at Event Cinemas Manukau where we invited participants in Matua ma Talavou to come along and watch a short documentary of our journey to date. It was a highlight for many as they marvelled at seeing themselves on the big screen. It was great to have our partner in this project TOA Pacific share in the evening with staff along with CEO Malia Hamani in attendance. With over 130 guests present, it was a great night filled with laughter and joy. Check our some of our photos below. For more information, email infor@villagecollective.nz.
ASB Polyfest ’24 – A Celebration of Alofa & Pasifika Pride
Sat, 23/03/2024 – 12:00 ASB Polyfest ’24 – A Celebration of Alofa & Pasifika Pride Held at Manukau Sports Bowl, 20 – 23 March 2024 Village Collective had the exciting opportunity to attend Polyfest 2024, a vibrant celebration of Pacific culture and heritage. Our team set up a colorful and welcoming booth that served as a hub for sharing information about our initiatives, resources, and programs. Through interactive displays, and engaging talanoa, we connected with our Pasifika communities around the importance of health and wellbeing, inclusivity, and healthy relationships. We were proud to have the Teu Wardrobe active throughout the festival – providing accessible clothing that our talavou could utilize. The Teu Wardrobe first and foremost champions gender-affirming clothing for our Rainbow+ community, while also helping young people access good-quality outfits for job interviews, special events, or fashion exploration – all without breaking the bank. Our Rainbow Wall was a festival favorite – a creative space that invited everyone to give and express alofa loudly for all to see! Visitors were encouraged to leave messages of love, pride, and encouragement, turning the wall into a living tapestry of color and community spirit. We also teamed up with Samoan Sefa and Drink Da Milgy, adding to the fun with drink giveaways that kept everyone refreshed and smiling throughout the week. Across all four days, our team engaged with thousands of young people, kicking off Wednesday with interactive learning activities – pulled straight from Navig8 handbook – for our out-of-Auckland students, and continuing through the weekend with meaningful talanoa and connection. A highlight of the festival was when our Talavou Village Leadership Group (TVLG) had the special opportunity to sit and talanoa with Dr Claire Achmad, the Children’s Chief Commissioner and Mana Mokopuna. Over kai and laughter, our young leaders shared their lived experiences and walked away feeling heard, valued, and inspired – a moment that beautifully embodied the spirit of Polyfest. Fa’afetai tele lava to everyone who came through, shared their stories, and celebrated Pasifika pride with us. Until next year – alofa tele and see you at the next Polyfest 2025!
Matala
Thursday, 2 October 2025 – 16:33 Matala Matala carries many beautiful meanings across the Pacific, in Tonga it speaks of blossoming, and in Samoa of opening. Flowers are gifts to the world, and so are we as Rainbow people. Like flowers, we grow, thrive, and flourish into the fullness of who we are. Through Rainbow Fale, Matala creates safe spaces in schools for Rainbow young people to feel affirmed, included, and supported. Alongside this, Matala also delivers workshops aligned to the school curriculum, helping to embed learning and awareness in ways that are meaningful and relevant for students and teachers alike. Currently active in six South Auckland schools (and having worked with over ten schools over the years), the program provides a foundation of belonging an empowerment. Young people often begin their journey with Matala, then move to Mafutaga after leaving school, and eventually join Va’hine Lei, ensuring a lifelong pathway of connection and community.
Protecting our Families: The Fa’amalu Fanau Kit
Mon, 22/09/2025 – 12:00 Protecting our Families: The Fa’amalu Fanau Kit Fa’amalu Fanau is a Pacific emergency preparedness program created to help families prepare, protect, and respond in times of crisis. “Fa’amalu” means shelter or umbrella, and “Fanau” means children. In Pasifika culture, the umbrella represents care and protection – just as a fale roof shelters the aiga (family), this resource is designed to safeguard our loved ones, especially our children. This guide focuses on building an emergency preparedness kit for your household. Having the right supplies ready can make all the difference when unexpected events happen. The resource outlines what to pack, how to keep items safe and accessible, and tips for tailoring your kit to the needs of your family. Download the full Fa’amalu Fanau Emergency Preparedness Kits guide below to start preparing your family today.
Mafutaga
Thursday, 2 October 2025 – 16:56 Mafutaga Mafutaga is a word that carries the spirit of gathering, connection, and fellowship. It reflects the strength of coming together as one, to share stories, wisdom, laughter, and support. Just as woven strands form a strong mat, our Rainbow community weaves bonds of belonging through Mafutaga. This space is designed for Pasifika Rainbow young adults who left school and are stepping into new journeys of study, work, or life. It is also a space for our Matala members still in school to come together, be surrounded by like-minded individuals, and gain a deeper sense of belonging and community. Mafutaga provides a safe and affirming environment where members can continues to be nurtured, grow in confidence, and remain connected to their wider Rainbow whanau. As part of the wider Rainbow Fale journey, many begin with Matala in schools, continue through Mafutaga as young adults, and later find connection in Va’hine Lei ensuring that at every stage of life, there is a place to belong, to flourish, and to be affirmed.
Va’hine Lei
Thursday, 2 October 2025 – 17:05 Va’hine Lei was created to connect with the older generation of the Pasifika Rainbow community, offering a safe and affirming space to relax, share food, and engage in deep talanoa. The name Va’hine Lei carries deep meaning: Va speaks to keeping the sacred and respectful space between us as a group, Hine honors women and femininity across the moana, and Lei represents flowers, symbolizing our members as gifts, the flowers we are to nature and to the world. Meeting once a month, the group nurtures belonging for those who may often feel isolated as the only Pasifika Rainbow representation in their workplaces or fields. Members come from diverse backgrounds across health and youth sectors, bringing their experiences, wisdom, and voices into a space where they can be uplifted, affirmed, and surrounded by like-minded community.
Matala Ball
Thursday, 2 October 2025 – 17:11 Matala Ball The ballroom scene and culture originated in New York in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s , where queer and trans Black and Latinx communities – excluded from mainstream pageants, created their own underground safe spaces to host ballroom competitions. In the early 2000’s, Aotearoa began to recognize this culture, and in 2013 the first official ballroom scene was established in South Auckland, Otara. Since then, the scene has grown into a thriving ballroom community across Aotearoa. Village Collective has been hosting kiki balls since 2021, and this year our aim was to host a grand Matala Ball to bring the community together once again. This event was a collaboration between Village Collective and the Aotearoa Ballroom Council, with a group from the Council selected to help plan and organize the Matala Ball. What made this ball particularly special was the ballroom workshops held the evening before, led by our international Mothers from Australia: the legendary founding Mother Ella Alexander, and Jaycee Iman, the founding of the House of Iman. The Matala Ball itself took place the following evening, showcasing eight categories that celebrated creativity, expression, and excellence within our community. The weekend of providing festivities closed with a traditional Sunday ballroom toonai (brunch), providing a final moment for everyone to connect, reflect, and say their goodbyes before departing.
Lamepa Pathways
Thursday, 2 October 2025 – 17:19 Lamepa Pathways Lamepa Pathways draws inspiration from the Samoan word Lamepa, meaning lamp or candlelight, symbolizing the light, love and acceptance brought to the many Pasifika journeys of families navigating the pathway of raising and supporting their Rainbow+ child or family member. In 2014, Village Collective released The Clearing Pathways booklet, providing a resource to support Pasifika families on their journey. Building on this foundation, Rainbow Fale envisioned a “Part 2” in the form of a docuseries, making these stories more accessible online for Pasifika young people and their families. Lamepa Pathways features five Pasifika families from across Auckland and Hamilton, capturing the richness and diversity of their cultures, identities, and experiences in raising and supporting their Rainbow+ loved ones. Snippets of these families are already available on the Village Collective and Rainbow Fale instagram pages, with the full docuseries set to be released in the near future. The series illuminates these unique journeys, offering both affirmation and guidance for families navigating similar pathways. This event was more than just a zumba class – it was a reminder that wellbeing is holistic. When we move together, share food together, and take care of our health together, we strengthen the bonds that keep our community thriving.
Zumba for Wellbeing – Moving, Learning, and Thriving Together
Saturday, 4 October 2025 – 11:59 Zumba for Wellbeing – Moving, Learning, and Thriving Together Held at Alfriston College, 16 June 2025 On a chilly June evening, Village Collective teamed up with local legend and certified Zumba instructor, Jenniene Fleming, and Alfriston College to host a special event: Zumba Community Event. This vibrant night brought together whanau, students, and community members for a celebration of movement, health and connection. Jenniene, who runs regular zumba classes at Alfriston College every Monday and Wednesday, led the session with her trademark energy and joy. Alfriston College’s student leaders also joined in, creating a welcoming and uplifting atmosphere as they danced alongside participants and encouraged everyone to get moving. While the evening was originally planned to include a formal health talk, the program pivoted to provide personalized health education woven directly into the health checks and immunization stations. In partnership with SouthPoint Family Doctors, an immunization drive was offered, with HPV, Boostrix, MMR, Meningococcal, and Flu vaccines available. Alongside this, our Pasifika Care Team – Rubashnee and Unaisi – provided free health checks, including diabetes screening and general wellbeing support, ensuring every attendee left with knowledge to strengthen their health journey. To keep spirits high in the midst of the winter chill, Village Collective provided warm koko alisa and a sausage sizzle, served throughout the evening – a simple but heartfelt way to nourish both body and soul. As an extra encouragement to prioritize health, every person who took part in a health check, updated their vaccination status, or received diabetes screening was entered into a draw to win one of three Pak’nSave grocery vouchers. Amazingly, the draw found it’s way to three wonderful mothers – each walking away with a voucher to support their families in the coming weeks. It was a heartwarming reminder that when we invest in community wellbeing, the rewards ripple out to where they are needed most. This event was more than just a zumba class – it was a reminder that wellbeing is holistic. When we move together, share food together, and take care of our health together, we strengthen the bonds that keep our community thriving.
Free Dental Day
Saturday, 4 October 2025 – 12:57 Free Dental Day Held at AUT South Campus, Manukau, 07 September 2025 On 07 September 2025, Village Collective proudly partnered with AUT Niho Ora ki Manukau (Oral Health Clinic) and Dental For All to host Free Dental Day at AUT South Campus, Manukau. The event offered no-cost dental cleanings and basic oral care to members of the community, removing barriers to essential health services and promoting confidence in wellbeing. While attendees wait for their dental appointments, our Village Collective clinicians were on-site providing free health checks and wellbeing advice – supporting participants to take a holistic approach to their health. From blood pressure monitoring to conversations around mental and physical wellbeing, our team helped ensure that everyone left the event feeling cared for, informed, and empowered. This event reflected our shared vision for a healthier Aotearoa – where oral care, physical health, and community wellbeing go hand in hand. By joining forces with AUT and Dental For All, a movement advocating for accessible dental care across the country, Village Collective helped bring practical and compassionate support to South Auckland families. Free Dental Day was more than a clinic – it was a reminder that when we remove barriers and create accessible pathways, we strengthen the hauora of our entire community.