Stories From The Pacific

Hina Cross was seven years old when the last of the 193 nuclear bombs was tested in French Polynesia in 1996. But she never learned about it in school. After being diagnosed leukaemia at the age of 24, Hina began to realise the full extent of the fallout.  Now an Anti-Nuclear Activist and newly appointed Member of Parliament in Tahiti, Hina aims to unveil the country’s true history and give Polynesians the chance to tell their own stories.

When Cathy Neap was growing up in the Papua New Guinean Province of Enga, girls weren’t supposed to speak up, let alone kick around a footy.  But she made it her mission to prove that if the boys could play rugby, she could too. Cathy eventually led PNG’s first national women’s NRL team to the 2017 World Cup and the side earned respect from across the country.

Jordan's been drawing since for as long as he can remember.He started by holding children's books up to the window and tracing around the images.It was then that he discovered that drawing offered him an alternate universe, in times when he needed to escape.Now in his mid-20s, Jordan is quickly becoming one of PNG's leading visual artists.

A curious child growing up, if Tarisi wasn't exploring the forest, she would be sitting in the corner reading a book. She thrived on learning new things.The first in her family to go to University, Tarisi continued her studies throughout her adult life, completing her Phd at the age of 43.The path hasn't always been straightforward, with her family relocating to New Zealand after the 2000 Military Coup in Fiji. Tarisi and her husband sought after a safer life for their two

For Andrew Kuliniasi, school and home life were tough, but from a young age, he discovered theatre and it quickly became his refuge.Writing his first play when he was just 15 years old, and now in his early 20s, Andrew has gone on to write and direct many more.The award-winning playwright and theatre director joins Bobby Macumber on Stories from the Pacific to talk about how he now has his sights set on becoming the first Papua New Guinean to win an Oscar.

Finau grew up watching her brothers play soccer from the sidelines. When they were short on players, she got to join in.As an adult, she no longer had to wait her turn. Finau went on to represent Fiji in soccer, alongside her two brothers who played soccer and rugby for Fiji. They stood side by side at the Pacific Games.It was years later that Finau saw a female referee for the first time, not realising that this was a pathway she could choose.It wasn't long before Finau switched

When Samoan-Tongan Thomas Fonua was 16, he had a life-changing decision to make.Either play for New Zealand’s under-19 rugby team, the first step towards becoming an All Black, or join Black Grace, New Zealand’s premier contemporary dance company.Thomas' dad warned him against choosing dance over rugby, fearing that people would judge him, but he chose not to take his dad’s advice and ended up touring the world as a professional dancer.Now, Thomas is better known for his drag queen

The tradition of storytelling is a huge part of life in the Pacific. Stories connect generations, bridge political differences, record histories and create community. Hosted by the warm and welcoming Bobby Macumber, Stories from the Pacific draws you deep into the lives of Pacific Islanders who have seen and done amazing things. From sports people to farmers, artists to teachers, activists to entrepreneurs, each week Stories from the Pacific brings you a unique and extraordinary