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AKAMA'ARA

Akama’ara is a 9-part docuseries sharing the journeys of three Pasifika families across three generations in Hawke’s Bay. KAVANA (Cook Islands), TUIMASEVE (Samoa), FAMEITAU (Tonga).

Akama’ara is a collaboration between Nevertheless and Roshysportfolio. Made with thanks to the Moana Reo Fund - Ministry for Pacific Peoples & Pacific Media Network.

Migration stories from the Pacific to Hawkes Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Coastal Aerial View

UmpaUmpa

OFFICIAL AKAMA'ARA TRAILER

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WATCH ALL AKAMA'ARA EPISODES NOW

Akama'ara – S1 EP1 Aiaikitekura Kavana (Cook Islands)

LATEST UPDATES

🎥Akama’ara premieres tonight 7PM NZT 🌎 Worldwide! You can watch all episodes through our official website which is now live!

WWW.AKAMAARA.COM

Fa’afetai tele lava, Malo aupito, Meitaki ma’ata to everyone involved with the project, especially the families. Kavana, Tuimaseve and Fameitau.

Please dont be afraid to share your thoughts with us about Akama’ara Season 1. We feel very grateful to share these beautiful stories. They are only just a glimpse into the lives of the respective families. Our Pacific ancestors are notorious for the way they navigated the oceans by the stars. Today, we navigate narratives, memories and bi-cultural worlds that often conflict and contradict, nevertheless - we are resilient and hopeful.

We are proud to present this labour of love which belongs to no one and everyone, Akama’ara.

Made with thanks to the Moana Reo Fund - @pmn.news @ministryforpacificpeoples_

🎥Akama’ara premieres tonight 7PM NZT 🌎 Worldwide! You can watch all episodes through our official website which is now live!

WWW.AKAMAARA.COM

Fa’afetai tele lava, Malo aupito, Meitaki ma’ata to everyone involved with the project, especially the families. Kavana, Tuimaseve and Fameitau.

Please dont be afraid to share your thoughts with us about Akama’ara Season 1. We feel very grateful to share these beautiful stories. They are only just a glimpse into the lives of the respective families. Our Pacific ancestors are notorious for the way they navigated the oceans by the stars. Today, we navigate narratives, memories and bi-cultural worlds that often conflict and contradict, nevertheless - we are resilient and hopeful.

We are proud to present this labour of love which belongs to no one and everyone, Akama’ara.

Made with thanks to the Moana Reo Fund - @pmn.news @ministryforpacificpeoples_

✨A week ago today - we were all anxiously awaiting the premiere of @akamaarahb! The tears just flowed and the collective pride was humbling. Our Pasifika stories deserve to be seen on all screens! Hawkes Bay is home to many Pasifika people and families. Many have come from the islands in hope for a better life.

Ill always be grateful to be a NZ born Māori AND Samoan person. Nevertheless, watching Akama’ara and hearing of the migration stories, I realised that it is possible to feel homesick for an island and culture you don’t know but are tied to by not just genealogy but generations of people.

Akama’ara has a soul of its own, a kaupapa that desires to collect, protect and share our migration stories. We feel very humbled to present Akama’ara and thank all the families involved for riding the waves of reflection and remembrance.

📸 @visualenz

✨A week ago today - we were all anxiously awaiting the premiere of @akamaarahb! The tears just flowed and the collective pride was humbling. Our Pasifika stories deserve to be seen on all screens! Hawkes Bay is home to many Pasifika people and families. Many have come from the islands in hope for a better life.

Ill always be grateful to be a NZ born Māori AND Samoan person. Nevertheless, watching Akama’ara and hearing of the migration stories, I realised that it is possible to feel homesick for an island and culture you don’t know but are tied to by not just genealogy but generations of people.

Akama’ara has a soul of its own, a kaupapa that desires to collect, protect and share our migration stories. We feel very humbled to present Akama’ara and thank all the families involved for riding the waves of reflection and remembrance.

📸 @visualenz

📸 Akama’ara Premiere - Thank you @visualenz for these beautiful photos of our premiere! Thank you to all of the beautiful people who came to support Akama’ara and especially the beautiful families. More photos to come!

📸 Akama’ara Premiere - Thank you @visualenz for these beautiful photos of our premiere! Thank you to all of the beautiful people who came to support Akama’ara and especially the beautiful families. More photos to come!

✨ Tonight is our AKAMA’ARA PREMIERE! We are looking forward to sharing this special moment with all who are able to attend.

Thank you to @cineversehastings for hosting us tonight. We have booked out all 3 cinemas with 400+ attendees expected.

🌺For all those attending tonight - Doors open from 5:30pm.

🎟 VIP / Family Ticket Holders
🍿You will collect your free popcorn + drink or ice cream on arrival
Please be seated by 6PM (Cinema 1)

🎟 Community Screening
🍿Collect your Free Popcorn and please be seated by the times below.
Cinema 2: 7PM
Cinema 3: 7:10PM

Thank you to our photographer & videographers capturing beautiful moments tonight @visualenz @crowcapturez_

Thank you to our funders @pmn.news @ministryforpacificpeoples_ for funding Akama’ara through the Moana Reo Fund.

Akama’ara will be made available to the public on Sunday 30 November through Pacific Media Network and then on our Youtube channel! Stay tuned 😊

✨ Tonight is our AKAMA’ARA PREMIERE! We are looking forward to sharing this special moment with all who are able to attend.

Thank you to @cineversehastings for hosting us tonight. We have booked out all 3 cinemas with 400+ attendees expected.

🌺For all those attending tonight - Doors open from 5:30pm.

🎟 VIP / Family Ticket Holders
🍿You will collect your free popcorn + drink or ice cream on arrival
Please be seated by 6PM (Cinema 1)

🎟 Community Screening
🍿Collect your Free Popcorn and please be seated by the times below.
Cinema 2: 7PM
Cinema 3: 7:10PM

Thank you to our photographer & videographers capturing beautiful moments tonight @visualenz @crowcapturez_

Thank you to our funders @pmn.news @ministryforpacificpeoples_ for funding Akama’ara through the Moana Reo Fund.

Akama’ara will be made available to the public on Sunday 30 November through Pacific Media Network and then on our Youtube channel! Stay tuned 😊

✨ What was it like growing up as Māori and Samoan?

Ruth Wong is the daughter of Huia and Asovale Tuimaseve. She is interviewed in Akama’ara as a second generation migrant.

Akama’ara premieres tomorrow on the 26 November 2025 at the Cineverse Theatre, Hastings.

#pacific #migration

✨ What was it like growing up as Māori and Samoan?

Ruth Wong is the daughter of Huia and Asovale Tuimaseve. She is interviewed in Akama’ara as a second generation migrant.

Akama’ara premieres tomorrow on the 26 November 2025 at the Cineverse Theatre, Hastings.

#pacific #migration

👀 Look out for our Billboards on Heretaunga Street West (across from Maccas and outside PitStop). We have two rotations playing every two minutes, starting from tomorrow! We are humbled to have our Pacific pride on display!

📍Heretaunga Street West (outside PitStop)

🙏🏽 Thanks to @vastbillboards
📸 @livvywilsonn @greymattergraphics
Design @roshysportfolio

🌺 Akama’ara is a @nevertheless_nz project, funded by the Moana Reo fund @pmn.news @ministryforpacificpeoples_

#pacific #bilboard

👀 Look out for our Billboards on Heretaunga Street West (across from Maccas and outside PitStop). We have two rotations playing every two minutes, starting from tomorrow! We are humbled to have our Pacific pride on display!

📍Heretaunga Street West (outside PitStop)

🙏🏽 Thanks to @vastbillboards
📸 @livvywilsonn @greymattergraphics
Design @roshysportfolio

🌺 Akama’ara is a @nevertheless_nz project, funded by the Moana Reo fund @pmn.news @ministryforpacificpeoples_

#pacific #bilboard

🎬 Official Akama’ara Premiere details

✨ Free Community Screening
🗓️ Wednesday 26 November 2025
⌚️7PM-8PM
📍Ciniverse Movies 126 Heretaunga Street, Hastings
🎟️ Please request tickets here tr.ee/akamaarahb (LINK IN BIO)

Limited tickets available, you can request up to 5 tickets. Once confirmed, tickets will be available for pick-up from Hastings. You will receive email confirmation.

🌎 Akama’ara will be available for viewing around the world online from ⬇️
🗓️ Sunday 30 November
📍Pacific Media Network www.pmn.co.nz

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
📸 @greymattergraphics

🎬 Official Akama’ara Premiere details

✨ Free Community Screening
🗓️ Wednesday 26 November 2025
⌚️7PM-8PM
📍Ciniverse Movies 126 Heretaunga Street, Hastings
🎟️ Please request tickets here tr.ee/akamaarahb (LINK IN BIO)

Limited tickets available, you can request up to 5 tickets. Once confirmed, tickets will be available for pick-up from Hastings. You will receive email confirmation.

🌎 Akama’ara will be available for viewing around the world online from ⬇️
🗓️ Sunday 30 November
📍Pacific Media Network www.pmn.co.nz

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
📸 @greymattergraphics

🇨🇰 Meet Crystal Kavana, a 2nd-generation Cook Islander from Hawkes Bay & daughter of Aiaikitekura Kavana.

"When mum came at 9, she was basically ridiculed for speaking the language and wasn’t allowed to speak it. Which in turn, her decision was then to not teach me". 🗣️

Crystal's story resonates with many Polynesian people across the Pacific, where language suppression has left lasting impacts.

Catch her full story in Akama'ara, premiering in November.

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_ & PMN Moana Reo Fund

🇨🇰 Meet Crystal Kavana, a 2nd-generation Cook Islander from Hawkes Bay & daughter of Aiaikitekura Kavana.

"When mum came at 9, she was basically ridiculed for speaking the language and wasn’t allowed to speak it. Which in turn, her decision was then to not teach me". 🗣️

Crystal's story resonates with many Polynesian people across the Pacific, where language suppression has left lasting impacts.

Catch her full story in Akama'ara, premiering in November.

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_ & PMN Moana Reo Fund

✨What values and traditions have you learned in your upbringing that you would like to pass down?

Crystal Kavana McGhie is the daughter of Aiaikitekura Kavana hailing from Tautu, Aitutaki - Cook Islands.

Akama’ara premieres Wednesday 26 November 25

Akama’ara project is brought to you by @nevertheless_nz and @roshysportfolio. Made with funding through the Moana Reo Fund.
@ministryforpacificpeoples_ @pmn.news

✨What values and traditions have you learned in your upbringing that you would like to pass down?

Crystal Kavana McGhie is the daughter of Aiaikitekura Kavana hailing from Tautu, Aitutaki - Cook Islands.

Akama’ara premieres Wednesday 26 November 25

Akama’ara project is brought to you by @nevertheless_nz and @roshysportfolio. Made with funding through the Moana Reo Fund.
@ministryforpacificpeoples_ @pmn.news

🇹🇴 “I think this is probably an experience that anybody that moves from the islands to New Zealand or Australia, this is an experience we probably all go through, and that’s going from family to family to family. ” - Meliano

✨ Meet Meliano & Maarateina Fameitau, sons of Maile Fameitau who is a first generation migrant from Tonga. Meliano and Maarateina reflect on their experiences as second generation, growing up mostly in Flaxmere, Hastings. They share about the culture shock moving from Auckland to Hastings and some of the challenges around holding on to the language.

Akama’ara premieres 26 November 2025.

#hawkesbay #pacific #storytelling #migration #remember #tonga

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_ @pmn.news Moana Reo Fund

🇹🇴 “I think this is probably an experience that anybody that moves from the islands to New Zealand or Australia, this is an experience we probably all go through, and that’s going from family to family to family. ” - Meliano

✨ Meet Meliano & Maarateina Fameitau, sons of Maile Fameitau who is a first generation migrant from Tonga. Meliano and Maarateina reflect on their experiences as second generation, growing up mostly in Flaxmere, Hastings. They share about the culture shock moving from Auckland to Hastings and some of the challenges around holding on to the language.

Akama’ara premieres 26 November 2025.

#hawkesbay #pacific #storytelling #migration #remember #tonga

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_ @pmn.news Moana Reo Fund

❤️‍🔥 Akama’ara - To remember. Maarateina Fameitau (Kolonga and Lapaha) reflects on his time living in the islands.

Teina is interviewed as a second generation migrant as the son of Maile Fameitau. He is interviewed with his brother and niece.

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay

📸 @greymattergraphics @livvywilsonn
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_& @pmn.news Moana Reo Fund

❤️‍🔥 Akama’ara - To remember. Maarateina Fameitau (Kolonga and Lapaha) reflects on his time living in the islands.

Teina is interviewed as a second generation migrant as the son of Maile Fameitau. He is interviewed with his brother and niece.

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay

📸 @greymattergraphics @livvywilsonn
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_& @pmn.news Moana Reo Fund

🌺 Official Akama’ara trailer. Akama’ara - “to remember”. 3 Pacific families. 3 Generations. Their migration stories from Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa to Hawkes Bay. 9-part social media docuseries produced by @nevertheless_nz and filmed/edited by @roshysportfolio .

Premieres - Wednesday 26 November 2025, Hastings.
Hastings

🙏🏽 Made with thanks to @ministryforpacificpeoples_ @pmn.news Moana Reo Fund.

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz

🌺 Official Akama’ara trailer. Akama’ara - “to remember”. 3 Pacific families. 3 Generations. Their migration stories from Tonga, Cook Islands, Samoa to Hawkes Bay. 9-part social media docuseries produced by @nevertheless_nz and filmed/edited by @roshysportfolio .

Premieres - Wednesday 26 November 2025, Hastings.
Hastings

🙏🏽 Made with thanks to @ministryforpacificpeoples_ @pmn.news Moana Reo Fund.

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz

🇹🇴Mālō e lelei. From Lapaha, Tonga to Flaxmere, Hawkes Bay - meet the inspirational matriarch, Maile Fameitau. Maile with her husband moved to NZ from the Islands in 1996 and has since raised her children and grandchildren here in Flaxmere.

🌺Maile is interviewed as the first generation migrant of her family along with two of her sons Meliano and Maarateina Fameitau. Maile’s granddaughter Sisifolau Vaitaki, daughter of her first seed Losana Fameitau Vaitaiki, is interviewed as a representative of the third generation.

Akama’ara doco premieres November 2025

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay #tonga

🎥@roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
🙏🏽@ministryforpacificpeoples_& PMN Moana Reo Fund

🇹🇴Mālō e lelei. From Lapaha, Tonga to Flaxmere, Hawkes Bay - meet the inspirational matriarch, Maile Fameitau. Maile with her husband moved to NZ from the Islands in 1996 and has since raised her children and grandchildren here in Flaxmere.

🌺Maile is interviewed as the first generation migrant of her family along with two of her sons Meliano and Maarateina Fameitau. Maile’s granddaughter Sisifolau Vaitaki, daughter of her first seed Losana Fameitau Vaitaiki, is interviewed as a representative of the third generation.

Akama’ara doco premieres November 2025

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay #tonga

🎥@roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
🙏🏽@ministryforpacificpeoples_& PMN Moana Reo Fund

🇨🇰 Aiai reflects on lessons learned growing up on the beautiful island of Aitutaki, Cook Islands.

Akama’ara means “To remember”

🌺Akama’ara project is a 9-part docuseries capturing three generations of three different Pasifika familied who have migrated from the islands to Hawkes Bay. Akamaara focuses on three families Kavana family (Cook Islands), Fameitau family (Tonga) and Tuimaseve family (Samoa). This project is made possible thanks to the MPP & PMN Moana reo fund.

#hawkesbay #pacific #quote

🇨🇰 Aiai reflects on lessons learned growing up on the beautiful island of Aitutaki, Cook Islands.

Akama’ara means “To remember”

🌺Akama’ara project is a 9-part docuseries capturing three generations of three different Pasifika familied who have migrated from the islands to Hawkes Bay. Akamaara focuses on three families Kavana family (Cook Islands), Fameitau family (Tonga) and Tuimaseve family (Samoa). This project is made possible thanks to the MPP & PMN Moana reo fund.

#hawkesbay #pacific #quote

🇨🇰Meet the beautiful Aiaikitekura Kavana hailing from the village of Tautu in Aitutaki, Cook Islands. Aiaikitekura came to Aotearoa, New Zealand in September 1966.

“We traveled to Rarotonga (from Aitutaki) and from there we boarded the cruise ship Mariposa and it took 5 days to get here”

“I actually remember the day I arrived here. I’ll never forget. I remember we’re sitting in the taxi coming down Marine Parade and I looked out and all I saw was ocean and I remember saying to myself, I don’t like this country. There was no coconut trees. There was no motus, I wasn’t seeing what I was normally see when I’m out and about, when I wake up in the morning which is a lot of trees around the place at the back of your house, at the front, wherever you look and the lagoon was a hop skip and jump away from your back door and your front door”

Aiaikitekura is interviewed with her daughter and granddaughter. Akama’ara premieres in November.

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_ & PMN Moana Reo Fund

🇨🇰Meet the beautiful Aiaikitekura Kavana hailing from the village of Tautu in Aitutaki, Cook Islands. Aiaikitekura came to Aotearoa, New Zealand in September 1966.

“We traveled to Rarotonga (from Aitutaki) and from there we boarded the cruise ship Mariposa and it took 5 days to get here”

“I actually remember the day I arrived here. I’ll never forget. I remember we’re sitting in the taxi coming down Marine Parade and I looked out and all I saw was ocean and I remember saying to myself, I don’t like this country. There was no coconut trees. There was no motus, I wasn’t seeing what I was normally see when I’m out and about, when I wake up in the morning which is a lot of trees around the place at the back of your house, at the front, wherever you look and the lagoon was a hop skip and jump away from your back door and your front door”

Aiaikitekura is interviewed with her daughter and granddaughter. Akama’ara premieres in November.

#pacific #storytelling #remember #migration #hawkesbay

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz
🙏🏽 @ministryforpacificpeoples_ & PMN Moana Reo Fund

🇼🇸 From the beautiful village of Salamumu, Samoa to the hustle and bustle of Flaxmere, Hawke’s Bay. Asovale takes us back to where it all began.

Akama’ara “To remember”. Capturing our migration stories to honour our past and embrace the future.

Akama’ara premieres Nov 2025

🙏🏽 Made possible through the Moana Reo Fund Pacific Media Network & @ministryforpacificpeoples_

🇼🇸 From the beautiful village of Salamumu, Samoa to the hustle and bustle of Flaxmere, Hawke’s Bay. Asovale takes us back to where it all began.

Akama’ara “To remember”. Capturing our migration stories to honour our past and embrace the future.

Akama’ara premieres Nov 2025

🙏🏽 Made possible through the Moana Reo Fund Pacific Media Network & @ministryforpacificpeoples_

🌺 Introducing the Akamaara project. A 9-part docuseries capturing three genereations of three different Pasifika familied who have migrated from the islands to Hawkes Bay. Akamaara focuses on three families Kavana family (Cook Islands), Fameitau family (Tonga) and Tuimaseve family (Samoa). This project is made possible thanks to the MPP & PMN Moana reo fund.

Meet Asovale Tuimaseve (also my grandfather - Shaq) ❤️‍🔥 Born in Lotofaga 1941, raised in his mothers village of Salamumu. Migrated to Hawked Bay in 1967 after marrying his Māori wife Huia Tunua from Ngāti Pōporo and Ngāti Hinemanu. They had four children. After Nanny Huia passed away he remarried Rowena Kamau. Stay tuned to hear more of his story.

Akamaara will be launching in November 2025

Big thank you to @sixoneninenz for the design ❤️‍🔥

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz

#flaxmere #hawkesbay

🌺 Introducing the Akamaara project. A 9-part docuseries capturing three genereations of three different Pasifika familied who have migrated from the islands to Hawkes Bay. Akamaara focuses on three families Kavana family (Cook Islands), Fameitau family (Tonga) and Tuimaseve family (Samoa). This project is made possible thanks to the MPP & PMN Moana reo fund.

Meet Asovale Tuimaseve (also my grandfather - Shaq) ❤️‍🔥 Born in Lotofaga 1941, raised in his mothers village of Salamumu. Migrated to Hawked Bay in 1967 after marrying his Māori wife Huia Tunua from Ngāti Pōporo and Ngāti Hinemanu. They had four children. After Nanny Huia passed away he remarried Rowena Kamau. Stay tuned to hear more of his story.

Akamaara will be launching in November 2025

Big thank you to @sixoneninenz for the design ❤️‍🔥

🎥 @roshysportfolio
🎬 @nevertheless_nz

#flaxmere #hawkesbay

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