(Picture caption: Toanga O Te Moana is fundraising to attend the 2025 Te Maeva Nui Festival.)
Fuelled by passion for the Pacific, Finemoka Fotuhetule founded Taonga O Te Moana to share and nurture the culture in Northland, through dance.
Together with her three children, Finemoka teaches Pacific dance to 5–16-year-olds around the region.
“Within the space of a year and a half, we have begun to share, promote, and teach the beauty and mana of Pacific culture via dance and music to the Northland community at community events, and weekly dance classes,” Finemoka says.
Raised in Auckland and of Niuean and Cook Islands descent, Finemoka says she gladly shares her knowledge of the Pacific with anyone willing to learn.
“Not only does it bring awareness and promote Pacific cultures to the Northland community, but it connects our children and families to a Pacific initiative in the hopes of bridging the gap between themselves and their cultural identity.”
Taonga O Te Moana has had a wide-reaching impact already, sharing the diverse Pacific culture and providing a space for all children to learn, connect, belong, and create healthy long-lasting bonds with their peers, Finemoka adds.
“With limited funding, especially since the start of this year, this group continues to thrive and our families long to connect to a Pacific initiative that enriches the lives of their children every week.”
Always thinking of new ways to expand her students’ minds as well as her own, Finemoka has planned to take Taonga O Te Moana to the Cook Islands and attend the 2025 Te Maeva Nui Festival.
The festival is a week-long national culture and dance event in Rarotonga, held annually to commemorate Cook Islands independence.
“What better way is there to embrace and learn a Pacific culture than to travel to the enua or motu to see, feel, smell, hear, touch and taste the culture firsthand,” she says.
“This trip will serve to educate and upskill myself and my children in Cook Island culture, its dance, arts, crafts, and traditions.
“It will equip me with the necessary tools to teach Cook Island Ura and its meanings correctly, with conviction and confidence.”
Finemoka believes her initiative will continue to grow and envisions Taonga O Te Moana visiting a different Pacific Island every two years to attend special annual cultural events.
“We are the people of the moana - there are many islands we can visit, that we call home.”
Visit the group’s Pasifika Ambassadors of the North YouTube channel or its Facebook page for more information on how you can help the group achieve its goal to travel to the Cook Islands.