(Closed captions will be added to this video shortly).

In 2021, Te Ngākau Kahukura hosted a series of webinars for the youth sector, sharing the expertise and lived experience of those working with and amongst rainbow rangatahi.

In our third webinar, Jono Selu from Te Ngākau Kahukura talked about Aotearoa’s Pasifika rainbow communities, the context of colonisation and its impact on rainbow communities across the Pacific, and the research (or lack of) on our rainbow Pasifika whānau.

About the presenter

Jono Selu is of Samoan, Scottish and English heritage, born and bred in West Auckland. They are a queer social activist with a particular interest in intersectionality and identity formation. Jono has a background in health promotion and education, specialising in sexual health, sexual violence prevention, sexuality and gender identity, mental health, and decolonisation. Jono has a Masters of Applied Social Work from Massey University and currently works as the Practice Lead at Te Ngākau Kahukura. In his spare time, he creates stuff!

Learn more

  • The Manalagi Project “aims to create a safe cultural research space for Pacific Rainbow+ communities to communicate their unique health and wellbeing needs.” Their website includes a repository of research and resources on rainbow Pasifika identities and experiences.

  • Jono recommended reading Our sea of islands by Epeli Hau'ofa as one starting place for thinking about Pacific experiences.

  • Village Collective provides sexual and reproductive health education for Pasifika youth. Their Rainbow Fale provides support for Pasifika Rainbow young people through mentoring, diversity groups and events. Check out their online video series Moso’oi (episode 1) (episode 2) (episode 3) (episode 4): a talanoa between Pasifika mothers and their rainbow children, and their resource Talanoa - Clearing Pathways that shares stories of rainbow Pasifika people and their families.

  • F’INE is a Pasifika organisation which provides Whānau Ora navigation support and services for Pasifika LGBTQI individuals and their families in the Auckland region. They provide navigational support to fanau aspiring and working towards self-determined goals.