Stories From The Pacific

Radio Australia

For centuries, Pacific Islanders have been sharing stories across the region, Stories from the Pacific honours that tradition, allowing the audience to hear in-depth personal stories from right across the Pacific.

  1. 5D AGO

    Kalafi Moala risked everything to tell the truth — and nearly paid the ultimate price

    Kalafi Moala is a Tongan journalist, editor, and founder of the Times of Tonga newspaper, a publication dedicated to holding power to account and giving voice to the people. His fearless reporting brought him into direct conflict with the Tongan government, leading to his imprisonment and eventual deportation from his own country. But Kalafi never gave up. He was later cleared of all charges, allowing him to return home. But there's more to Kalafi than his fight for a free press — after studying in New Zealand, he became a Christian missionary, travelling to Hawaii, Japan, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea. In this episode of Stories From the Pacific on ABC Radio Australia, he shares his journey, the challenges of journalism in the Pacific, and what it takes to stand up for democracy and the truth in the face of adversity.

    57 min

  2. 12/09/2025

    Agent of change: How Samuel Gaskin is redefining representation through art

    Samuel Gaskin is a Melbourne-based musician, composer, and creative producer whose work is transforming the arts.   With roots in Aotearoa and Nigeria, Samuel has moved beyond chasing stardom to create spaces where communities feel seen, safe, and celebrated. His award-winning works Reckoning and Aunty have redefined representation on stage, blending ancestral knowledge with pop culture flair.  In this episode of Stories From the Pacific on ABC Radio Australia, join host Bobby Macumber as she explores Samuel’s commitment to joy, healing and unapologetic visibility, and discover how his art is reshaping conversations around identity and inclusion.

    30 min

  3. 12/02/2025

    Stories From The Pacific

    Stories From The Pacific

    30 min

  4. 11/25/2025

    From Rotuma to the deep sea: How Fijian scientist Charlene Erasito is unlocking ocean secrets

    Stories From The Pacific

    30 min

  5. 11/18/2025

    Aboriginal and Tongan artist Mi-Kaisha breaks barriers in music and redefines home

    Home can mean many things: the eucalyptus trees and beaches of Sydney, the chaos of New York City or the warmth of family barbecues with music and food. For Mi-Kaisha, home is both a physical place and a community that raised her.  As a proud Aboriginal and Tongan artist, Mi-Kaisha's journey has taken her from family singalongs and NAIDOC celebrations to breaking barriers as the first Aboriginal student at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. Her music - blending pop, R&B, and cultural storytelling - carries the voices of her family and community wherever she goes.

    29 min

  6. 11/11/2025

    Michel Mulipola on the surprising link between comics, pro-wrestling and activism

    Imagine failing high school on purpose — not because you couldn't succeed, but as an act of protest to defend comics as a true art form. This is exactly what Samoan artist and wrestler, Michel Mulipola did. Born and raised in South Auckland, Michel turned childhood obsessions with comics and wrestling into a career that has spanned comics, wrestling collaborations, and nearly 20-years in the wrestling ring. Michel's art and activism are steeped in Samoan heritage, his storytelling both playful and political.  Whether behind the drawing table or under the bright lights of the ring, Michel reveals his unapologetic Pacific-creativity to ABC Radio Australia's Bobby Macumber, on Stories From The Pacific.

    37 min

  7. 11/04/2025

    Guam filmmaker Brian Muna honours Chamoru heritage through film and personal loss

    For Guam filmmaker, Brian Muna, storytelling began in a dark room — watching his mother develop photographs and later holding his first camera at juts five years old. But his most personal story came decades later, with his film Chamoru: A lost language — a work exploring identity, loss and survival. Just one day before the film's national premiere, Brian's mother passed away — forever binding the project to her memory. His story is one of contracts: of growing up under a heavy military presence while searching for his Chamoru roots, of struggling with language while being steeped in family values, and of using film as a tool to reclaim what was once fading away. Brian's journey is about turning personal grief into a cultural mission.

    30 min

  8. 10/28/2025

    Joji Malani’s journey: Healing, Gang of Youths and a record label of his own

    Imagine being a teenager stuck in a hospital bed, unable to walk for two years after major surgery, staring out at a rugby field where you once dreamed of playing.  For Joji Malani, it was in this painful and isolating moment that music became a lifeline - and eventually a monument to who he is today.   From his childhood in Fiji to global stages with Australian rock band Gang of Youths and now creating opportunities for Pacific voices through his label Broth Records, Joji's story is one of resilience, heritage, and building pathways for others.

    30 min
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About

For centuries, Pacific Islanders have been sharing stories across the region, Stories from the Pacific honours that tradition, allowing the audience to hear in-depth personal stories from right across the Pacific.

Information

  • Creator
    Radio Australia
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    107
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
  • Show Website
    Stories From The Pacific