Rise & Shine a light on disability and family violence
A new series of Rise and Shine Pacific Disability Resources are now launched to raise awareness of disabled people and family violence. They challenge some Pacific community attitudes towards the disabled community, addressing the stigma that sometimes leads to the physical and emotional abuse of disabled Pacific people.
Launched on the International Disabled Person’s Day, Sunday 3 December 2017, Rise & Shine is a series of personal testimony videos and a music video.
The resources aim to address the stigma that sometimes leads to the physical and emotional abuse of disabled Pacific people.
Produced by Mr Fonoti Pati Umaga of Banana Leaf 4 Productions and Kanohi ki te Kanohi, the resources had funding support from Pasefika Proud.
Marama Edwards, Group General Manager Community, Partnerships and Programmes at the Ministry of Social Development, officiated the launch.
She says Fonoti approached the Pasefika Proud team about making his idea come alive.
“Pati wanted a video to reflect the principles of Pasefika Proud and change the way people viewed and treated people with a disability. The Pasefika Proud ethos was a perfect fit,” she says.
“We agreed to find a creative medium that embraces a youth-oriented approach through music and performance with the aim of raising awareness of the issues for our disabled Pacific peoples, to break down the stereotyping and stigma in having a disability.”
The series features a song by Auckland high-schoolers Tone6 and personal testimonies from Mathew Ngametua (Cook Island), Lavinia Lovo (Samoan/Tongan) and Luhama Niu (Tongan), as well as Feagaigafou "Nainz" Tupa’i & Logovi’i Tupa’i - Members of Adeaze - with brother Larry Leatuao Tupa’i-Samuel (Samoan).
The video resources are being released on the Pasefika Proud website and Facebook page over December.
Lavinia's a living example - CLICK HERE
Rise and Shine music video - CLICK HERE
