By Leilani Sitagata

Two final-year communication studies students at Auckland University of Technology decided for their end-of-year project to film a mini documentary about what it means to be a “plastic” islander.

The television majors Elijah Fa’afiu and Jamey Bailey brought it all to life to create Plastic Polynesia.

The nickname “plastic” refers to a person who is out of touch with their culture and perhaps cannot understand or speak their language.

READ MORE Dear Heather, we’re really talented, empowered – and we’re not leeches!

The film looks at the lives of Pacific Islanders who choose to ignore or struggle to embrace their heritage and follows a student learning Samoan for the first time.

Fa’afiu says he was passionate to pursue this concept because he can relate to being “plastic”.

Plastic identity
“I identify with the term ‘plastic’ and it turns out that I’m not the only one who does,” he says.

“I wanted to explain this word and how it differentiates Pacific Islanders from each other.”

He says that over the years he has not been in touch with his Samoan and Māori heritage, and this is the case for a lot of Kiwis.

‘Disconnected from roots’
“I feel I’ve been disconnected from my roots, that wasn’t intentional – it was just how things ended up.”

Alongside Fa’afiu was producer Bailey, who was in a similar boat to him when it comes to being connected to his culture.

“I label myself as ‘plastic’ because it’s an easy scapegoat.

“I don’t speak the language, I don’t do church, I don’t do all the things I’m supposed to do.”

He says that this film was an opportunity to challenge and explore what exactly “we are meant to do”.

Part of the documentary follows university student Rashad Stanley as he undertakes the journey to learning the Samoan language.

Not knowing
This was important to Fa’afiu as he says he can relate to the experience of not knowing such a big part of his culture.

“Being born in New Zealand, my parents did take me to church and speak Samoan to me, but I never really absorbed the language.”

Plastic Polynesia also touches on the idea of how Pacific Islanders are stereotyped.

Bailey says he strongly believes this generation is the one that’s working hard to break the misconceptions surrounding all types of people.

“Growing up, the common stereotypes are that we’re only at school for the sports and music, and mainstream media has been a big part of the way Pacific Islanders are perceived.

“With Plastic Polynesia, we’re trying to break those stereotypes and show that there are Polynesians out there who are different.”

The film also includes an interview with Hibiscus and Ruthless’ Nafanuatele Lafitaga Mafaufau Peter as well as many students.

Bailey says the message is key and he hopes the audience will catch on to the importance behind the story they share.

“In terms of face value, a lot of people just see brown skin and we want to tell that stories don’t get heard.

“Our goal by the end of this is to bring awareness that we can’t keep grouping people, we’re all individual.”

Leilani Sitagata is a reporter on the Pacific Media Centre’s Pacific Media Watch freedom project.

• Plastic Polynesia will be screened during the AUT Shorts film festival being held at The Vic in Devonport on November 22

By Leilani Sitagata

Since media personality Heather Du Plessis-Allan’s “leech” comments late last month, some of New Zealand’s Pasifika community have responded with messages of empowerment.

Online platform Plantation Conversations has created a video compiled of people who were affected by what the broadcaster said.

PC co-founders Tara Leota and Torisse Laulu told Asia Pacific Report that after seeing a story about the “leech” comments they knew they had to do something.

READ MORE: Broadcaster Heather du Plessis-Alan under fire for Paciofic island ‘leeches’ claim

Leota says it was hard to swallow and she was “appalled” that Du Plessis-Allan would say that.

“We wanted to make a video that would empower our people who may have been hurt or disappointed by the words used by a woman in her position.”

The video includes short testimonials of Pasifika people celebrating their success. However, Leota says it wasn’t an easy task gathering people.

“We worked with those who were confident enough to be on camera, and coincidentally they were students.”

100,000 views plus
The video currently has more than 100,000 views on Facebook and numbers are still growing.

However, people have “misinterpreted our intentions” since only students were used.

“Degrees and academic achievement aren’t the only form of success.

“But they are symbolic to our parents and grandparents’ hard work, sacrifice and endurance.

“Without them we wouldn’t have achieved these degrees and attained good careers – so in a way we’re also celebrating our aiga.”

AUT’s Foundation Professor of Pacific Studies Tagaloatele Dr Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop, who recently retired and took up a role with the National Commission of UNESCO, says Du Plessis-Allan’s remarks were “extremely naïve, ill-informed and actually quite inflammatory”.

Tagaloatele emphasises that New Zealand is a country closely related with the Pacific Islands.

“New Zealand considers itself a region of the Pacific. She has totally underestimated and can’t understand the trust, respect, and historic ties.”

New Zealand Pacific pride
Despite Du Plessis-Allan saying Pacific Islands are “leeching” off of New Zealand, Tagaloatele still believes the country is proud of being linked to the islands.

“I think New Zealand actually takes great pride in saying that it is a Pacific nation.”

Although it has been a few weeks since the comments were made, the Pasifika community is still supporting the idea of empowerment.

Laulu says they have had an overwhelming amount of love and support both here and overseas for their video.

“Some misinformed opinions are disappointing especially when they come from your own people, but we are happy that we are seeing a healthy discussion between those who are for and against our video.”

PC have not heard about whether Du Plessis-Allan has seen their video or not, but either way they say they are not concerned.

“We aren’t bothered if she does or doesn’t watch our video, we don’t want any more attention focused on her.

“We are just happy to see our people remain resilient and uplifted. If that’s the case, then we’ve done our job.”

Leilani Sitagata is a reporter on the Pacific Media Centre’s Pacific Media Watch freedom project.

#IAmNotALeech
#WeAreNotLeeches