In Ōtautahi, Christchurch, a small community group is redefining what learning and belonging can look like for Pacific Rainbow+ people and their families. Moana Vā, Navigators of Pacific Pride, was founded in 2022 by Vui Suli Tuitaupe, a nurse, health promoter, and fitness trainer with a passion for holistic wellbeing and community empowerment.

Vui’s work has always carried a message: health is wealth. He’s dedicated to improving health outcomes for Pacific people, addressing Rainbow+ inequities, and promoting wellness in every sense, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social.

As a Sunday school teacher, Vui saw how young Pacific Rainbow+ people struggled to find spaces of safety and understanding. He saw a lot of himself in those young people who were navigating the world carrying multiple layers of identity, being Pacific, being Rainbow, and being part of a strong faith-based community that didn’t always accept them.

What began as a conversation with his community soon grew into a movement. Within 18 months, Moana Vā had become a registered charity, a place of support, education, and connection in Ōtautahi.

At the heart of Moana Vā’s work lies a belief that education is not confined to classrooms, it happens in community, through talanoa, storytelling, and shared experience.

General Manager Lana Shields embodies this philosophy. A proud mother of a Rainbow daughter, she understands the power of learning that begins with empathy.

“Many Pacific families genuinely want to support their Rainbow whānau, they just don’t always know how,” says Lana. “Our role is to help them find that way, grounded in love, understanding, and our shared Pacific values.”

Moana Vā’s educational approach blends cultural heritage, social learning, and emotional literacy. Their signature workshops, “Ally? or Accomplice?”, invite participants to explore Pacific concepts of gender and identity, tracing the long history of sexual fluidity that existed across many island cultures before colonial influences.

These sessions are interactive, weaving discussion, and storytelling. Participants learn practical ways to be allies and supporters or, accomplices walking the talk. Each course builds confidence and understanding in ways that are deeply personal and transformative.

“The learning that happens in these sessions is quiet but powerful,” says Lana. “It’s about kindness, empathy, and learning to navigate difference with compassion.”

Many who take part in these sessions stay involved with Moana Vā, joining community events, volunteering, or simply being present for others. This ongoing participation reflects the organisation’s belief that learning is lifelong, relational, and woven into everyday life.

For Moana Vā, learning happens wherever people feel seen and supported. “Education for us is woven into talanoa and shared experience,” says Lana. “It happens in spaces of trust around food, laughter, and connection.”

The group’s reach extends beyond the Pacific community. Among their learners are four Ugandan asylum seekers, now settled in Aotearoa after Moana Vā helped them navigate the refugee process.

This inclusive philosophy is captured in their motto: “All flavours welcome.” It reflects both their cultural openness and their commitment to learning that strengthens communities rather than separating them.

Education also takes unexpected forms at Moana Vā. Their weekly “Moana Vibes” group fitness sessions are as much about connection and cultural celebration as they are about exercise. Set to Pacific music, the 45-minute classes bring together participants each week to move, sweat, and connect.

Another initiative is their hot yoga programme, taught by Aotearoa’s only Tongan yoga instructor. These free, six-week courses create a welcoming environment where learners can strengthen body, spirit, and cultural identity all at once.

Lana says the group intentionally holds sessions in spaces where people might not normally feel comfortable. “We choose venues that feel inclusive as it helps participants step into new spaces, both physically and personally.”

While Moana Vā receives no ongoing government funding, it has become a cornerstone of informal, community-led education in the Pacific Rainbow space – from digital storytelling and social media learning resources to workshops, movement classes, and wellbeing programmes.

As Lana reflects, “It’s about helping people to be who they are, to be proud, spiritual, Pacific, and accepted. We balance it all out with love and respect.”