Moana Vā
We are a Pacific Collective addressing the need for a tangible community connection, support, advocacy, and mentorship for Pacific Rainbow LGBTQIA+ MVPFAFF+.
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Leadership- Acknowledging authentic Tagata Moana
leadership models, frameworks, approaches and terminology that will be used to support the Rainbow and wider Community in Ōtautahi.
Servant leadership in the wider context of Aotearoa and beyond.
Celebration- Moana Vā acknowledges the importance of the diverse Pacific languages, cultures, sexualities, spirituality and protocols and
will ensure these are incorporated into all of the services and functions.
Collectivism - A ‘Teu le vā’ collective and partnered approach to creating safe spaces, raising awareness and the active education,
advocacy, allyship by, with, for Tagata Moana rainbow communities.Love - A deep sense of love, manaaki and caring for our Rainbow community and the creation of spaces and places where they are
cared for and looked after.
Family - This recognises that every person belongs to a family and every family belongs to a person. Moana Vā recognises and helps the
Rainbow community navigate the vā around family, identity and belonging. We also recognise Ancestry and safe places involve
connections and kinship with whom and what has gone before us. -
Contact
For any enquiries please contact our Operations
Manager; Lana Shields:
Phone:021 416 347
Office: 2 Dundas Street DMC, Building, Level 1, Christchurch Central City,
Ōtautahi Christchurch 8011
Moana Vā - Navigators of Pacific Pride exists to uplift and empower Pacific Rainbow+ communities, including LGBTQIA+ and MVPFAFF+ identities (mahu, vakasalewa, palopa, fa’afafine, akava’ine, fakaleiti (leiti), fakafifine), in Canterbury and beyond.
We are dedicated to providing support, advocacy, and mentorship for Pacific Rainbow+ individuals while addressing the unique challenges of living in a systemically conservative region. By challenging unconscious racial bias and stereotypes, we strive to create a safe, inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
At Moana Vā, our point of difference lies in our holistic approach: we not only support Rainbow+ individuals but also extend our care to their families. We believe that by empowering families, we strengthen the foundation for acceptance, understanding, and collective growth.
While Pacific Rainbow+ communities are at the heart of our mission, we welcome everyone with open arms—because we believe in celebrating diversity in all its forms. As our motto says: “All flavours welcome.”
Through connection, storytelling, and intergenerational narratives, Moana Vā fosters resilience and inspires future allies. More than just a support network, we offer access to resources and services tailored to our community’s needs, amplifying their voices and ensuring they are seen, heard, and celebrated.
MVPFAFF+
Outside of the gender binary, there are several ways to think about gender in the Pacific. Some terms for gender identities used in the Pacific include:
M for Mahu in Tahiti and Hawai'i.
V for Vaka sa lewa lewa in Fiji.
P for Palopa in Papua New Guinea.
F for Fa'afafine and Fa'afatama in Samoa and American Samoa.
A for Akava'ine in the Cook Islands.
F for Fakaleiti or leiti in the Kingdom of Tonga.
F for Fakafifine in Niue.
-Phylesha Brown-Acton MNZM
Mission
To establish and cement our Pacific Rainbow+ communities by socialising, meeting, hosting workshops, creating relationships, building support networks and capabilities to train facilitators to educate communities of Pacific Rainbow+ pedagogies, worldviews and realities.
To provide information sessions and events to create meaningful outcomes for our communities to gather, grow and become visibly strong and resilient.
Through fellowship, connectivity, events and workshops we will be able to support our marginalised folks who sometimes feel there is no family (‘aiga / ’ānau / fāmili / magafaoa / matavuvale / whānau) for them.
Moana Vā Services
1. Advice, guidance and connection for health and wellbeing.
2.Workshops that allow collaboration for the rainbow community in Health and Well-Being, Sexual Health and Relationships and Suicide awareness.
3. Regular talanoa sessions and collaboration with other rainbow community members.
4. Parental and Aiga support and advocacy to assist with families who are seeking advice or information.
5. Health and Wellbeing programme focusing on Physical Health, Mental Health and Healthy Habits. Running in 2025 with a diverse range of activities and workshops for our Pacific Rainbow Community, their families and allies.
Support and Help Links
FAF Swag - NZ Arts Laureates & Queer Indigenous, Interdisciplinary Arts Collective - https://www.facebook.com/FafSwag
Nevertheless - Māori & Pasifika mental health and well-being services - https://neverthelessnz.com/
The Manalagi Project - Aotearoa Pacific Rainbow Health and Wellbeing Project is funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, hosted at the University of Auckland and in collaboration with F'INE Pasifika Aotearoa - https://www.manalagi.org/
Mana Tipua, Mana Ora - Enhances the hauora and mana of Takatāpui. Based in Ōtautahi/Christchurch, Mana Tipua runs kaupapa Māori social groups, noho marae, individual well-being support and community advocacy for Takatāpui/Māori LGBTQIA+ youth aged 12 - 25 years - https://www.manatipua.org/
Rainbow Creative Community - https://www.nuowtrmoanatrust.com/mvpfaff
Kimberly Grainger-James Counselling - Rainbow- and Pacific- friendly counselling services. Kimberly works face-to-face in New Brighton, and online - www.myclearhead.com/practitioners/Kimberly.Grainger-James
Iconiq legal Advocates - Advocacy and advice to the LGBTQIA+ community - https://www.iconiqlegal.com/
Sara-Rose Barnes - Trans-female counsellor with a passion for supporting the rainbow community. Her work centres on gender, mental health, addiction, relationships, and identity - Trueselftherapy@outlook.co.nz www.qtc.org.nz/sararose - 0211115709
1737 - The 1737 team provides brief counselling support, identifying key issues, helping plan some steps to take and, in many cases, connecting with more comprehensive support services available. https://1737.org.nz/
OUTLine - Support services and information for anyone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual, queer or intersex. Freephone 0800 OUTLINE (0800 688 5463)
Rainbow Youth - Provide support, information, resources & advocacy for Aotearoa’s queer, gender diverse, takatāpui and intersex youth - https://ry.org.nz/
Qtopia - Celebrate, Educate, Advocate for Rainbow Youth in NZ. https://www.qtopia.org.nz/
Inside Out - Our mission is to give rainbow young people in Aotearoa New Zealand a greater sense of safety and belonging in their schools and communities.https://insideout.org.nz/
Human Rights - Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sex Characteristics - https://www.hrc.co.nz/our-work/sogiesc/
Intersex Aotearoa - Intersex-led advocacy and support - https://www.intersexaotearoa.org/
Rainbow Path NZ - Connecting LGBTQIA+ Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Aotearoa New Zealand - https://rainbowpathnz.com/
Le Va - Support Pasifika families and communities to unleash their full potential and have the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes - https://www.leva.co.nz/
Empowered - Empowered is a free, self-paced, online course from Anxiety NZ to support your mental wellbeing - https://anxiety.org.nz/empowered
