Emmaline Matagi

Emmaline is a beautiful Goddess from the land of palm trees, sugar cane and kava a.k.a. FIJI! She lives in West Auckland with her husband, three kids, sister, brother in law, dad ... the list goes on. She's a teacher with a BEd currently doing her MA in Education. You can find her usually in bed or at work - no in between.

Parents
Feb 14, 2018

Puberty Blues: A mother on the beautiful horror that is the teenage boy

Puberty: if you're parenting a teen or pre-teen, it's inescapable. Mum-of-three Emmaline Matagi gives the lowdown on how puberty has rocked her household.

Read on.

Music
Feb 7, 2018

FAFSWAG's Akashi Fisi’inaua: 'Institutions need us. And not the other way round'

Emmaline Matagi talks to Akashi Fisi’inaua (aka Queen Kapussi), Vogue Ballroom chanter and member of FAFSWAG, whose Xhrome Xhrysalis project is part of this year's Pride Festival.

Read on.

Auckland
Mar 23, 2017

Race and renting in Auckland

With the mismatch between supply and demand in some of New Zealand's main centres, finding a safe, secure rental is hard for anyone of limited means. But the ugly truth is that it is often that much harder for Pasifika and Māori.

Read on.

Parents
Feb 8, 2017

A genius in his own way: My child isn’t ‘below standard’

What do you do when your child is being graded poorly in a system that doesn't feel set up for kids like them? Emmaline Matagi writes of her hopes and dreams for a child who is smart, gentle, and 'below standard' in literacy.

Read on.

Parents
Feb 1, 2017

How to dress your Pākehā child up as Maui or Moana without appropriating Pasifika culture

Disney's Moana has been a smash hit in New Zealand. Children everywhere want to dress up as characters from the movie. So how do you let your child dress up as Maui without appropriating Pasifika cultre? It's easy - Emmaline Matagi tells you how.

Read on.

Parents
Dec 28, 2016

Representation matters: A mother talks about what Moana means to her and her daughter

Disney’s Moana has had sold-out screenings across New Zealand since its Boxing Day release. Emmaline Matagi writes about what it was like to watch the film as the mother of a child of the Pacific.

Read on.

Parents
Dec 14, 2016

Positive: A mother’s abortion story

More than 13,000 abortions were performed in New Zealand last year, yet the reasons why women have one remain largely shrouded in secrecy. If we're to have a more open discussion on the subject, we could start with the fact that most women who have an abortion already have children. Here, Auckland woman Emmaline Matagi tells her story.

Read on.

The Spinoff is made possible by the generous support of the following organisations.
Please help us by supporting them.