From Ōtara in NZ to Antarctica: Pasifika youth sail on a life-changing expedition

Three Pasifika youth from Aotearoa are heading to Antarctica on a month-long expedition, carrying their cultures, communities and dreams to the icy continent while gaining leadership and life skills.

Meleki Schuster (21), Precious Tupou (18), and Josiah Tualamali’i (30) are part of the Antarctic Heritage Trust’s Inspiring Explorers™ Expeditions, which allow eight young people to experience the polar region while learning about leadership, history, and conservation.

The group departed Aotearoa on 10 January and is now sailing towards the Antarctic Peninsula after leaving Ushuaia, Argentina, crossing the Beagle Channel and entering the Drake Passage.

In a video with Island Time, Tupou, a Cook Islander from Ōtara, describes the expedition as a chance to grow and gain leadership skills.

“I’m looking forward to going to Antarctica and soaking in all the environment and the wildlife,” she says.

“But also, because this is not very normal in my family to be coming over here and travelling across the world, to show my family that there’s more out there, and for our little tamariki to take on these kinds of opportunities.”

The group sails through the Beagle Channel, the tip of South America. Photo/AHT/Mike Barber

A Tangaroa College student, Tupou has completed NCEA Level 3 and hopes to be the first in her family to attend university, planning to study nursing.

Schuster, originally from Rotorua and now studying Global Studies in Wellington, says the experience is already stretching him.

“I’m super excited to explore Antarctica and see what nature looks like when it’s untouched by humans,” he says. “I haven’t done much travel like this before, so it’s been really cool stepping outside my comfort zone, exploring and learning new things.”

Of Sāmoan and Pākehā heritage, Schuster applied after hearing from a previous participant. He described the journey as an “adventure of a lifetime” and a way to learn beyond the classroom.

Explorers Meliki Schuster (left) and Josiah Tualamali'i departing Argentina. Photo/AHT/Mike Barber

A lifelong dream realised

For Christchurch-based historian and community wellbeing leader, Tualamali’i, the journey fulfils a childhood dream.

“I’ve wanted to go to Antarctica since I was about seven,” he says. “A scientist from the United States Antarctic Program came and talked to our class. They gave me this patch and I’ve held onto it since.”

In an interview with Christchurch NZ, Tualamali’i says the expedition also allows him to reflect on Aotearoa’s responsibilities in Antarctica and bring Pacific perspectives into polar spaces.

“There’s Siale Faitotonu (MNZM), a Christchurch-Tongan educator, who went down in the 1980s to help build water reservoirs for the showers at Scott Base. No one’s written about that,” he says.

Following the legacy of explorers

The expedition involves sailing on a century-old tall ship, Bark EUROPA. Since leaving Argentina on 21 January, the team has spotted penguins and a humpback whale, completed rigging climbs, and begun safety training as part of their rotating four-hour watch shifts.

Anna Clare, Communications and Engagement Manager with the Antarctic Heritage Trust, says the programme challenges young people while teaching them about Antarctica’s exploration history and conservation.

“They will take the helm, handle sails, stand watch, and learn about navigation as part of a rotating watch system with four hours on, then eight hours off, as they cross the Drake Passage travelling to and from Antarctica,” she says in a statement.

Participants will also complete an outreach project comparing their journey with historic Antarctic expeditions and encouraging other young people to explore leadership, science and history pathways.

As the trio prepare to cross the Drake Passage, Schuster reflects on a lesson from their mentors: “One Spanish phrase we’ve learnt is qué duro. It can mean ‘that’s tough’ or ‘that’s cool’. I think it fits this experience pretty well.”

Watch Josiah Tualamali'i, Precious Tupou, and Meleki Schuster's full interview below.