‘Close to Home’ podcast explores language, identity, and belonging for young Pasifika

For many young Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, language is more than words. It is identity, family and belonging.

But for many, that connection has weakened over time, shaped by migration, colonial history, growing silence between generations.

A new four-part podcast series, Close to Home, brings those conversations into the open through intimate discussions with Pacific athletes, artists, and creatives.

Instead of focusing only on success stories, the series explores what sits behind the public image: the personal journeys tied to language, culture, and community.

It looks at how people are reconnecting with who they are, and what has been lost along the way.

Through each episode, guests reflect on moments that challenged them, shaped them, and strengthened their sense of identity.

Host and director Hanalei Temese-Foliaki says Close to Home “came from a personal place.”

“As someone still navigating my own relationship with language and culture, I wanted to create space for honest conversations about identity, belonging, and what makes us who we are.”

Funded by Pacific Media Network’s Moana Reo Fund and produced by Create08 Limited, Close to Home is filmed in Tāmaki Makarau Auckland.

The first episode features former Miss Sāmoa and Miss South Pacific Islands Litara Ieremia Allan, who shares her personal journey through identity and expectation.

Close to Home gives public figures space to step away from the spotlight and speak more openly about the experiences and values that have shaped them.

Producer Antonia Utanga-Taefu says the project is about shared connection.

“Everyone's journey is different, but the search for connection is something many of us share,” Utanga-Taefu says.

“We hope these conversations help people feel a little closer to home.”

Episode One of Close to Home is available now, with new episodes released weekly on YouTube and Spotify.