Sunpix Awards 2023: Celebrating Pacific excellence and service to Aotearoa

The Sunpix Awards 2023 honours a variety of community leaders navigating different corners of the world to uplift all things Pacific.

Tagata Pasifika were the hosts and MCs for the night, with Marama T-Pole and John Pulu opening the formalities for the eighth Sunpix awards held at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau.

"These awards are an opportunity to celebrate and to acknowledge our Pacific peoples contribution to Aotearoa," Pulu says.

The awards began with a collage of iconic Pacific songs in which the Tipaula Family Dance Group finished the opening with a performance.

Among the performers was Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board member Lorenzo Kaisara.

"We're here tonight to celebrate your service and our service and all our achievements," Kaisara says.

Over 400 people attended the awards, which consisted of six categories for two recipients, equating to a total of twelve awards given out.

The first recipient of the Pacific Education Award by the Ministry of Education was the South Auckland Maths Challenge run by Josephina Tamatoa and Katalina Ma.

South Auckland Maths Challenge is a University initiative aiming to help prepare Māori and Pacific students excelling in mathematics to tackle regional competitions.

Katalina Ma accepting the award on behalf of her team. Photo/Eroti Navuku

"There are so many opportunities for our Pacific students that excel in sports to do so," Tamatoa says.

"But there's not many opportunities for our Pacific students that excel in maths for them to do so," she says.

"We do it because we see a need and we want students to succeed in subjects that are not necessarily easy," Katalina says.

The second recipient of the Education Award was Pacific Kids Learning, co-founded by Theresa Tupou-Sorenson, Evo Leota-Tupou and Tatiana Marich.

Pacific Kids' Learning is an Education Technology organisation focused on supporting children and their families in navigating and understanding the digital visual space.

"Cultural representation is at the core of our mission," Leota-Tupou says.

"We asked ourselves: How do we address this swiftly to ensure that our kids don't miss out?" she says.

"When government provides community funding they recognise those best placed to achieve outcomes are organisations who work with the community every day," Marich says.

"We would like to honour and acknowledge the diverse Pacific communities that have walked alongside Pacific Kids Learning over the years," says Tupuola-Sorenson.

To watch the full awards ceremony, click here.

A full list of the award winners is below:

Pacific Education Award (Ministry of Education)

• South Auckland Maths Challenge received by Josephina Tamatoa and Katalina Ma

• Pacific Kids' Learning received by Theresa Tupuola-Sorenson, Evo Leota-Tupou and Tatiana Marich

Pacific Health and Wellbeing Award (Pasifika Futures)

• Awarded to Frank Hicks, Support Worker

• Awarded to Pale Sauni, Social Worker

Pacific Enterprise Award (New Zealand Foreign Affairs & Trade)

• Tuvake Limited, received by Halaifonua Finau

• Fibre Fale, received by Julia Arnott-Neenee and Eteroa Lafaele

Pacific Emerging Leadership Award (Le Va)

• Awarded to Āniva Clarke

• Awarded to Nele Kalolo

Pacific Community Leadership Award (Ministry for Pacific Peoples)

• Awarded to Shirl'e Fruean

• Awarded to Lemalu Silao Vaisola-Sefo

Pacific Service Excellence Award (PHARMAC)

• Awarded to Analiese Robertson

• Awarded to Leaupepe Elisapeta Karalus and Leaupepe Rachel Karalus