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Pacific Empowerment
Pacific Empowerment Podcast was founded by a Tongan woman entrepreneur, Akanesi Kaufusi, to uplift and inspire Pacific Island people to take bold action, chase their dreams, and dream as big as they dare. This podcast challenges the limitations of traditional thinking and cultural expectations that often hold our people back. It’s a space to break free from fear, take risks, and rewrite what’s possible - no matter your background or environment. Your situation doesn’t define you. Your vision does.
Pacific Empowerment
Episode 14 - TOU'A: Women’s Testimonies from the Faikava
In this episode, we dive into the history and role of the tou‘a - women who serve kava in Tongan faikava circles, and why Tonga’s practice is different from other Pacific regions. We explore how the role connects to kinship, culture, and power, and how it has shifted over time with church influence, migration, and modern kava clubs. Most importantly, we share real testimonies from women who have served as tou‘a, bringing to light their lived experiences of dignity, pressure, and in some cases, disrespect and harm.
This is a conversation about culture, gender, and change, about breaking silence and re-imagining traditions so they uplift rather than degrade.
You can watch the video podcast on https://www.youtube.com/@pacificempowerment