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 25 - Letting Go of Old Traditions: From Catholic Doctrine to Pacific Practices
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In this powerful episode, Akanesi dives deep into how God has been speaking through Scripture - revealing that not all traditions passed down through generations come from Him. Using the recent Catholic shift away from the belief that Mary is “Co-Redeemer” as a starting point, she explores how even long-held religious traditions can change when they don’t align with biblical truth.
Akanesi shares a personal testimony about how God has been speaking through the exact same Scriptures again and again, revealing a powerful message for the Pacific.
This episode directly confronts harmful Pacific practices that continue to hurt families today - kava addiction, tou‘a exploitation, domestic violence, and silence around suffering. It’s a bold reminder that culture should never have more authority than Christ.
God is raising a generation that will say,
“It ends with me.”
Sign the Petition to ban tou'a and protect women and children. https://pasifikaempowerment.org/campaigns
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You can watch the video podcast on https://www.youtube.com/@pacificempowerment