Story by Max Aitchison For Daily Mail Australia
Seini Fale’aka Taumoepeau passed away ‘very suddenly’ aged 48 last week, according to her family.
The Tongan-Australian, who also performed under the stage name SistaNative, hosted Pacific Mornings on ABC Radio Australia.
A social media post by ABC Pacific said Ms Taumoepeau ‘paved the way for this team of Pacific people to be represented in ABC media programs’.
‘Seini will remembered and celebrated as a dedicated artist, orator, song woman and storyteller who spent over 30 years advocating for Pasifika communities and their representation in the Australian media landscape,’ the post read.
Seini Fale’aka Taumoepeau (pictured) passed away ‘very suddenly’ aged 48 last week,, according to her family© Provided by Daily Mail
She has been remembered as an ‘artist, orator, song woman and storyteller’© Provided by Daily Mail
‘Seini’s first appearance on ABC Radio Australia was as a 13-year-old on programs produced by her mother, going on to become the inaugural host of Pacific Mornings in 2018.’
‘Colleagues recall her last sign off, “I hope that ABC Radio Australia will consider replacing me with 2-5-10 more people of Pacific heritage and understanding and in doing so evolve the Australian lens of the Pacific with the great and valuable resource that is our region, inclusive of its people”.’
Ms Taumoepeau was born in Australia but spent her early childhood living with her grandparents in Tonga.
A social media post by ABC Pacific said Ms Taumoepeau (pictured) ‘paved the way for this team of Pacific people to be represented in ABC media programs’© Provided by Daily Mail
She returned to Australia aged eight.
After completing her university degree, she taught at schools in the Northern Territory and later co-founded the Pacific Wave Festival, which helped showcase the best artists from the Pacific region.
Ms Taumoepeau later landed a role as presenter for BCs PAcific Beat where she helped amplify voices from the region for an Australian audience.
A prayer vigil will be held at Croydon Park Uniting Church in Sydney’s west on Monday at 6pm and her funeral will be the following day at Newington College Chapel in the city’s inner-west at 6.30pm.
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