S I S T E R S U N I T E D
BROWN & BEAUTIFUL
BARE & BEAUTIFUL
Photographed by Esther Pasitoa
A celebration of brown women in their purest light - unfiltered, unapologetic, and radiant. Bare and Beautiful is a visual tribute to the power of melanin. Each portrait honours the natural glow that rises from within each woman, capturing softness, strength, and confidence that comes from being authentically yourself
Punipuao Lavea
To me brown means being strong, confident and loving everything I am.. because I'm a vibe, I'm a baddie and I love every curve on my delicious brown skin.
Ashleigh Elliot
Teina & Nailah Purcell
Because we are brown, we are connected to one another, …there’s beauty in one-ness and unity between our cultures.
Our skin tells our stories, every mark, every line and every freckle is a reflection of where we’ve been and who we come from . We are living testaments of our mothers, grandmothers .. generations of powerful women
Linda- Rae Porter
Apaula Viliamu Tilialo
Swanie Nelson
To me being brown means I am the dream my matriarchs dared to imagine, their mana, their legacy, their dreams carried on my skin
Being a brown woman means knowing your worth, standing tall….showing up with confidence even when the world doesn’t support you
To me, being a brown woman means courage.
MARKED & BEAUTIFUL
Photographed by Esther Pasitoa
A tribute to the women who wear their culture on their skin - symbols of identity, legacy, and pride that speak louder than any attire ever could. Marked and Beautiful celebrates Pacific women adorned with traditional tattoos. A series that reminds us that culture isn’t defined only by what we put on but shows that to be marked is to be connected, empowered and seen.
Teesha Siale
Juney & Charmeny
Lavea
Kendal Collins
Our Tualima was designed by our Tufuga. It is a story of migration with images of fishes and birds and what makes it special is we as sisters got it together.
I have my Maori Tamoko and Tongan Tatau symmetrically done on both sides to represent my parents and my family. I want to express my culture when I do shows because I am a very proud Pacific Islander / Maori.
My tattoo tells the story of a Samoan afakasi woman finding her way home. I received it on a trip back to Samoa - a moment that marked my reconnection to culture, identity, and everything I carry with pride. It represents my journey as a daughter, a mother, a wife, and a woman continuously becoming
Charmaney Lavea
Zion Leaupepe
Charmaney & Juney Lavea
To have my malu is to have the responsibility, to have a duty as a Tamaitai Samoa to serve Samoa to its full core. What ever I do I will be serving my people and my community
My moko kauae means to me finally being proud of who I am. Growing up I struggled with who I was…finally now I can claim who I am and what I am
Our Tualima was designed by our Tufuga. It is a story of migration with images of fishes and birds and what makes it special is we as sisters got it together.
YOUNG, BOLD & BEAUTIFUL
Photographed by Maia Lusia Anitele’a
A celebration of our rising generation - young Pasifika queens standing boldly in their cultural pride capturing their beauty, identity, and the strength they carry from the villages, oceans, and legacies they come from.
Athalia Ieru
Fuianina Amelia
Nevaeh Maima Lote Vili-Tito
Talofa Lava , o Lo’u igoa o Athalia Ieru - Sioloa & I am a proud daughter of the Pacific . Something I love about myself is the way I carry kindness, loyalty and humility wherever I go, while staying confident, resilient and creative in everything I do. My Pasifika roots guide me with pride, strength & purpose
Talofa Lava, I am Fuianina Aoelua, a NZ born Samoan who is excelling academically. I lead with compassion, hope and grounded by my family values, faith values and rich cultural heritage. I am kind, confident, joyful, and my hope is to inspire young girls that despite their ethnic background or socioeconomic status, the academic space should not be something we shy away from, but something we strive for to help represent our Pacifica communities and Pacifica voices. I am proud to say I am a brown and beautiful Samoan
I am Nevaeh Maima Lote Vili-Tito, and I hail from the beautiful island of Samoa. I love that I am ‘beauty and brains’ with a compassionate heart for those around me. Most of all, I love that I am Brown and Beautiful
Devine Faye Fetauimalemau Aspinall
Grace Naepi
My name is Devine Faye Fetauimalemau Aspinall, I am a proud brown pacific woman of samoan and hawaiian descent. I love that I am comfortable in my own skin, with every flaw and imperfection and hope to influence and help other brown girls embrace that very same uniqueness about themselves
My name is Grace Michelle Senelia Naepi, and I am a young Pasifika woman carrying the legacy of my Niuean and Māori ancestors. I love to empower other young girls and lead with love and hope. I also love the beautiful long hair, my ancestors blessed me with