Martha Metuisela was born and raised in Melbourne’s west.
But her parents are from Tonga and she feels a strong connection to the island nation and its traditions.
It was due to the pull of her ancestors that Ms Metuisela co-founded a group called Westside Pasifika about a year ago.
The group meets regularly to talk about Pacific Island culture, and members have recently started touring Brimbank schools to talk of islanders’ customs and stories.
Ms Metuisela said the Tongan community was a small, tight-knit group mostly living in Sunshine, Werribee, Point Cook and Footscray.
She said Westside Pasifika started out with just four women and had since expanded to 12 members.
“We’re basically about teaching people to feel empowered by their culture, by embracing their ancestry.”
The group is supported by Brimbank council, which organises meetings at Visy Cares Hub in Sunshine.
To be a part of Westside Pasifika, call Naomi at Brimbank Youth Services on 9249 4139.
