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Vui Suli Tuitaupe

 
As a fitness trainer for the past two decades, Vui choreographed the New Zealand Exercise Awards winning Island Dance Beats, a Pacific-dance inspired group fitness class that encourages diverse participants to participate at their own pace or ability, either in the comfort of their homes or in the live class environment. The class is based on familiar island dance music to island dance moves. Vui has created an array of moves that is fun, achievable and inclusive to the needs of the class participants. The emphasis is on “hot hips and hot lips!”

Vui is also the proud founder of Moana Vā – Navigators of Pacific Pride, a collective that supports and empowers our Pacific Rainbow+ communities in Waitaha and online. Vui’s desire for Moana Vā is to enable a collective that supports, advocates, empowers, mentors, and strengthens our MVPFAFF+ LGBTQIA+ and Rainbow+ communities locally and globally.⁠ His vision is to provide a safe, respectful, inclusive, and engaging space for these communities and their families to navigate and celebrate their Pacific pride.

 

Session Description:

Thinking outside the coconut shell! Partnership with Pasifika individuals, families, and communities.

“O lou soifua maloloina lelei! - Health is wealth!”

Vui is passionate about holistic health and wellbeing, and the promotion of physical activity. As a nurse, he is committed to supporting individuals and families in their health journey, and to help inspire and motivate communities with the message ‘health is wealth’.

Vui's passion for equity stems from supporting, inspiring, and empowering families to take ownership of their health status and wellness. He is also passionate about Pacific Rainbow+ health and wellbeing. Part of his role is leading Pacific dance-inspired fitness classes to communities in accessible venues and online.

Physical activity is a crucial component of illness prevention, yet illness prevention strategies are severely “underplayed and underrated" among New Zealand's health decision-makers.

Effective health campaigns within the Pacific community must consider the cultural nuances and the holistic concepts of healthcare held within the Pacific worldview. Vui believes that this can be built on authentic relationships with communities, based on trust and respect, by offering families the right advice on illness prevention, rather than on illness cure.

“Group exercise classes create an exciting opportunity for whānau bonding and can be a salvation for people who are isolated. It's about bringing individuals and communities together when they would otherwise remain inactive at home. It's about breaking down barriers such as physical inactivity and social isolation," says Vui.

Contexts:

  • Wellbeing.
  • Identities, languages and cultures.
  • Partnerships for equity – whānau, iwi and community