Joape Nagera
Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America, Indigenous Rights & Histories in Brazil
Introduction
Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Kia Ora and warm Pacific greetings! I’m Joape Nagera, and I hail from Mualevu, Vanuabalavu, Lau, from the beautiful Islands of Fiji. I am majoring in Psychology in my second year of a Bachelor of Science degree.
I am grateful to be given the opportunity to embark on the Indigenous Rights and Histories programme in Brazil to create a community network where we exchange, learn and collaborate with each other’s ideas and experiences to improve our communities.
Aside from trying the much-anticipated selection of food and connecting with everyone, through this immersing cultural experience, I hope to discover a more profound sense of my identity as an indigenous Fijian in the diaspora.
Further, as a Psychology major, I can’t ignore the work that needs to be done to destigmatise mental health discussions, raise awareness and prevent mental health-related illnesses in our Māori and Pasifika communities and oppressed communities as an extension. Through this programme, I anticipate putting in hard work to create solutions for our people, which shall also empower a sense of identity reclamation.
I am beyond excited to take you through my journey and share my experiences.
Vinaka Vakalevu,
Joape Nagera
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“It is a double-edged sword between government desires and what your community needs”
It was really a privilege to interact with the indigenous communities. We have been generously welcomed by the native Guarani people of Boa Vista, Tekoa Kalipety, and Tekoa Yvy Para-Jaragua. The children and teenagers from their neighbourhoods sang traditional songs to welcome us at each of their doorsteps. What an honour it was to be…Continue Reading “It is a double-edged sword between government desires and what your community needs”
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My First Impression of Brazil
The idea of being tightly compressed in an aircraft for almost 24 hours isn’t appealing, but long-haul flights seem to be my thing, seeing as I developed the gift of successfully sleeping through most of the flight journey. We approach the lush greenery and specs of copper that coloured several buildings and homes below us….Continue Reading My First Impression of Brazil