Talei Tora on colonialism and conviction

Humanitarian Conversations

Growing up around the buzz of the Radio Fiji studios, Talei Tora is a born storyteller. As the daughter of a radio announcer, Talei learnt from an early age the importance of how a story is told—and for whom.

Fast forward to today and Talei is an extensively experienced communications expert, with more than two decades under her belt as a television and film producer, journalist and communications specialist. From her early experiences in the Fijian military, Talei transitioned her career to tell the unheard stories of her community through roles in the development sector, including as a roster member for RedR Australia.

In this episode, Sally and Talei delve into two mammoth topics affecting the Pacific—colonialism and localisation. They discuss the role of storytelling in development and the importance of silence in Pacific culture. And we get a glimpse into Talei’s not-so-secret life—as a brewer and scientist for her ginger beer business, GingerLei.

You can find out more about RedR Australia’s roster here.

You can join our conversations on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

You can read the transcript here.

Host: Sally Cunningham

Guest: Talei Tora

Producer, engineer and composer: Jill Farrar