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…
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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…