Fourteen years ago when I first started interviewing Pacific Island bodybuilders in New Zealand, their existence was something of a rarity. Predominantly male at that stage, many had to spend huge amounts of time persuading their church going families that bodybuilding was a worthwhile pursuit. The sport-related costs, wearing of skimpy clothes at competitions and time spent away from paid jobs gave bodybuilding a bad reputation in the eyes of their traditional families. And in their heart of hearts, nearly every Pacific parent wanted their sons to be rugby All Blacks not beefcakes.

Today though things are enormously different and there is much more acceptance of this misunderstood sport. The Pacific Island Bodybuilding Association or PIBBA is dedicated to promoting Pacific Island bodybuilding men and women. This group has been going since 1997 and is sanctioned by the NZFBB - New Zealand Federation of Bodybuilders.

PIBBA President, Esther Tofilau, says dozens of Pacific Island bodybuilders have been able to compete nationally and internationally, thanks to support from PIBBA.

"Our vision is to raise the level of self-esteem among Maori and Pacific Island bodybuilders in Aotearoa and help to promote them," says Tofilau. "We also want to give them knowledge, training skills and confidence to become world bodybuilding champions."

At the 5th Pacific Island Bodybuilding Champs held last year at the Clendon Community Centre, I was really impressed by the calibre and number of people who'd entered the competitions. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 60, with at least 20 women competing in novice and open categories.

Masters champ and grandfather, Jack Apelu, gave the crowd a huge thrill displaying his pe'a (Samoan tatoo) and making his pecs dance to his routine music. Then there was the mother of four who had a stomach flatter than a pancake and abs to die for. All her children were in the crowd gunning for her alongside her husband. It was much more of a family effort by the looks of it than just her alone, and seeing her family in the audience must have spurred her on.
 

When I went into the women's changing room later and asked how many of them had had children, probably 60% put their hand up. Seeing them made me realise how far we've come as Pacific women, because everything in our culture negates getting up on stage in front of strangers in a bikini and showing our bodies off. Even in our beauty pageants, we have to wear a lavalava in the swimwear section.

In other sections, overall 2001 Men's winner, Alifeleti Peoppord, was a dynamite to watch and Lana Anae-Ostler cut a shapely figure in the women's novice short section.

Watching the competitors up on stage, it was no surprise to me that Pacific Island bodybuilders are successful at the sport. Aside from the fact that we are genetically predisposed to building muscle mass big and fast, we are also inherent performers. Elements of sasa, siva, traditional Cook Island dance and Maori haka were incorporated into some of the routines and it was refreshing to see a posedown to the strains of contemporary Pacific music.

The highlight of the evening last year was watching US based Tongan, Tevita Aholelei pose. Aholelei is the 2000 USA NPC Heavyweight Champion and the new IFBB PRO (check out his website: www.tevitaaholelei.com). Dressed in a tapa lavalava with a fragrant flower headband, he gave an electrifying display of rippling muscles and flesh. A dedicated father and husband, Aholelei is considered one of the nice guys on the American bodybuilding circuit. Aholelei was born in Tongan but moved with his family to Hawaii and then California when he was four years old.

2001 RESULTS - PACIFIC ISLANDS BODYBUILDING CHAMPS

Teenage Men: 1st - Jacko Tasele. 2nd - Siaosi Kama. 3rd - Taliu Baice.

Junior Men: 1st - Patrick Tahana.

Junior Women: 1st - Nazmeen Nisha.

Novice Women U/52kg: 1st - Francis Curtis.

Novice Women O/57kg: 1st - Mele Paoese. 2nd - Ngametua Roberts.

Open Women O/57kg: 1st - Helen Aloiai.

Novice Men O/80kg: 1st Edgar- Vaivai. 2nd - Ofa Vatuvei. 3rd - Kupa Fifita.

Masters Figure O/35: 1st - Karen Stokes.

Open Men U/70kg: 1st - Sam Tuitama.

Open Men 70-75kg: 1st - Tony Sila. 2nd - Andrew Telea.

Masters Men O/40: 1st - Robert Robertson. 2nd - Tafa Isuitini. 3rd - Norman Tepa.

Masters Men O/50: 1st - David Barry. 2nd - Sefuluai Nonutunu. 3rd - Michael Pouhila.

Novice Men U/70kg: 1st - Sione Siale.

Novice Men 70-80kg: 1st - Willie Walker. 2nd - Michael Dolan. 3rd - Sajid Javed.

Novice Figure Short: 1st - Lana Anae-Ostler. 2nd - Angelina Fuhinui.

Novice Figure Tall: 1st - Michelle Sulivan.

Open Figure Short: 1st - Lisa Cook.

Open Men 75-80kg: 1st - Michael Lauese. 2nd - Jeff Foster. 3rd - Puia Maposua.

Open Men O/80kg: 1st - Alifeleti Peoppord. 2nd - Tevita Felipe. 3rd - Alani Latu.

Overall Womens Champs: Helen Aloiai.

Overall Mens Champs: Alifeleti Peoppord.

2002 PACIFIC ISLANDS BODYBUILDING CHAMPS. Visit website: www.pibba.org.nz for more information.

Saturday, 14th September 2002 @ The Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls Grammer, Howe Street, Newton, Auckland. Day Show starts: 9.30 am ($15); Evening Show starts: 6.30 pm ($25). Special Guest poser 2000-2001 IFBB Mr. South Pacific Overall Champion - Tony Ligaliga.
 

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