Polynesia
Subregion of Oceania
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We include updates on New Zealand, Easter Island, Samoa, American Samoa, Pitcairn Islands, What We Do in the Shadows, Tuvalu, Tonga, Cook Islands, Hawaiian Islands, Niue, Norfolk Island, The Piano, Heavenly Creatures, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna ... and more.
| April 17 2025 |
Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument
President Donald Trump signed an executive order removing protected status from areas of the national monument, restoring commercial fishing access from 50 to 200 nautical miles.
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| January 2 2025 |
Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument
President Biden renamed the monument to Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, recognizing traditional voyages and cultural connections in the region.
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| 2024 |
Coming of Age in Samoa
The book 'Coming of Age in Samoa' entered the public domain in the United States.
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| 2024 | Vicky Krieps performed the song 'Jill' live in the theatre after the film screening, accompanied by New Zealand singer-songwriter Merk. |
| 2024 | The film 'Went Up the Hill' premiered as a special presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival. |
| 2024 | The film 'Went Up the Hill' is released as an Australian–New Zealand thriller drama, directed by Samuel Van Grinsven and featuring Dacre Montgomery and Vicky Krieps in lead roles. |
| 2024 |
New Zealand
New Zealand was ranked 25th in the Global Innovation Index.
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| December 2024 | Mark Mancina confirmed he will return to score the musical soundtrack for the Moana remake, continuing his involvement from the original film and its sequel. |
| November 27 2024 | Moana 2, directed by Dave G. Derrick Jr, released in theaters |
| November 22 2024 | Principal photography wrapped in Hawaii. |
| November 5 2024 | A sequel to the film Black Sheep was announced, with original director Jonathan King set to return to the project. |
| October 16 2024 |
Tuvalu
Australia handed over a Guardian-class patrol boat to Tuvalu, which was named HMTSS Te Mataili III.
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| July 29 2024 | Principal photography began in Atlanta under the working title 'Canon'. |
| June 2024 | Catherine Lagaʻaia is announced in the title role of Moana, and the main supporting cast is revealed |
| June 20 2024 | The Convert was released in Australia, expanding its international distribution. |
| April 14 2024 | The documentary 'The Lost Boys of Dilworth' premiered on TVNZ1 at 8:30 pm and was simultaneously released on TVNZ+ streaming service. |
| March 2024 |
Tokelau
99% of Freenom domains became inaccessible, significantly affecting Cloudflare-hosted domains and Tokelau's domain registration strategy.
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| March 18 2024 |
Tuvalu
Fiji Airways began additional flight service on Mondays between Nadi and Funafuti International Airport, expanding transportation options.
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| March 14 2024 | The film was released in New Zealand, showcasing the domestic premiere of the historical drama. |
| February 2024 |
Tokelau
Freenom settled the lawsuit with Meta and announced its exit from the domain business.
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| February 2024 | Dwayne Johnson confirmed that an actress had been cast in the titular role, but her identity was being kept secret. |
| January 23 2024 | Norfolk Island recorded its highest temperature on this date, marking a significant climate event for the island. |
| 2023 | Film production took place on location in New Zealand during 2023. |
| 2023 |
Films set or shot in Dunedin
Uproar was both filmed and set in Dunedin, showcasing the city's contemporary filmmaking scene.
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| 2023 |
Tonga
Bergman Gallery hosted 'Tukufakaholo, Tongan Contemporary' exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand, featuring eight prominent Tongan contemporary artists, highlighting the growing international recognition of Tongan art.
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| 2023 |
Tonga
Tonga, along with Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, launched the 'Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific', advocating for phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy.
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| 2023 | Pitcairn Islands reaches a population of 35 permanent inhabitants, continuing the legacy of the original mutineer settlers. |
| 2023 |
Meet the Feebles
Meet the Feebles received a brief cameo mention in the television series The Muppets Mayhem, with a comedic reference to Jackson and the Feebles characters.
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| 2023 |
Tuvalu
Tuvalu established a .tv unit with GoDaddy company to manage and promote its internet domain name, creating a new revenue stream.
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| 2023 |
Tuvalu
Tuvalu, along with Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu, launched the 'Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific', advocating for phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to renewable energy.
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| 2023 |
New Zealand
Census revealed a shift in religious demographics: 51.6% of population now stating no religion, and Christians decreasing to 32.3% of the population.
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| 2023 |
New Zealand
Census documents ethnic composition: 67.8% European, 17.8% Māori, 17.3% Asian, and 8.9% Pacific peoples.
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| November 2023 |
Tokelau
ICANN terminated Freenom's registrar accreditation due to unresolved breaches, impacting Tokelau's domain registration ecosystem.
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| November 27 2023 |
New Zealand
Christopher Luxon becomes the 42nd Prime Minister of New Zealand.
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| November 17 2023 | Searchlight Pictures released Next Goal Wins in theaters across the United States. |
| November 17 2023 | The Next Goal Wins feature film was released in theaters, starring Michael Fassbender as Thomas Rongen. |
| November 10 2023 |
Tuvalu
Tuvalu signs the Falepili Union treaty with Australia, addressing climate change and security, with provisions for migration and increased bilateral support.
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| November 8 2023 | Casting was suspended due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. |
| October 1 2023 |
Tuvalu
Constitutional amendments come into effect, including recognition of Falekaupule as traditional governing authorities.
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| September 2023 | Awarded the rank of knight in the Ordre national du Mérite, further recognizing her professional and cultural contributions. |
| September 10 2023 | Next Goal Wins film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, marking its first public screening. |
| September 7 2023 | The Convert premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, marking its first public screening. |
| September 5 2023 |
Tuvalu
Tuvalu's parliament passes the Constitution of Tuvalu Act 2023, introducing significant constitutional amendments.
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| August 22 2023 | A 4K UHD version of the film was released, providing the highest resolution home media version to date. |
| July 2023 | Population census recorded 11,151 inhabitants, showing a significant decline from the 14,944 residents counted in the 2003 census. |
| July 2023 |
New Zealand
New Zealand and the European Union entered into the EU–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, eliminating tariffs on several goods and reducing tariffs on meat and dairy products.
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| July 10 2023 | NZ On Air granted The Lost Boys of Dilworth documentary NZ$1,073,109 in funding, with Mark Staufer, a former Dilworth alumni and abuse victim, serving as the writer and narrator. |
| May 2023 |
Tuvalu
Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) approved AUD$21.4m to support construction of passenger and cargo facilities on Pacific Islands, including workboat harbors at Niutao and Nui.
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This contents of the box above is based on material from the Wikipedia articles Wallis and Futuna, Tuvalu, The Lost Boys of Dilworth, New Zealand, Moana (2026 film), Meet the Feebles, Samoa, List of films set or shot in Dunedin, Moana (2016 film), Pitcairn Islands, Next Goal Wins (2014 film), Coming of Age in Samoa, Went Up the Hill, Norfolk Island, The Legend of Zorro, Next Goal Wins (2023 film), Easter Island, Black Sheep (2006 New Zealand film), Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, Tonga, Aline Heitaa-Archier, The Convert & Tokelau, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.