Tala Pasifika - Brown Sugar

Tala Pasifika was a pioneering series of Pasifika TV dramas. One of six stories which screened in 1996, Brown Sugar is a short, upbeat tale of Tiuila (Tausili Mose) and Samuelu (Johnny Angel), two young hopefuls who meet in a music shop. Samuelu longs to be an actor, and sees his chance for fame when he meets a very forward TV producer. Tiuila belongs to an amateur vocal group who are relaxed, confident and proud of their South Auckland upbringing. They name their act Brown Sugar, before singing to a packed house. The script marked one of the earliest screen credits for Coconet creator Lisa Taouma.

So let me get this right. We need Polynesian lyrics, using Black American bass lines, but not accents, without forgetting we're women and pointing out the low economic background of our people...

– Tiuila (Tausili Mose)

Key Cast & Crew

Justine Simei-Barton

Director, Casting

Matt Bowkett

Cinematographer

David Blyth

Supervising Director

Tausili Mose

As: Tiuila

Johnny Angel (aka Johnny Eneliko Laulu)

As: Samuelu

Lisa Taouma

Writer