Blog Posts

Blog

Welcome to the inside of the mind of Alfred Tora. These blog posts are opinions, thoughts, and expressions of an aspiring thinker of things. Enjoy the reads, leave your comments, and stay positive!

VakaTabu: My Bogi Drau Experience.

After my grandmother’s funeral, I observed a traditional mourning period called bogi drau. During this time, I reflected on my appearance and societal stigma regarding unkempt hair and beards. The experience illuminated cultural insights and psychological impacts of mourning, culminating in a ceremonial lifting of the tabu that fostered communal support and healing.
Current Storytelling: Weaving Elders’ Stories Across the Pacific

In this creative storytelling project born from the Pacific Island Leaders of Tomorrow program, we set out to honor the voices of our elders—iTaukei, Samoan, and Tongan—whose memories of home, migration, and identity hold deep cultural truths. What followed was a collaboration that transformed their oral histories into digital tapa artworks and word search puzzles.
“Why Pacific Workplaces Struggle with Feedback Culture—And How to Fix It”

Pasifika businesses struggle with providing feedback. The feedback culture can sometimes feel “un-Pasifika”, abrasive, and even disrespectful. Here are some ways to make feedback more Pasifika-friendly!
What is Workplace Loneliness And How iTaukei Culture Can Counter It.

Workplace Loneliness is a silent killer that is plaguing Western offices, yet I’ve not felt that in Fiji. I attribute this to cultural values that encourage relationships.
The View From The Top – An Exercise In Stoicism

I write about an exercise that has helped me get through rough situations that I’d been sure would have ended me. Since discovering stoicism, I’ve been able to overcome negative thoughts quicker. I hope that it will help you!
An Elegy To My Grandma

The author reflects on returning to Fiji to bury their grandmother, Teisa Marama Mataika, a significant familial figure. Known for her strictness and strong values, she influenced the author’s life profoundly. Despite a rebellious youth, the author acknowledges her love and wisdom, marking her absence as deeply felt within the family.