We acknowledge the founders of the Oamaru Pacific Islands Trust, our cultural bearers who are our kaumatua and lie at the heart of OPIT’s journey; Tima Taiti Darling and Toeafiafi Taiti. 

Tima and Toeafiafi are of Samoan descent from the villages of Vaiee, Samoa. Tima has three children and grandmother to 8.  Toeafiafi has four children, and grandmother to 5.  

It was back in 1986, these two local Pasifika women established the Ōamaru Pacific Island Cultural Group with three other Pasifika women, under the umbrella of the Ōamaru PACIFICA Women’s Branch.  This was important to preserve the values and cultural mores of Pasifika homelands, and by sheer force of generosity use them to create a better community for all.  The ‘Cultural Group’ became established as a legal entity in 1998 as the Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group Inc.

For over 36 years, their pioneering treks, sense of pride, vision and values have retained comm-UNITY at the heart of all they do.

Tima and Toe currently sit on the OPIT Governance Committee.