The Unapologetic Path: Redefining Success as a Woman of Color

Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. For women of Polynesian descent – from Samoa and Tonga to Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, and Aotearoa – success often means being unapologetically true to oneself and one’s heritage. These women are challenging mainstream notions of achievement. Instead of simply climbing corporate ladders or conforming to others’ expectations, they are forging paths that honor their culture, community, and identity. From boardrooms to art studios and from healing halls to government offices, they carry ancestral values with them. Their journeys show that success can be redefined as community impact, cultural pride, and personal authenticity. Each story is a testament to resilience – a refusal to shrink one’s identity to fit into molds that don’t accommodate the richness of who they are.

Rooted in Culture, Rising in Success

An elder Pacific Island woman prepares pandanus leaves for weaving, a cultural practice passed down through generations.
In many Polynesian communities, true success is deeply rooted in cultural heritage. Often, it’s measured not by individual accolades but by what one gives back to their people. For example, in Samoa, women like Adimaimalaga “Adi” Tafuna’i have built thriving initiatives by harnessing tradition. Adi co-founded Women in Business Development Inc. (WIBDI) nearly 30 years ago to support rural families. Through projects like organic farming and fine-mat weaving, she helped 150 villages create sustainable incomes while preserving age-old practices. Her approach reframed “business success” as uplifting the community – proving that empowering others can be as important as profit. This communal mindset is shared by Emeline Afeaki-Mafile’o, a social entrepreneur of Tongan and Samoan heritage. Emeline started a mentoring company in South Auckland that has helped thousands of Pacific youth find direction. She also opened a coffee factory in Tonga to employ locals and teach skills, with profits funding programs back in New Zealand. To her, business isn’t about ruthless competition; it’s about creating opportunities for her āiga (family) and community to thrive. “My unique edge has been my diverse Pacific Polynesian culture,” Emeline says, crediting her heritage as the key to her innovation and drive. In other words, embracing who she is – Tongan, Samoan, Māori – is exactly what made her stand out in the entrepreneurial world. By infusing cultural values like reciprocity and collective well-being into their ventures, these women prove that one can be both successful and firmly grounded in ancestral identity. Their ventures redefine success as something far more meaningful than a title or salary – success becomes the ability to lift others as you rise.

Art as an Assertion of Identity

Polynesian women are also breaking barriers in the arts, using creativity as a bold assertion of identity. Parris Goebel, a world-renowned choreographer from Aotearoa New Zealand, exemplifies this unapologetic spirit. Growing up of Samoan heritage in South Auckland, Parris didn’t see girls like her in the spotlight – so she became that figure herself. By the age of 19, her explosive dance style caught the attention of pop superstar Jennifer Lopez, who invited Parris to choreograph J.Lo’s world tour. As J.Lo noted, Parris brought “amazing energy… something completely different” that no one else was doing. In an industry dominated by mainstream images, Parris proudly centers her Polynesian background. “My purpose is to represent Polynesian and Samoan women worldwide and show them that there is space for us in the entertainment industry,” she explains . And she lives that purpose – from directing hit videos for artists like Justin Bieber to featuring brown, curvy Polynesian dancers in her own projects. Every fierce routine she creates is an act of representation, showing young Pacific girls that they belong on any stage. Similarly, indigenous designers and musicians are fusing tradition with modern forms. In fashion, Māori designer Kiri Nathan incorporates native flax weaving patterns into contemporary clothing, proving cultural art can shine on high-fashion runways. In Hawaii, singers chant in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) on global platforms, bringing ancestral voice to modern music. These artists succeed not by assimilating, but by standing proudly in their cultural truth. Their stories remind us that authenticity is powerful: by wearing their heritage boldly, they not only achieve personal success but also broaden the definition of beauty and art in the world.

Healing and Leading Through Heritage

Not all trailblazers measure success in fame or business growth; for some, it’s in the healing and strength they bring to their communities. Across Polynesia, women have long been the keepers of healing knowledge, and today they are reclaiming that role in new ways. In Fiji and Tahiti, for instance, women practitioners of traditional medicine and midwifery are increasingly respected as they blend ancient wisdom with modern healthcare. Their “success” is seen in healthier villages and renewed pride in indigenous remedies. As a Native Hawaiian healer, the late Margaret “Auntie Margaret” Machado often taught her students that love and spirituality were central to well-being. She emphasized that approaching each patient with aloha (love) invites a higher power into the healing process  – a perspective that values compassion over clinical prestige. “When we touch with love, healing can happen at a deep level because with love, Spirit is involved,” she would remind her lomilomi massage apprentices. By validating traditional healing arts, women like Auntie Margaret redefined success as helping others find balance and connection. This is a form of leadership, too – a quiet, powerful guidance that strengthens the social fabric.

Meanwhile, other Pacific women have stepped into more public leadership arenas, carrying their culture with them. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa of Samoa broke a monumental barrier when she became her country’s first female prime minister in 2021 . Fiame rose through politics not by downplaying her Samoan values, but by invoking them – she comes from a lineage of chiefs and has long championed consensual, inclusive decision-making in line with fa’a Samoa (the Samoan way). Upon taking office, she encouraged women to be confident in their abilities and heritage, saying the success of her appointment would be inspiring others to step forward. Indeed, representation itself can be revolutionary: seeing a Polynesian woman at the helm of a nation sends a message to every young girl in the islands that no dream is out of reach. And this legacy of culturally grounded leadership is not new. Over a century ago, Queen Liliʻuokalani of Hawaiʻi, the only reigning Hawaiian queen, exemplified courage and dignity in the face of colonization. Even after being deposed in 1893, she never lost sight of her people's welfare. Liliʻuokalani urged her people – and by extension future generations – to know their worth. “Never cease to act because you fear you may fail. The true secret is to know your own worth. It will carry you through many dangers,” the queen wrote, emphasizing resilience and self-respect. That timeless advice resonates with Polynesian women leaders today who battle challenges by grounding themselves in identity and purpose. They lead with aloha, mana, and humility, redefining what power looks like.

Conclusion: Walking an Unapologetic Path

Each of these stories – whether of an entrepreneur turning coconut oil into community gold, an artist demanding space for her people, a healer reviving ancestral practices, or a leader smashing a glass ceiling – illuminates a common theme: success is self-definition. These women of color succeed because they remain connected to who they are. They draw strength from ancestral lands and wisdom from their elders. In doing so, they prove that honoring your roots is not a limitation but a superpower. Their successes might be measured in business growth, creative breakthroughs, healed lives, or historic firsts, but all are underpinned by cultural pride and resilience. They are unapologetic about where they come from, and bold about where they are going.

By redefining success on their own terms, Polynesian women are expanding what is possible for the next generation. A young Tongan or Tahitian girl can now look around and see CEOs, poets, doctors, and ministers who look like her and celebrate the same traditions. She can take pride in her identity and dream without limits. The unapologetic path is not always easy – it requires challenging stereotypes, overcoming doubt, and often carrying the hopes of a community. But as these women have shown, when you center community, identity, and authenticity, you create a version of success that is richer and more fulfilling than anything mainstream conventions could imagine. Their journeys invite all of us to redefine success for ourselves: to make it more inclusive, more authentic, and ultimately, more rewarding.

In the end, success is not about fitting in – it’s about standing out on your own terms, with your head held high, your culture at your back, and your heart open to those who walk beside you.

Sources: Polynesian women entrepreneurs blend cultural values with business ( Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o - Massey University ) (Embracing identity and values key to Pacific entrepreneurship | Velocity); Pasifika creatives on representation (Parris Goebel: a Polynesian-Samoan woman and her community) (Parris Goebel: a Polynesian-Samoan woman and her community); Native healers emphasizing traditional wisdom (Lomilomi - Body - spirit, nature, prayer); Historic and contemporary leaders breaking barriers (Fiame Naomi Mata’afa – A legacy of women leadership - Pacific Women in Politics) (Queen Lili‘uokalani - The First and Last Queen of Hawai‘i | American Masters | PBS) (Samoa Confirms 1st Female Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa : NPR).