Landy Tyrell Nonoa
Co-Founder and Director of Talents of the Pacific Academy (TOPA)
Goal:
My goal is to create a lasting legacy of appreciation, love and respect for Pasifika cultures with the students I teach and with the communities I serve.
A Bit About Landy
Landy Tyrell Nonoa is a cultural educator and the Co-Founder of Talents of the Pacific Academy (TOPA) in Waikato. She grew up in Hamilton inside a close-knit extended Samoan family, which gave her a strong sense of cultural identity and a love of performing arts.
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Landy and her husband established TOPA to provide a platform for top-tier Pasifika performing arts in the Waikato. As the Creative Director, Landy's goal is to encourage second-generation Pasifika families to engage with their heritage. She teaches Pacific languages, cultural competencies, and performing arts to learners of all ages and backgrounds. TOPA has become an inclusive multi-national community, and nearly 5,000 students and their families have benefited from the programme. Landy believes that cultural education is vital in breaking stereotypes, fostering intercultural understanding, and promoting respect. She embodies her own cultural protocols in her teaching because that is an integral part of the learning.
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Landy has had a significant impact throughout Waikato and other areas. As Chairperson of the Waikato Samoan Association Charitable Trust, she and her board work closely with the community to provide city-wide activities like inter-faith church services, cricket and volleyball tournaments, and health and education initiatives. She is a member of Te Ohu Whakaita Charitable Trust, which champions Matariki ki Waikato events. Landy's work has also been seen in the corrections sector helping inmates reconnect with their cultural identities.
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The Samoan way is to give service without expecting rewards in return. Landy lives her beliefs and her culture, and is a role model and inspiration for the community.
