Chanelle Bjornum – Sista Gat Style

Aug 21, 2019 | Sista Gat Style | 0

“A woman who heals herself, heals her mother, heals her daughter and heals every woman around her.”

A devoted yogini, fulltime career woman, casual yoga teacher and student of holistic counselling, Chanelle Bjornum is the ultimate wonder woman. Balancing her responsibilities with her passions means this mother of three has to carefully cultivate her time as she journeys on the road to her higher self.

This playful photoshoot at Havannah shows Chanelle doing one of the things she loves the most – yoga. Yoga is a set of mental, spiritual and physical disciplines for optimum wellbeing. And it’s a practice that any person can undertake, regardless of age, body shape or gender. Namaste!

#SoulDiscovery #Balance #AelanGoddess #AhimsaVanuatu #YogaForTheSoul

Name:

Chanelle Bjornum-Motuliki

Age:

Where are you from?

Vanuatu (born and raised)

What do you aspire to do in the future?

Oo – that’s a big question. There is a lot of I would like to achieve in all aspects of my life but I believe it all comes down to discipline in order to achieve it. So, even though it may take me awhile to achieve goals – I hope to always have the drive and discipline to commit and expand my boundary of growth.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I don’t get alot of ‘spare’ time with two babies (1 and 2 years old) and my 9-year-old son plus I work full time and teach yoga in between where I can. However, generally I will always try to prioritize going to the gym or attending a yoga class or doing some kind of movement each day if I can.

What do you study?

Currently, I am studying a Double Diploma in Complementary Therapies and Holistic Counseling online and I am also in process of enrolling into university next year.

How would you describe your style?

Simple maybe even boring..? I have reduced my wardrobe alot and try to just have pieces that are comfortable and that I like which can easily pair with other pieces of clothing in wardrobe so I keep the color palette fairly neutral and classic.

Where do you buy your clothes from?

I invest in my workout gear from Lululemon Athletica as I’m in it almost everyday and I don’t like being hot and sweaty so when I am I try to be as comfortable as possible and you can’t beat their quality and comfort.. If not, Stret Price has some good finds and I like to support local shops that provide quality clothing and products or I borrow clothes from friends or get hand me downs.

Who influences your style?

I can’t say I have really ever been driven by anyone else’s style – I like what I like I guess. But right now, my biggest fashion influence is me as I try to reduce what I own, wear clothes that feel and fit good and buy ethically as much as I can.

What beauty products do you use?

I use a series of Dermalogica products from Influence Bio Concept to combat pigmentation and I make and use my own facial and body oils, scrubs and cleansers with organic coconut oil, Tamanu oil and essential oils.

Any fashion advice?

I don’t have fashion advice but I would encourage everyone to rethink the way we consume and who you are really choosing to support when you buy anything. Please support our mama’s and local industry as much as possible.

Assistant stylist: Irene Abbock

Hair, makeup, nails by Body and Soul

Photographer: Nicky Kuautonga

Black and white skirt handmade and painted by Miranda Hodge

Havannah Boat House

Havannah Boat House is a private beachfront resort located in Port-Havannah of Port Vila, Vanuatu. The luxury resort offers accommodation, an event venue and a creative space for pottery and weaving workshops. The accommodation is due to open in January 2020, head to www.havannahboathouse.com for all enquiries.

This article was originally published in the Vanuatu Daily Post August edition of the Life and Style magazine

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Follow Sista

Port Vila

◉

18°

Fair

SunMonTue

26/19°C
26/19°C
26/19°C

NEWS

MAV Urges Public to Differentiate Between Mainstream Media and Social Media May 23, 2023
The Media Association blong Vanuatu (MAV) President, Lillyrose Welwel, has emphasised the importance of the public understanding the distinction between mainstream media and social media posts. Her comments came in response to a statement made by Member of Parliament (MP) Anatole Hymak during the First Ordinary Session of Parliament yesterday morning. MP Hymak had claimed in parliament that the press had published false information stating that he had signed the motion of no confidence against Prime Minister (PM) Ishmael Kalsakau. Ms Welwel clarified that, to her knowledge, no journalist registered under MAV had published such an article. She stressed the need for the public to differentiate between press, which refers to recognise mainstream media outlets and their trained journalists, and social media posts, which can be made by any citizen on personal accounts. “While MAV currently includes a recognized social media organisation, I do not believe that the press referred to by Mr Hymak was produced by any MAV-affiliated media organization, including the aforementioned social media organisation,” the MAV president stated. Ms Welwel urged MAV members to continue adhering to the MAV code of ethics to prevent situations like this from occurring. __________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

read more...
Youth reports on TIV participation on Good Governance Conference May 23, 2023
A Youth Representative, Melisa Vuti, has returned to Port Vila from Auckland, New Zealand, after attending a Conference on Good Governance, Climate Change, Anti-Corruption and Gender equality from May 11-12, 2023. Miss Vuti said she enjoyed mingling and learning from the “regional family” of participants for “a better Blue Pacific”. “The conference is a great achievement for Transparency International Vanuatu (TIV),” she stated. “The speakers were brilliant with their explanations and wide range of professional experiences. “In fact they are the Heroes and Champions in the related issues within their countries and the region through their presentations.” Following a Question and Answer Session, Miss Vuti said, “It is really an added value as our Pacific leaders empower young Pacific Island countries youth leaders and the students of the University of the South Pacific. “Through such platforms as it is strengthen the Pacific Island countries as we are one voice, one ocean one journey and one Pacific Island to rise up and take the challenge as one family with a shared vision in responding to climate Change and Corruption and Gender Equality. “We have the pleasure and honour to witness and participate in the launching of Pacifika Youth Advisory Committee.” In conclusion, Miss Vuti wishes to thank the following individuals and partners: UNDP, USP Student Association, UK Aid, New Zealand, USPSA Project Management Team, Guest Presenters and TIV. _____________________________________________________________- SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

read more...
Kaltapau and Sine honored with 2023 Andy Lynch and Hanson Mataskelekele Awards May 15, 2023
The Australian High Commission, in partnership with the Lynch and Mataskelekele families, presented their annual International Women’s Day awards at a morning tea ceremony in Port Vila yesterday. The awards are one of the ways that Australia and Vanuatu are working together to promote gender equality and the rights of all women and girls. Australia is committed to empowering women and girls by creating economic opportunities, championing women in leadership and responding to and eliminating violence against women and girls. The Hanson Mataskelekele and Andy Lynch Awards provide an annual opportunity to highlight the significant contribution that women make across all sectors in Vanuatu. The Hanson Mataskelekele and Andy Lynch Awards provide an annual opportunity to highlight the significant contribution that women make across all sectors in Vanuatu. The 2023 Andy Lynch Award for Excellence in the Community Sector was presented to Ms Janet Sine, Lead Technical Coach at the Sanma Creative Industries Community Company (SCICC) supporting headwear producers across the province. Ms Sine is a champion of innovation and has displayed her commitment and support to rural women across SANMA Province to develop their handicraft skills and become economically empowered. She acknowledged the difficulties that women in leadership face, saying, “I dedicate this award to the women I work with, it’s not easy for women working in the community, but by working together we can overcome the challenges”. Brendan Lynch, son of the late Andy Lynch, emphasised that “our mother stood for equality and acceptance for all in the community”, congratulating Ms Sine for her work supporting others. Ms Glennys Vora Kaltapau was awarded the 2023 Hanson Mataskelekele Award for Women in Leadership for her quiet leadership of her team at the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), working tirelessly behind the scenes to assist the Vanuatu Government’s recovery of its Information Systems following the November 2022 ransomware cyber-attack. Ms Kaltapau encouraged more young women to enter the male-dominated field of ICT, “When I started my career, there were only two or three women working in the field. I hope that winning this award inspires a little girl somewhere to take up a career in ICT or, even better, cyber security one day,” she said. Barbara Sese, daughter of the late Hanson Mataskelekele, noted, “our mother would be the very proud of the fact that there is a woman managing a team in the OGCIO.” In her address, High Commissioner Heidi Bootle emphasised the importance of coming together to celebrate the achievements of women and girls in the country. “Both Australia and Vanuatu recognise that gender equality is needed for a stable, prosperous, and resilient society; it is cross-cutting and should be part of everything that we do,” she said. High Commissioner Bootle commended the two women for their great leadership, commitment, and passion for their work. This year fourteen other accomplished women from various backgrounds were nominated for the awards. A booklet containing the stories of this year’s nominees was also published in recognition of all their wonderful work in the community. ______________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: Vanuatu Daily Post

read more...
Women are significantly under-represented in Pacific politics. But they’re pushing for change May 8, 2023
Gloria Julia King is the only female member of Vanuatu’s parliament. Before she was elected last year, there hadn’t been a female MP in Vanuatu for 15 years. “It was very hard to make the decision to go into parliament because ni-Vanuatu people — in their mind, in their upbringing, in their surroundings — the leadership has always been the men,” she told the ABC’s The Pacific program. “If people tell me that I can’t do it, it lights a fire beneath me that makes me want to prove them wrong.” Despite already being a well-known community leader and businessperson, getting elected was not easy. “Going into this, I was aware of what I was up against,” Ms King said. “It’s a man’s world … even being there, I can almost feel that this is not my place.” Politics is a boys’ club The Pacific region, not counting Australia, New Zealand, and the French Territories, has some of the lowest levels of women’s political participation in the world. It’s a problem that has a profound impact on the lives of women, Theresa Meki, a Pacific research fellow at the Australian National University, explained. “We’ve never had over 30 per cent representation in parliaments all across the region,” she said. “I think right now we have 52 women members of parliament out of 614 positions of power across the region. “If we exclude New Zealand and Australia … we do very poorly. Even with them included in the Pacific region, we still do very poorly.” Parliament should be representative of the population, she said. “Women are 50 per cent of the population and it’s important for them to be in positions of leadership so that they can have a part in the decisions that affect their livelihoods.” Some of the reasons behind under-representation Ms King said in her society, leadership titles were retained by male family members, citing a Bislama phrase: “The woman’s place is at home.” “It is a stigma, where everybody just naturally thinks that all politicians should be men,” Ms King said. No two Pacific countries are the same, Dr Meki emphasises, but there are some common threads in the challenges women face when trying to get into politics. “The economy, the history of the region, and the culture of elections make it so difficult for them to participate,” she said. “Traditional positions of power in village or church hierarchies are still dominated by men … and women tend to have less access to the money and resources needed to wage an effective election campaign.” Lenora Qereqeretabua, the deputy speaker of parliament of Fiji, said women also faced more scrutiny than men in the public eye, particularly online. “Social media plays a big part in why some women may feel hesitant about standing for any kind of public office,” she said. “The kind of criticism that we open ourselves to when you’re a woman wanting to take part in politics … [covers everything from] how you wear your hair to what kind of clothes you put on.” Ms Qereqeretabua first entered parliament in 2018 as a member of the opposition. “One of the pieces of advice given to me by a seasoned politician, a lady who I respect very much, was grow a thick skin,” she said. “That doesn’t mean being labelled, being called names is OK. “It just means you’re going to have to accept that this is something you have to try and change. It may take a long time, but it is doable.” Helping powerful women become women in power Quotas and other temporary special measures are often touted as effective solutions but they are also controversial. “A lot of people don’t think that it’s democratic. But at the stage that we’re in, we need some type of special measure,” Dr Meki said. Samoa has a quota that dictates at least 10 per cent of parliamentary seats must be held by women. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa became the country’s prime minister in 2021, making Samoa just the second Pacific nation ever to elect a female head of government, following the Marshall Islands with its former president Hilda Heine. While quotas could be effective at elevating women in politics, Dr Meki said a society-wide approach was needed for lasting change. “There needs to be more mainstreaming about women as leaders, not just politically … women in aviation, women in mining, different sectors, women as leaders generally.” Ms King said she led a busy life but hoped her rise to become the first female MP in Vanuatu in 15 years would encourage other women to join politics. “As a mother of four, I have a full house, I do school runs, I still do school lunches, homework … it’s something that keeps me grounded. That’s my routine,” Ms King said. “Sometimes I kick myself because I asked myself … I don’t know why or what I’m doing here. “But it’s a reminder that if women are going to make it here, then maybe I’m going to be the trailblazer. “If this journey inspires one little girl … enough to make them aspire to be a politician or to go into parliament in the future then … my job is done.” _______________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: ABC NEWS – THE PACIFIC

read more...
By-Election Looms May 5, 2023
The Supreme Court decision declaring Malekula Member of Parliament (MP) Asang Sanick’s seat void yesterday has brought into question the role of the Vanuatu Electoral Commission (VEC) and Vanuatu Electoral Office (VEO) in screening candidates for elections. The court found that Mr. Sanick was not qualified to stand in the election for Malekula according to section 61(2) of the Representation of the People Act [CAP 146], and that the Electoral Commission failed to pick up on his criminal conviction and sentence. “It was accordingly a failure in the part of the Electoral Commission not to pick up on the details of Mr. Sanick’s criminal conviction and sentence particularly, as the Commission has an eligibility assessment and screening responsibility arising in particular by section 26 of the Act that provides it with the power to declare a candidature invalid,” the presiding judge stated. The judge noted that the VEC received a report from the Commissioner of Police on Mr. Sanick’s criminal conviction, but ignored the advice and declared him eligible to contest the election. The judge also revealed that Mr. Sanick and his lawyer sought advice from the Deputy Electoral Officer regarding his criminal conviction and sentence, and were advised to contest the election as his suspended sentence was less than two years. The question of his eligibility was deemed to be vested in the VEC and not the VEO. On October 27, 2022, the Vanuatu Daily Post had published a front page article titled, “Malekula MP-elect Contested Snap Election Despite Suspended Sentence,” after obtaining confirmation from the Director of Vanuatu Correctional Services, Johnny Marango, that Mr. Sanick is still serving a suspended sentence. Sanick was sentenced on the 11th of August 2021, after he pleaded guilty to two charges of domestic violence (Counts 1 and 2) under the Family Protection Act, and one charge of breaching the Leadership Code Act [CAP 240] by failing to comply with and observe the law (Count 3). He was also the third Deputy Speaker of Parliament at that time and received a suspended sentence for two years, which should lapse on August 11, 2023. The judge’s verdict yesterday resulted in a vacancy in the polling district of Malekula, which the VEC will now address through a by-election for that vacant seat. According to the judge, “This is not a case where the next high polling candidate should be declared elected to fill that vacant seat given the tight voting numbers.” This highlights the importance of properly vetting candidates’ qualifications and criminal records before allowing them to run for public office. The two Election Petitioners, Mr. Fabian Vinbel and Mr. Gregoire Nimbtik, have welcomed the decision and called on Malekula voters to prepare for the by-election. The Supreme Court decision serves as a reminder to the VEC and the VEO to be more diligent in their screening of candidates for elections, particularly regarding criminal convictions and sentences. Failure to do so could result in a voided election and a by-election, as in the case of Mr. Sanick. _____________________________________________________________________________ SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST

read more...

Join Us

Chanelle Bjornum – Sista Gat Style

“A woman who heals herself, heals her mother, heals her daughter and heals every woman around her.”

This playful photoshoot at Havannah shows Chanelle doing one of the things she loves the most – yoga. Yoga is a set of mental, spiritual and physical disciplines for optimum wellbeing. And it’s a practice that any person can undertake, regardless of age, body shape or gender. Namaste!

#SoulDiscovery #Balance #AelanGoddess #AhimsaVanuatu #YogaForTheSoul

Name:

Age:

Where are you from?

What do you aspire to do in the future?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

What do you study?

How would you describe your style?

Where do you buy your clothes from?

Who influences your style?

What beauty products do you use?

Any fashion advice?

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Follow Sista

NEWS

Join Us

Archives

Sista i Shine

TIV lauds appointment of first female head of Youth Authority

Chanelle Bjornum – Sista Gat Style

“A woman who heals herself, heals her mother, heals her daughter and heals every woman around her.”

This playful photoshoot at Havannah shows Chanelle doing one of the things she loves the most – yoga. Yoga is a set of mental, spiritual and physical disciplines for optimum wellbeing. And it’s a practice that any person can undertake, regardless of age, body shape or gender. Namaste!

#SoulDiscovery #Balance #AelanGoddess #AhimsaVanuatu #YogaForTheSoul

Name:

Age:

Where are you from?

What do you aspire to do in the future?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

What do you study?

How would you describe your style?

Where do you buy your clothes from?

Who influences your style?

What beauty products do you use?

Any fashion advice?

Related Posts

Sista Gat Style – Sarafina Langdale

Sista Gat Style – Melissa Fare

Jesintha Tari – Sista Gat Style

Lila Kaluatman – Sista Gat Style

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Follow Sista

NEWS

Join Us

Archives

TIV lauds appointment of first female head of Youth Authority