16 May 2017

Samoan pastor wins NZ public speaking contest

5:14 pm on 16 May 2017

A Samoan pastor was beyond words when he was crowned the winner of the New Zealand Toastmasters Public Speaking Contest.

Joseph Fa'afiu (centre) with his trophy.

Joseph Fa'afiu (centre) with his trophy. Photo: Supplied/ Toastamsters

Joseph Fa'afiu from south Auckland took part in the contest in Wellington over the weekend.

Mr Fa'afiu, who has been part of the Toastmasters club for two years, said Polynesians were natural storytellers and being part of Toastmasters has helped refined his storytelling.

"It's being able to kind of deliver and get your message across so it actually makes a point, so it doesn't drag on and so what happens was in the time that I've been with toastmasters it's been able to kind of fine tune some of the stories passed down from my generation, to be able to share some of the new stories as well and to develop them and grow them."

Mr Fa'afiu will be representing New Zealand at the World Championship of Public Speaking in Canada in August.