Kiwi-Samoan boy Angelou Brown has issued a powerful message along with a gift to Dwayne Johnson in a bid to help spread an anti-violence message to men around the world. Photo / Supplied / Getty
Kiwi-Samoan boy Angelou Brown has issued a powerful message along with a gift to Dwayne Johnson in a bid to help spread an anti-violence message to men around the world. Photo / Supplied / Getty
A young Kiwi-Samoan boy has issued a powerful message along with a gift to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in a bid to help spread an anti-violence message to men around the world.
Angelou Brown, 5, is part of the She Is Not Your Rehab group, a movement that empowers men to address their domestic violence issues and encourages family and communities to treat our women better.
With domestic violence often a taboo topic in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, the movement is hoping to change mindsets and help families become violent-free.
In a video posted online young Angelou addresses The Rock personally, sending him a shirt that says "She Is Not Your Rehab" and asking a favour from the "strongest man on the planet" to help spread awareness of how domestic violence is harming our women, families and communities.
"Dear Mr Rock, my name is Angelou Brown and I am 5 years old. I live in Christchurch, New Zealand," the 5-year-old starts off.
"My dad is Samoan so I'm pretty sure you're his cousin. And since you're part of the aiga (family), I thought I'd send you a gift. It's a T-shirt.
"Not just any T-shirt. This T-shirt my dad and my uncles wear to encourage other men to treat girls well."
The shirt Angelou Brown and his father Matt Brown have gifted to Dwayne Johnson. Photo / Supplied
"Men all around New Zealand, the Pacific, and even the whole wide world because his mum, my nana, had a sad life when they were growing up with lots of fights at home.
In the video, Angelou reveals his nana is unwell with lung cancer. He says his father Matt Brown will use the She Is Not Your Rehab movement to help tell her story and promises her message will never be forgotten.
Angelou then says many men look up to The Rock and hopes if the movie star and former wrestler can spread the message then it'll help troubled men turn a corner.
"These are what these T-shirts are, because I think you're the strongest man on the planet that many men look up to.
"If you wear this T-shirt then I think they will listen to you and we can help houses everywhere be violence free.
"I hope it gets to you even if you live on an island far away.
"From our aiga to yours, we send you our alofa. Love Angelou."
While they haven't yet heard back from The Rock, Angelou's brave and inspiring message has since attracted the attention of many famous Polynesian stars including KJ Apa, Joseph Parker, Tofiga, Sammy Johnson, TJ Perenara and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Angelou's father and founder of She Is Not Your Rehab, Matt Brown, told the Herald he decided to reach out to Johnson in the hope his mana in the Pacific community would make men stand up and listen.
"Our goal with all our mahi (work) and messaging is to change the narrative around domestic violence.
"We ask ourselves how we can engage people to have hard conversations in palatable ways. For White Ribbon Day this year my own mother's story was close to my heart and I know hers is similar to many other Polynesian women, I feel it's time for Pacific men in our communities to stand up and say no more.
"There's no one better to lead that then The Rock himself. For many of us he was a superhero growing up so I thought if he would support this then Polynesian men would listen."
Kiwi-Samoan boy Angelou Brown has issued a powerful message along with a gift to Dwayne Johnson in a bid to help spread an anti-violence message to men around the world. Photo / Supplied / Getty
Brown and his movement's ultimate goal is for "Aotearoa to become violence-free".
He says he dreams of all homes being safe for our tamariki (children) and wants men to take responsibility for their own healing and shaping our future.
Part of breaking the cycle of domestic violence is educating our children, says Brown, who hopes Angelou's involvement in the movement will encourage others to engage with their young ones and teach them what behaviours are right and wrong.
"As with everything, I believe truth is best but age-appropriate is vital. My own children know elements of my own childhood story - how Angelou shared in the video, he understands what he's saying and the best way they learn how to treat others is by watching how I treat my wife and seeing how she treats me.
"Children are like sponges and they soak up everything.
"Every child is different. If they ask me I'm honest but in language they can understand. In my home there will be no discussion out of bounds because if they don't learn from us they'll learn from another source."
The 'She is not your rehab' movement. Photo / Supplied
Brown started She Is Not Your Rehab after his mother was a victim of severe domestic violence, trauma she and her children have carried since.
"Witnessing her subjected to abuse that I thought would kill her. Watching her be a rehab for a man - my father who never did any work to heal himself.
"Her eyes were always so sad. That will always stay with me. That's my motivation and why I do this work and hold space for men to heal. Because I wished someone had done that for my dad."
