Malofie Melbourne may look like a bikie club, but it is a community organisation supporting Polynesian youth. Emmanual Ioane, a founder of the group, is the rider at back right. Photo: Supplied
They ride Harley-Davidsons, are heavily tattooed, wear a club patch, and have friends in the Hell's Angels, Comanchero, and Rebels.
But Malofie Melbourne is not the city's newest bikie gang; it is a community organisation that supports young Polynesian men.
Founding member Emmanual Ioane said that by promoting traditional Polynesian culture, particularly among Samoans, the group hoped to keep their "brothers" out of trouble.
Malofie Melbourne may look like a bikie club, but it is a community organisation supporting Polynesian youth. Photo: Supplied
Malofie is the Samoan word for the traditional tattoos that, in the case of Mr Ioane, take 13 painful days to complete.
Aside from explaining the heritage of the tattoos, Malofie Melbourne holds language classes and feasts of traditional food.
They also perform prison support services, and have a strong affiliation with an evangelical church (so much so that the club logo features a crucifix).
Malofie Melbourne may look like a bikie club, but it is a community organisation supporting Polynesian youth. Photo: Supplied
Mr Ioane said that young men who embraced their identity felt accountable to their community, and were therefore less likely to behave anti-socially. Many of the men he deals with feel no connection to their country of origin, but no connection to Australia either.
"It's a brotherhood for Polynesian youth," he said.
"We are trying to provide an avenue for them to connect with their culture."
While the logo of the group has the features of a bikie gang three-piece patch, including a top and bottom rocker, framing a logo, it had not been deliberately designed that way to appeal to youth, he said.
Some of the group's clothing also strongly resembles that worn by bikie gang members: a sleeve of their tops features the acronym AMMA, which stands for Always Malofie, Malofie Always, and is a similar feature of Comanchero clothing.
In another nod to bikie culture, the Malofie member's office position is stamped down the other sleeve. But few of the group's members, all of which have Malofie tattoos, own Harleys.
The Malofie tattoo, typically stretching from the waist to the knee, represents a deeper connection with, and understanding of, Polynesia, Mr Ioane said.
"Just like the tattoo is open to everyone, so are we, we're not just limited to people who go to church or who are in 9-5 jobs.
"We've got members who know people in the Angels, the Comanchero and the Rebels, and we don't discriminate against anyone.
"It's a tattoo of service: whether you're a bikie gang member, a local government councillor, or a building site manager, you know what it means and respect it."
Anyone who wants more
information or to assist in fundraising is asked to contact Mr Ioane at
emmanual.ioane@lionco.com.