The physical and social factors related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including obesity, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome and some cancers, are multifaceted and complex (Ministry of Health [MoH], 2012a, 2012b, 2012c). One factor that may contribute to the inequitable burden of NCDs in Pacific people is health...

Vanilla was first introduced to French Polynesia in 1848 and from 1899-1966 was a major export for French Polynesia who then produced an average of 158 tonnes of cured Vanilla tahitensis beans annually. In 1967, vanilla production declined rapidly to a low of 0.6 tonnes by 1981, which prompted a nation-wide investigation with the aim...

This study critically examines classroom teachers' perceptions of the use of non-verbal communication (NVC) by their Pasifika students during the teaching and learning of mathematics. Seven Year 5/6 classroom teachers from the primary school sector participated in this study. They were asked to discuss and reflect on what NVC meant to them when teaching mathematics...

The alarming incidence of obesity rates has reached epidemic proportions, turning into a major health challenge worldwide, and New Zealand is no exception. Despite healthcare providers’ best efforts, obesity still affects all people of all ages and ethnicities. Pasefika peoples, including Samoans, reportedly have the highest rates of obesity and face more health disparities, compared...

The thesis addresses significant gaps in the existing knowledge on land rights in the Pacific, which are the voices of urban women, fa’afafine, and fakaleitī1. The lands concerned are customary land in Samoa, and Crown owned land in Tonga. The knowledge in the thesis relates to human rights, dignity, gender equality, urban planning, empowerment, and...