The overall aim of the Kainga Tu’umalie (Prosperous families) faith-based research project reported here, was to identify how Tongan indigenous cultural – faith approaches can mitigate the rampant effects of violence. This involved identifying and theorising Tongan cultural concepts in relation to Fofola e fala (laying out the mat) as a basis for understanding efforts...

Pasifika students’ home knowledges and practices have low value in New Zealand schooling. Despite studies that have argued for culturally responsive teaching that meets the diverse needs of Pasifika students (Alton-Lee, 2008; Coxon, Mara, Wendt Samu, & Finau, 2002; Ferguson, Gorinski, Samu, & Mara, 2008), there is limited research that shows the kinds of ‘cultural’...

There is a growing amount of literatures and researches examining key factors that contribute to the vulnerability of Pacific youth, especially suicide. In 2011, there was a spike in the number of young Tongans in New Zealand who lost their lives to this epidemic and this number continued to increase significantly. One of the main...

As is well documented, health and wellbeing is positively associated with participating in physical activity. However, the little research available suggested that Pacific adolescents generally, are participating in less physical activity than adolescents of other ethnic groups. Furthermore, there was even less evidence pertinent to the physical activity participation of Pacific girls who experience a...

This study is concerned with representation. It considers the nature of a culturally located, discursive form called veitalatala and its creative translation into designed artifacts that consider the lyrical and graceful nature of Tongan women’s tālanoa.