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A fia vave o’o lou va’a, alo na o oe, ae a fia tuli mamao le taunu’uga, tatou ‘alo’alo faatasi.
If you want your canoe to go fast, go alone; if you want to go further, let us go together.

Educators must take into account and acknowledge the Pasifika community's diversity - ethnically, generationally, economically and in languages use.

Families have high expectations the school will care about their child.

Click on link below

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Engaging Pasifika parents and communities is as crucial for a school with one Pasifika student as it is for those schools with many. Parents and families of Pasifika learners have high expectations that the school will care about their children, and help them to learn and achieve.

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Engaging Pasifika parents and communities is as crucial for a school with one Pasifika student as it is for those schools with many.

Engaging Pasifika parents and communities
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The whole engagement with the community does come from the top and that's just not like management, it comes from the board as well (even though they're managing) comes from the board. If you want to start from the board, we always endeavour (doesn't always mean that it happens, but we always endeavour) to ensure that we have got a board that has got representation of as many cultures as we possibly can anyway. That's the first one.

The second one is really about having your vision, a school-wide vision, a school-wide goal. Because if you don't have that you've got nothing to work towards. Then of course what we've done from there is that we have just picked up from that and thought about how can we engage with the community? How do we get the community into the school? How do we approach that?

Number one - I think it comes from you as an individual, it comes from you, as in my case, a team leader as well, and it also comes from the overall school. For me, I think number one is the open-door policy. So even though it comes from the top it's got to kind of come from the bottom as well. So it's got to kind of move its way up because if you haven't got your teachers buying into that and having that open-door policy - and it's one thing to say we have an open-door policy but it's another thing to climb the hurdles of ensuring that that open-door policy is there.

So you have to think about what are the reasons and possible reasons that people don't feel comfortable coming into the classroom because the teacher is seen to be here or something. It could be through their own experiences, that could be a negative experience, it could just be time, it could be work commitments, it could be whatever. So how do you overcome that?

Number one I think actually you have to step outside of the classroom and enter into their world as best you can. Number one when they come through the gate don't expect them to always be the ones to come through the door - you go out the door. So you talk to them. And actually, yeah, I may be the teacher, and I may be the senior teacher but actually [it] takes a village to raise a child. We're all in it together, but you have to show them that. Don't always expect that a little piece of paper that says "Oh our policy is open-door policy"-You've got to actually put it into practice and it's also about stepping out into their world. Part of that was also understanding them. So what we did as a whole school is we went to Samoa. Of course we had some very strong learning intentions and some outcomes that we wanted to come out of that. We also had a personal challenge which was one of mine, which was my own preconceived ideas of what actually, or how, the Samoan community dealt with particular things or whatever. Personally, I had to come back and rethink my own set of values. Where do I actually get those from? Yeah, it's actually OK to change those perceptions that you have. Because actually sometimes our perception is not correct.

So I learnt a lot about the Samoan culture. I learnt a lot about how they function as a community, as a family, an individual family but also what was actually more important to them. Now I have a greater understanding of how difficult it is for people to leave their own culture to come here and assimilate themselves into what, I guess, they perceive our set of expectations, or our norms if you want to put it that way. So then with that I took that and I started to talk more openly about that with the families themselves as individuals. So I think from there, they started to feel a little more relaxed, it's OK you know. So I just got alongside them a little bit more.

So don't always just think that it's the school experience that you need, it could be something that you can actually bring in. Involve them in it and you get a much greater understanding of them, and also an understanding of the diversity and the cultures within cultures. Remember that.

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The whole engagement with the community does come from the top and that's just not like management, it comes from the board as well (even though they're managing) comes from the board.

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Love: a universal value, underpinning much of what people do. However in a Pasifika context, it is the showing of care and concern for others that drives students to
prioritise family events or issues or helping a friend out over completing an assignment or studying for an exam. Love for Pasifika is manifested in our actions particularly in the way we are expected to put others before ourselves. Although this is not ideal in terms of assignment deadlines and course or degree completion, it is the reality for many of our Pasifika students.

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These principles characterise Pasifika people and communities and are demonstrated in their customs, practices, and ways of being. The values are interconnected and some have been combined for the purposes of showing how they may be seen by Pasifika students in their learning experiences.

Reciprocity and Relationships: as they are to all people, relationships are of the utmost importance to Pasifika students. However as Anne Fitisemanu (2015) points out, Pasifika people connect with others "through our hearts before we connect through our heads." In a tertiary context, this might be seen in the way Pasifika students interact with each other, which often involves a lot of laughter and food. Through our Talanoa, students noted the importance of the first lecture and how introductions were made by the lecturer and fellow students, which would then set the tone for future lectures.

Although it does depend on the lecturer or tutor concerned, creating an environment where students feel comfortable enough to connect with staff and other students is important. For example lecturers being personable or approachable, sharing experiences of when they were students, making the effort to connect with students at
their level, would be of significant benefit to Pasifika students.

Service and Inclusion: Pasifika people love to help others and often work well in collective settings. Service therefore is a significant part of Pasifika students' lives, whether at home, at church or in the community. Don't be afraid to encourage Pasifika students to participate in lectures by requesting active participation. This participation could include simple tasks, group discussion leadership roles and the facilitation of student feedback. Small as those tasks may seem, it can help students to feel valued!

Respect: the concept of respect is held reverentially by Pasifika students, and is often a reflection of their home environment, where elders, parents and older siblings are held in high regard by virtue of age, gender, experience and position in the family or community. This often spills over into the educational arena and may account for the way in which students view and speak to lecturers, tutors and people in positions of authority.

Spirituality: for many Pasifika students, spirituality - particularly the Christian faith - is a vital part of their lives. How this is manifested in individual students' lives varies but church activities may take up a lot of their time. In the lecture setting, some Pasifika students may feel uncomfortable if jokes are made about their faith or spirituality. It may be unintentional on the lecturer's part however it is important to be mindful of this.

Leadership: a common belief held by Pasifika people is that in order to lead, one must follow. This, in line with the value of service, might go some way in explaining why Pasifika students may not exhibit qualities one would think leaders should possess. Pasifika students may view leadership differently based on how they see leadership within their home and community contexts.

However, it is vital to embrace the diversity of what leadership may be or look like to Pasifika students. It is generally accepted within most Pasifika cultures to avoid selfpraise. This may be deemed as a lack of confidence. However, in the context of Pasifika this would be seen as humility; a socially accepted and expected leadership quality. Other students might be more outspoken, perhaps reflecting an increased confidence in their generation or perhaps not being the first in their immediate families to attend university. Whatever their motivation for study, it is important to encourage Pasifika students to achieve their aspirations through their studies, thereby influencing other Pasifika students to do the same.

Family: Pasifika societies are collective; an individual will always identify themselves within the context of their families and wider communities. This is demonstrated in the way that many Pasifika students will put the interests of their families before their own. For example school holidays that do not coincide with University holidays often present challenges for Pasifika students to navigate family obligations while balancing study commitments. Often Pacific students are the eldest of their siblings still living at home. This will mean that while parents are away the eldest is often left with the responsibility to look after younger siblings.

Love: a universal value, underpinning much of what people do. However in a Pasifika context, it is the showing of care and concern for others that drives students to
prioritise family events or issues or helping a friend out over completing an assignment or studying for an exam. Love for Pasifika is manifested in our actions particularly in the way we are expected to put others before ourselves. Although this is not ideal in terms of assignment deadlines and course or degree completion, it is the reality for many of our Pasifika students.

What is Talanoa?

Talanoa is a Polynesian word which broadly means 'to talk or converse'. As a Pacific concept it highlights the importance of communication in an effort to better understand a person, a situation or an issue. The concept necessitates the need for an environment where people can feel comfortable enough to share their thoughts. A 'Talanoa' session was held with Pasifika students to garner their views on how we should engage more effectively with them.

Chanel Tamahaga (Tahiti, Niue; Cook Islands)

Master of Teaching and Learning (Secondary) with Distinction
2016 Pasifika Excellence Award recipient

"At times it was not always easy to ask or accept help but often it only took one person to listen, support, push or remind me of my desire to make a difference. Choosing an academic path was never about getting ahead, rather it was about fulfilling a deeper purpose. It was about making a positive difference in both my life and the lives of others. It was about trusting and finding myself. It was...life-long relationships that mattered."

Rev. Alesana Fosi Pala'amo (Samoa)

Studying towards a PhD in Social Work
Pasifika Doctoral Scholarship recipient (2015 & 2016)

"It has been a blessing to study at Massey University for the fantastic support and many opportunities that it provides for Pasifika researchers like myself. Migrating from Samoa with my wife and three sons for the duration of this project, Massey University has made the transition into the New Zealand way of life an enjoyable experience for us all."

Sabrina Betham (Samoa)

Studying towards a Bachelor of Sport Management
2016 Pasifika Community Award recipient

"My (Pasifika and Massey University) community involvement has contributed to my educational journey in two ways: improving my communication skills in terms of public speaking as well as helping me work better within a team to become an efficient team player."

Page authorised by Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor Māori and Pasifika
Last updated on Monday 19 December 2016

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These principles characterise Pasifika people and communities and are demonstrated in their customs, practices, and ways of being. The values are interconnected and some have been combined for the purposes of showing how they may be seen by Pasifika students in their learning experiences.

# data[].attributes.body
Spirituality: for many Pasifika students, spirituality – particularly the Christian faith – is a vital part of their lives. How this is manifested in individual students’ lives varies but church activities may take up a lot of their time.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
These principles characterise Pasifika people and communities and are demonstrated in their customs, practices, and ways of being. The values are interconnected and some have been combined for the purposes of showing how they may be seen by Pasifika students in their learning experiences.

Reciprocity and Relationships: as they are to all people, relationships are of the utmost importance to Pasifika students. However as Anne Fitisemanu (2015) points out, Pasifika people connect with others "through our hearts before we connect through our heads." In a tertiary context, this might be seen in the way Pasifika students interact with each other, which often involves a lot of laughter and food. Through our Talanoa, students noted the importance of the first lecture and how introductions were made by the lecturer and fellow students, which would then set the tone for future lectures.

Although it does depend on the lecturer or tutor concerned, creating an environment where students feel comfortable enough to connect with staff and other students is important. For example lecturers being personable or approachable, sharing experiences of when they were students, making the effort to connect with students at
their level, would be of significant benefit to Pasifika students.

Service and Inclusion: Pasifika people love to help others and often work well in collective settings. Service therefore is a significant part of Pasifika students' lives, whether at home, at church or in the community. Don't be afraid to encourage Pasifika students to participate in lectures by requesting active participation. This participation could include simple tasks, group discussion leadership roles and the facilitation of student feedback. Small as those tasks may seem, it can help students to feel valued!

Respect: the concept of respect is held reverentially by Pasifika students, and is often a reflection of their home environment, where elders, parents and older siblings are held in high regard by virtue of age, gender, experience and position in the family or community. This often spills over into the educational arena and may account for the way in which students view and speak to lecturers, tutors and people in positions of authority.

Spirituality: for many Pasifika students, spirituality - particularly the Christian faith - is a vital part of their lives. How this is manifested in individual students' lives varies but church activities may take up a lot of their time. In the lecture setting, some Pasifika students may feel uncomfortable if jokes are made about their faith or spirituality. It may be unintentional on the lecturer's part however it is important to be mindful of this.

Leadership: a common belief held by Pasifika people is that in order to lead, one must follow. This, in line with the value of service, might go some way in explaining why Pasifika students may not exhibit qualities one would think leaders should possess. Pasifika students may view leadership differently based on how they see leadership within their home and community contexts.

However, it is vital to embrace the diversity of what leadership may be or look like to Pasifika students. It is generally accepted within most Pasifika cultures to avoid selfpraise. This may be deemed as a lack of confidence. However, in the context of Pasifika this would be seen as humility; a socially accepted and expected leadership quality. Other students might be more outspoken, perhaps reflecting an increased confidence in their generation or perhaps not being the first in their immediate families to attend university. Whatever their motivation for study, it is important to encourage Pasifika students to achieve their aspirations through their studies, thereby influencing other Pasifika students to do the same.

Family: Pasifika societies are collective; an individual will always identify themselves within the context of their families and wider communities. This is demonstrated in the way that many Pasifika students will put the interests of their families before their own. For example school holidays that do not coincide with University holidays often present challenges for Pasifika students to navigate family obligations while balancing study commitments. Often Pacific students are the eldest of their siblings still living at home. This will mean that while parents are away the eldest is often left with the responsibility to look after younger siblings.

Love: a universal value, underpinning much of what people do. However in a Pasifika context, it is the showing of care and concern for others that drives students to
prioritise family events or issues or helping a friend out over completing an assignment or studying for an exam. Love for Pasifika is manifested in our actions particularly in the way we are expected to put others before ourselves. Although this is not ideal in terms of assignment deadlines and course or degree completion, it is the reality for many of our Pasifika students.

What is Talanoa?

Talanoa is a Polynesian word which broadly means 'to talk or converse'. As a Pacific concept it highlights the importance of communication in an effort to better understand a person, a situation or an issue. The concept necessitates the need for an environment where people can feel comfortable enough to share their thoughts. A 'Talanoa' session was held with Pasifika students to garner their views on how we should engage more effectively with them.

Chanel Tamahaga (Tahiti, Niue; Cook Islands)

Master of Teaching and Learning (Secondary) with Distinction
2016 Pasifika Excellence Award recipient

"At times it was not always easy to ask or accept help but often it only took one person to listen, support, push or remind me of my desire to make a difference. Choosing an academic path was never about getting ahead, rather it was about fulfilling a deeper purpose. It was about making a positive difference in both my life and the lives of others. It was about trusting and finding myself. It was...life-long relationships that mattered."

Rev. Alesana Fosi Pala'amo (Samoa)

Studying towards a PhD in Social Work
Pasifika Doctoral Scholarship recipient (2015 & 2016)

"It has been a blessing to study at Massey University for the fantastic support and many opportunities that it provides for Pasifika researchers like myself. Migrating from Samoa with my wife and three sons for the duration of this project, Massey University has made the transition into the New Zealand way of life an enjoyable experience for us all."

Sabrina Betham (Samoa)

Studying towards a Bachelor of Sport Management
2016 Pasifika Community Award recipient

"My (Pasifika and Massey University) community involvement has contributed to my educational journey in two ways: improving my communication skills in terms of public speaking as well as helping me work better within a team to become an efficient team player."

Page authorised by Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor Māori and Pasifika
Last updated on Monday 19 December 2016

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These principles characterise Pasifika people and communities and are demonstrated in their customs, practices, and ways of being. The values are interconnected and some have been combined for the purposes of showing how they may be seen by Pasifika students in their learning experiences.

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Include Pasifika families knowledge, viewpoints and experiences with yours.

Acknowledge parents/families intelligence.

Don't judge.

Show that their child matters to you.

Want to learn more about their country/culturally specific Pasifika ways.

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This evaluation sought to find out about home-school engagement from the perspective of parents. ERO asked parents and whānau for their views in order to understand their expectations of schools, what made engagement work well, what made it difficult, and what schools could do to improve.

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Pacific parents believed it was important that school staff, particularly teachers, had some understanding about working with Pacific families. Where teachers had an understanding of the different Pacific ethnicities and values it was easier for Pacific parents to develop relationships with the school.

Take time to understand their beliefs and values around disability & inclusion.

Source: Partners in Learning: Parents' Voices (September 2008)

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"O le ala i le pule, o le tautua" (The pathway to leadership is through service.)  Source: Samoan proverb

Ted Talk by young 18 year old NZ girl - links her realisation that leadership is about service.

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Lead your ship, navigate new waters: Arizona Leger at TEDxYouth@Auckland

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Community engagement is "meaningful, respectful partnership between schools and their parents, whānau, and communities ... focused on improving the educational experiences and successes for each child." (ERO, 2008).

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Engaging Pasifika parents and communities is as crucial for a school with one Pasifika student as it is for those schools with many. Parents and families of Pasifika learners have high expectations that the school will care about their children, and help them to learn and achieve.

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reciprocity

ˌrɛsɪˈprɒsɪti/

noun

1. the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another.

1. "the Community intends to start discussions on reciprocity with third countries"