Stitching the Tivaevae: Pacific Voices in Education
Description
The Community Research Te Auaha Pito Mata Awards are held to celebrate the impact of emerging researchers whose work uplifts communities, strengthens knowledge, and creates positive change in Aotearoa.
This webinar series introduces the 2026 Award winners and offers an opportunity to hear directly from these inspiring researchers as they share their work, insights, and aspirations for the future.
In this webinar, we meet Joseph Tutonga Houghton, winner of the Pasifika Researcher Award, and explore his study Amplifying Pacific Voices in a Christchurch Secondary School: A Study Guided by Tīvaevae & Talanoa.
His research examines how Pacific students, families, and teachers experience school environments, and how schools can better recognise Pacific values, strengthen relationships, and foster a genuine sense of belonging.
Guided by the Cook Islands-inspired tīvaevae research model and the Pacific practice of talanoa, the study brings together the voices of students, parents, community leaders, and teachers to better understand educational aspirations and identify opportunities for growth.
This webinar will move beyond the written research to engage in a conversation about the findings, the research journey, and what meaningful dialogue with Pacific communities can look like in practice. Together, we will explore how listening to and valuing Pacific perspectives can help create more inclusive and responsive educational environments.
Facilitated by Cherie Chu-Fuluifaga ONZM.
The judges noted, Joseph draws on lived experience and a strengths-based approach that treats Pacific values, identity, and relational knowledge as assets that can transform schooling.
Presenter Bios
Dr Joseph Tutonga Houghton
Dr Joseph Tutonga Houghton is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Canterbury and recipient of the 2026 Pasifika Community Researcher Award. His research examines Pacific education, belonging, community engagement, and the ways schools can better serve Pacific learners and families.
Cherie Chu-Fuluifaga ONZM
Associate Professor Cherie Chu-Fuluifaga ONZM is a Pacific and Chinese scholar in the School of Education at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Of Tahitian and Cantonese Chinese heritage, her work is grounded in relationships, identity, culture, equity, and strengths-based approaches to education. Cherie has more than 25 years’ experience in education and is widely recognised for her leadership in Pacific education, mentoring, research, and community engagement. Her scholarship centres Pacific ways of knowing, talanoa, the vā, wellbeing, and transformative education. In 2024, Cherie was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
