title: Grounding Pacific practice: Fono at the fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua

authors: Aporosa, S. 'Apo'

abstract: Pacific practice is grounded in vanua and fonua, Fijian and Tongan terms encapsulating notions of land, culture and people. Fono at the Fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua are expressions of vanua and fonua cultural practice and are facilitated by, and through, the use of kava. Kava, a culturally significant drink made from the roots of the piper methysticum plant, is used in many areas of the Pacific (or Moana), grounding cultural practice in tradition, values and beliefs—with knowledge and meaning-making imparted and shared with those involved (Aporosa, 2019b). That meaning-making includes talanoa, an explanatory and conversational process fundamental to the ways in which Fijian and Tongan people make sense of their veiyaloni and vā inter-connections and interactions with the physical, spiritual, sacred and ancestral vanua and fonua—through land, sky, moana and people, including deity (Fa‘avae et al., 2021). In this paper we explain and reflect on the use of Fono at the Fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua, inclusive of kava and talanoa at the University of Waikato (UoW) as culturally-embedded practices associated with Pacific student and staff learning and interactions, through vanua and fonua expressions of iMua linked to UoW strategic vision and goals.
With this paper focusing primarily on Fono at the Fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua, minimal explanation is given concerning iMua at the UoW, or kava as a cultural keystone species, drink and facilitator of talanoa-vā. For details on these themes, readers are encouraged to consult the following papers included in this special issue: Imua: Reflections on imua and talanoa–vā in the ongoing strategic journey of a New Zealand university and The virtual faikava: Maintaining vā and creating online learning spaces during COVID-19.

text: Grounding Pacific practice: Fono at the fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua Pacific practice is grounded in vanua and fonua, Fijian and Tongan terms encapsulating notions of land, culture and people. Fono at the Fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua are expressions of vanua and fonua cultural practice and are facilitated by, and through, the use of kava. Kava, a culturally significant drink made from the roots of the piper methysticum plant, is used in many areas of the Pacific (or Moana), grounding cultural practice in tradition, values and beliefs—with knowledge and meaning-making imparted and shared with those involved (Aporosa, 2019b). That meaning-making includes talanoa, an explanatory and conversational process fundamental to the ways in which Fijian and Tongan people make sense of their veiyaloni and vā inter-connections and interactions with the physical, spiritual, sacred and ancestral vanua and fonua—through land, sky, moana and people, including deity (Fa‘avae et al., 2021). In this paper we explain and reflect on the use of Fono at the Fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua, inclusive of kava and talanoa at the University of Waikato (UoW) as culturally-embedded practices associated with Pacific student and staff learning and interactions, through vanua and fonua expressions of iMua linked to UoW strategic vision and goals.
With this paper focusing primarily on Fono at the Fale and Veiqaraqaravi Vakavanua, minimal explanation is given concerning iMua at the UoW, or kava as a cultural keystone species, drink and facilitator of talanoa-vā. For details on these themes, readers are encouraged to consult the following papers included in this special issue: Imua: Reflections on imua and talanoa–vā in the ongoing strategic journey of a New Zealand university and The virtual faikava: Maintaining vā and creating online learning spaces during COVID-19.

year: 2021

title: Dismissal protections in a global market: Lessons to be learned from Serco Ltd v Lawson

authors: Mackinnon, Jacquelin

subjects: law

abstract: The rise of labour as a transnational phenomenon is an aspect of globalisation. New Zealand law relating to protection from dismissal without cause (unjustifiable dismissal) is failing employers and employees whose employment agreements have international elements. In New Zealand, protection from dismissal without cause is contained in the Employment Relations Act 2000 (ERA 2000) (NZ). However, the Act is not an ‘overriding statute’. Cases where the facts show the operation of global employment markets are decided according to conflict of laws rules relating to contracts. The operation of these rules can result in employees being inappropriately excluded from New Zealand dismissal protections. The complexity of the rules makes them inappropriate for the resolution of employment relationship problems, to the detriment of both employers and employees.

text: Dismissal protections in a global market: Lessons to be learned from Serco Ltd v Lawson The rise of labour as a transnational phenomenon is an aspect of globalisation. New Zealand law relating to protection from dismissal without cause (unjustifiable dismissal) is failing employers and employees whose employment agreements have international elements. In New Zealand, protection from dismissal without cause is contained in the Employment Relations Act 2000 (ERA 2000) (NZ). However, the Act is not an ‘overriding statute’. Cases where the facts show the operation of global employment markets are decided according to conflict of laws rules relating to contracts. The operation of these rules can result in employees being inappropriately excluded from New Zealand dismissal protections. The complexity of the rules makes them inappropriate for the resolution of employment relationship problems, to the detriment of both employers and employees.

year: 2009

title: “This is not us”: But actually, it is. Talking about when to raise the issue of colonisation.

authors: Waitoki, Waikaremoana

abstract: This paper is a commentary on some of the responses to the public narrative of the events after the March 15th Christchurch attack. Several colleagues had publicly and privately, offered their views on the Government’s and media outlets use of terms such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘our loss of innocence’ and ‘our darkest day’. A fiery and empassioned exchange of words emerged on social media about the statement: ‘This is not us’. By exposing the counternarrative to these emotion laden terms, a shady past, and invisible present was revealed. However, the timing of the talk about colonisation also seemed out of step with the need for sensitivity. This paper also explores the role of White supremacy and causal racism in New Zealand. A personal I/we/us narrative style is used throughout the paper to describe how Muslim and Maori lives intersected prior to, and after the attack. The timeline of events is primarily 1 week, and up to 6 weeks post the attack.

text: “This is not us”: But actually, it is. Talking about when to raise the issue of colonisation. This paper is a commentary on some of the responses to the public narrative of the events after the March 15th Christchurch attack. Several colleagues had publicly and privately, offered their views on the Government’s and media outlets use of terms such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘our loss of innocence’ and ‘our darkest day’. A fiery and empassioned exchange of words emerged on social media about the statement: ‘This is not us’. By exposing the counternarrative to these emotion laden terms, a shady past, and invisible present was revealed. However, the timing of the talk about colonisation also seemed out of step with the need for sensitivity. This paper also explores the role of White supremacy and causal racism in New Zealand. A personal I/we/us narrative style is used throughout the paper to describe how Muslim and Maori lives intersected prior to, and after the attack. The timeline of events is primarily 1 week, and up to 6 weeks post the attack.

year: 2019