title: Action sport media consumption trends across generations: Exploring the Olympic audience and the impact of action sports inclusion

authors: Wheaton, Belinda

subjects: Social Sciences

abstract: The ageing demographics of Olympic viewers is a key concern for the International Olympic Committee. The inclusion of action sports into the Olympic programmes has been a key strategy to try and connect with youth consumers, most recently through the inclusion of skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing into the Tokyo 2020 summer games. Drawing on a questionnaire distributed online in nine languages, and contextualized with analysis of the action sport media, our research explores international and multigenerational action sport consumers’ sport viewing preferences and attitudes to the Olympic inclusion of action sports. Our findings suggest that action sport participants across different countries, ages, and genders are avid consumers of action sport media but also keen consumers of the Olympics. The majority of survey participants were enthusiastic about the inclusion of action sports (and particularly skateboarding) into the Olympic Games, although there were important trends across nationalities and ages. Nonetheless, reflecting debates in the subcultural media, participants also have concerns about the processes and politics of action sports inclusion. Action sports may well provide the International Olympic Committee with new lucrative markets, but to maximise the engagement of complex intergenerational audiences, their viewing preferences will need continued attention and understanding.

text: Action sport media consumption trends across generations: Exploring the Olympic audience and the impact of action sports inclusion The ageing demographics of Olympic viewers is a key concern for the International Olympic Committee. The inclusion of action sports into the Olympic programmes has been a key strategy to try and connect with youth consumers, most recently through the inclusion of skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing into the Tokyo 2020 summer games. Drawing on a questionnaire distributed online in nine languages, and contextualized with analysis of the action sport media, our research explores international and multigenerational action sport consumers’ sport viewing preferences and attitudes to the Olympic inclusion of action sports. Our findings suggest that action sport participants across different countries, ages, and genders are avid consumers of action sport media but also keen consumers of the Olympics. The majority of survey participants were enthusiastic about the inclusion of action sports (and particularly skateboarding) into the Olympic Games, although there were important trends across nationalities and ages. Nonetheless, reflecting debates in the subcultural media, participants also have concerns about the processes and politics of action sports inclusion. Action sports may well provide the International Olympic Committee with new lucrative markets, but to maximise the engagement of complex intergenerational audiences, their viewing preferences will need continued attention and understanding.

year: 2019

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: Maori perspectives of the environment: Proposed action strategies

authors: Whangapirita, Laura

subjects: Maori

abstract: The purpose of this report is to develop an action plan that identifies strategies to meet the future information needs of Environment Waikato with respect to Maori information.

text: Maori perspectives of the environment: Proposed action strategies The purpose of this report is to develop an action plan that identifies strategies to meet the future information needs of Environment Waikato with respect to Maori information.

year: 2003-12