Pacific and Pasifika Theses

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/4764

The theses listed in this collection were all completed at Massey University in a range of different departments and institutes. They have been included in this collection if the topic is strongly related to Pasifika/the Pacific.

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Start date: 2010End date: 2019

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 108
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    Paradigm shifts in ancient kingship traditions in Tonga : a historical and anthropological examination of political practices and changes throughout the bipartite and tripartite systems of government 1550-1875 AD : the case of Hau : a thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University (Albany Campus – Auckland) New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Ilaiu, Siaosi Leini
    This study of traditional Tongan kingship system focuses on the emergence of the hau authority and redesigned of the political history of this ancient society. The main purpose is to take a close look at key elements such as governorship, secular ruler, absolute sovereign, victor, champion or military skills etc, which propounded by competing views that have contributed or responsible for clouding the role and responsibilities of the hau in relation to the rise of the second and third divine dynasties of the Tu’i Ha’atakalaua and the Tu’i Kanokupolu. It is central to this work to rethink the information transmitted by oral tradition by assessing what is said about the origin and designation of the hau office. The purpose therefore is primarily to interpret in light of new evidence the positions of both oral tradition and academic revisionists, and to unveil some material that seems to be missing from the dialogue thus far on the hau. This work aims at restoring some sense of historicity to the understanding of traditional kingship in pre-European Tonga. The study examines the creation of the secular office of the hau, why there was the need to implement such a political development, and the recent debate amongst historians and anthropologists on the issue of ‘what is hau’. The debate started from a challenge on the orthodox version that stated the hau was a secular office created by the TT to take over the executive responsibility in about 1350 AD. A leading Pacific historian Niel Gunson argues that there was a system existed way before this date in which the TT title was open for challenge as a rule by a member of his peers. This idea was disputed in 1982 by another Pacific historian Ian Campbell who argues that there was no set rule for such challenge, it was instead a matter of having the means and opportunity. The study responds to the debate by arguing that there were paradigm shifts in the political history of Tonga that historians and anthropologists have been overlooking and as a consequence have misinterpreted, prolonging the dialogue needlessly. In the light of some new findings, I identify three-paradigm shifts that took place between 1350 AD and 1875 AD. It is the dynamism within this 500-year period that this thesis strives to resuscitate.
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    What's on the menu? : how the cuisine of large-scale, upmarket tourist resorts shapes agricultural development in Fiji : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Laeis, Gabriel C. M.
    Tourism is an economic backbone for many developing countries, especially small island development states (SIDS). Nevertheless, scholars have argued that tourism is a globalising and, potentially, colonising force that may not be a sustainable path for the economic and cultural development of such countries. Even though international tourist numbers are growing, economic leakages are high in developing countries. This is partly due to a significant share of food being imported for tourists, despite local food production. Research on the impediments of agriculture-tourism linkages in developing countries has so far taken mostly an economistic approach, finding a variety of supply, demand, marketing and policy related factors. To allow for a more holistic approach, this study takes a cultural perspective and investigates how the cuisine of large-scale, upmarket tourist resorts shapes agricultural development in SIDS, such as Fiji. Sahlins’ (1992) theory of cultural change is combined with the corporate community development framework (Banks, Scheyvens, McLennan, & Bebbington, 2016) to explore the agency of Fijians in negotiating the impact of Western-dominated tourism. This study employed ethnographic methods in a case study approach during a four-month field trip to Fiji. Participation and observation in a resort kitchen, field visits to other resorts, farms and food intermediaries, 38 interviews as well as document analysis enabled a rich representation of local viewpoints on food, culture and tourism. Large-scale resorts present Fijian cuisine either in the form of tokenistic ‘island night shows’, or in fusion concepts that cater to a few affluent guests. Fijian chefs rarely perceive their own cuisine as valuable, due to decades of Western-dominated tourism. The use of local produce is accordingly low and purposeful development of tourism-agriculture linkages is rare. Farmers, on the other hand, recognise resorts as a valuable market. Nevertheless, many Indo-Fijian farmers turn towards food exporters as a more reliable and predictable business partner. Indigenous food producers engage only to a degree that they deem valuable for their own socio-cultural needs and goals. Findings suggest that small-scale resorts, catering to niche markets, might be more conducive to local integration and sustainable tourism development. Policy-wise, developing the agricultural agenda of SIDS to match the requirements of Western diets might have environmentally and socially detrimental implications.
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    A va'ine approach to creative writing : the tīvaevae framework and the calabash breaker : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Creative Writing at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Kokaua-Balfour, Stacey
    This thesis explores an approach to creative writing embedded with an indigenous cultural framework from the Cook Islands. The tīvaevae framework, based around the process of constructing Cook Islands tīvaevae quilts, shapes both the critical and creative components of the thesis. The critical component explains how the tīvaevae framework is utilised and includes a discussion of an archetype called the calabash breaker, named after the poem of the same name by Selina Tusitala Marsh. The calabash breaker appears in different guises in both traditional and contemporary Moana narratives and can be recognised by her strong links to family, community and place, combined with tendency to rebel against the social conventions of her community. Typically, her insubordinate nature drives the narrative towards her ultimate act of disruption while also providing a method of social critique. Characters who share the traits of the calabash breaker are explored through a close reading of Witi Ihimaera’s novel Whale Rider (1987) and Sia Figiel’s novel The Girl in the Moon Circle (1996). In the creative component, a middle grade novel titled The Mōmoke’s Daughter, a Rarotongan girl named Kimiora from Porirua discovers she is the daughter of a mōmoke, a figure from Rarotongan cultural narratives. Kimiora and her friend return to the world of the mōmoke in the depths of te Moananui a Kiva, the Pacific Ocean. The book has a strong environmental concerns and explores what it means to be Indigenous to the Pacific while also part of a global community that is responsible for so much of the environmental destruction of ocean habitats. The novel uses the calabash breaker, expressed through the character of Kimiora, to explore Cook Islands ideas about identity, family, belonging, place and the role of mana tiaki (kaitiaki) of ocean environments.
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    Under the gaze : a study of the portrayal by the New Zealand print media of Pacific Island workers in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, 2007-2012 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Media Studies at Massey University, Wellington New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Enoka, Angelynne Josephine
    Media reporting on Pacific people in New Zealand has frequently been criticised for being sensationalised, biased and narrow. Yet, there have been few broad and systematic analyses of the nature of reporting specifically concerning Pacific Island seasonal workers in New Zealand. My thesis explores how the New Zealand print media portrayed Pacific Island seasonal workers travelling under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme from 2007 to 2012. That period represented the first five years of the scheme and a time when it was in the news by virtue of its novelty in New Zealand, thereby providing a rich vein of media representations to study. My research focusses on the media themes occurring in the communities where RSE workers were living, while they were living there, so as to understand the discourse circulating in their immediate community. This provides understanding of the philosophical and cultural assumptions that underpin mainstream regional media reporting in New Zealand with regards to the particular representation of Pacific RSE workers, and how this compares with representations of Pacific people as a whole. Although the goal of my thesis is to trace the nature of the portrayal of Pacific Island workers under the RSE scheme, I have contextualised this with a review of the depiction of Pacific people dating back to their arrival in the 1950s and ‘60s. I look at how Pacific people were racialised in the early 1970s and compare that with coverage of the influx of Pacific Island seasonal workers in 2007, exploring underlying assumptions prevalent in the 1970s that Pacific Island workers were disruptive to New Zealand, such as by taking employment from New Zealanders or posing a threat to health, law or order. A sample of 115 articles drawn from the five regional newspapers – Bay of Plenty Times, Hawkes Bay Today, Nelson Mail, Marlborough Express and The Southland Times – was chosen for media analysis. Additionally, five selected case studies extracted from the NZ Herald, a metropolitan newspaper, for each calendar year from 2007-2012, were explored and compared to the regional sample, to help identify themes about Pacific seasonal workers that were portrayed in the wider New Zealand news media but missing from the regional coverage. I analysed the articles using interpretive thematic analysis. In this method, I looked at newspaper coverage in depth to make sense of the patterns of meaning. I identified themes used by print media to portray Island workers in regions that constitute a high number of Pacific seasonal workers during the scheme’s first five years of operation in New Zealand, and mapped these over time to investigate whether there was a shift in the discourse of stories as the scheme matured. With 115 articles assessed from 2007 to 2012, concentrating on November to March in each season when most RSE workers are in New Zealand, key themes were identified. Media analysis showed the reportage had extensive positive coverage of the scheme’s policy aims in New Zealand, with government, agency officials and industry spokespeople the most frequently cited news sources. Nine key themes; Labour shortage, RSE policy, New Zealanders first, Pastoral care, Economic benefits, New Zealand unemployment, RSE cap, RSE praises and RSE issues were represented in regional coverage across regions and time periods. The overall portrayals of Pacific Island seasonal workers under the scheme represented a more positive light in comparison to what we know broadly about historical depictions of Pacific peoples in the New Zealand media. The patterns and trends in media reporting in the studied RSE regions uncovered a more affirmative portrayal overall, but also indicated that local media perceptions shifted in particular regions as time passed. The characterisation of Pacific RSE workers by the New Zealand print media in the first five years of the scheme carried fewer stigmatising discourses than in the 1970s. However, examined critically, these seeming positive discourses can be understood as positive to those promoting capitalism and seeking cheap labour, but as positioning Pacific temporary workers as dehumanised commodities in ways that may contribute to undermining their human rights and long-term best interests. These discourses and patterns are important to understand. They fill a gap that exists in the examination of how Pacific people working in temporary labour positions have been represented by the New Zealand print media. The findings provide RSE Pacific countries with insights into the issues, challenges and successes depicted by the media about their workers, as well as alerting the New Zealand public more broadly to patterns in the way the scheme has been reported to them, and to broader patterns of racialised and economic discourse. [The RSE scheme was launched in April 2007 with a cap of 5,000 workers under the then Labour Government led by Helen Clark, but the cap was lifted to 8,000 in October 2008 and was lifted again in November 2014 from 8,000 to 9,000, and then again from 9,000 to 9,500 in December 2015 and 10,500 in December 2016. It lifted again in December 2017 to 11,100 and the latest increase was in November 2018 to 12,850. The workers are mostly sourced from the Pacific Islands. They contribute substantially to New Zealand’s economy but do not accrue any rights to citizenship in New Zealand as a result of participating in the scheme.]
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    Review of the potential for harmonisation of sustainable food system indicators, and the assessment of key aspects of nutrition and health in two atoll Islands of Kiribati, a West Pacific Island State : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Eme, Paul Eze
    Sustainable diets, which links nutrition and food systems, cuts across all seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), with particular relevance to SDG 2. Despite much recent attention being given to sustainable diets and food systems, methodologies for assessing sustainable diets are complex and may not be generally applicable. This thesis describes a series of studies, which aimed to review the methodologies for assessing sustainable diets and potential for development of a harmonized indicators; assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) on nutrition of the households in South Tarawa and Butaritari Islands; conduct dietary assessments amongst the household members using a 24-h diet recall and weighed food records methodology in the Islands; and carry out anthropometric and body adiposity measurements of the householders and secondary school students. A total 468 households were randomly selected in South Tarawa (n=161) and Butaritari (n=307) for the 24-h dietary recall and a sub-sample of 28 households participated in the weighed food record. Another 320 subjects were recruited for the KAP study on nutrition; and 483 adults and 194 adolescents were selected for the anthropometric and body adiposity study respectively. Food consumption patterns of the households in the islands reflected high consumption of non-traditional diets and refined foods, which manifested in inadequate micronutrient intake estimates and low dietary diversity The KAP study showed the majority of respondents had good knowledge and attitudes towards good nutrition, however, these were not adequately reflected in their nutritional practices. Based on measures of bioelectric impedance, two-thirds of the subjects (68.4%) had a very high body fat (BF) %, 22.2% had high BF%, 8.8% had normal BF% and 0.6% had low BF%. Based on body mass index (BMI), about three-quarters of the subjects (73.2%) were obese and 22.5% were overweight. Obesity prevalence among the adolescents was low based on BMI and BF% criteria. In conclusion, despite the investments on nutrition programmes in Kiribati, no change was noticed from the results of 1985 Kiribati National Nutrition Survey and the findings of this study. Policies and interventions to sustainably improve diets in Kiribati, and thus reduce diet-related morbidity and mortality, need to address elements of sustainable diets.
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    Lupe fa'alele : releasing the doves : factors affecting the successful operation of Samoan businesses in New Zealand : a thesis presented in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Vao'iva Tofilau, Ma'atusi S.
    This thesis explores levels of Samoan entrepreneurship in New Zealand. It identifies unique challenges and opportunities Samoan entrepreneurs face when establishing businesses in a migrant setting. There is a growing body of knowledge in New Zealand on ethnic businesses, in particular, what constitutes an ethnic business, what facilitates and impedes their success, and the contribution they make to the New Zealand economy. Samoan entrepreneurship, however, remains an academic terra nova. Little is understood about what Samoan entrepreneurship looks like; is there a typical Samoan business, for example; what sorts of challenges do they face when negotiating and navigating cultural and business challenges in the New Zealand business environment; and what does this all mean in terms of success in both the business and community contexts? This thesis considers a qualitative research approach to investigate the lived experiences of Samoan entrepreneurs in New Zealand. The research draws on the experiences of fifteen male and six female Samoan entrepreneurs. The participants interviewed for this study included entrepreneurs who were born and educated in Samoa, those born in Samoa and partly educated in both Samoa and New Zealand, and entrepreneurs born and educated in New Zealand. The research examines how entrepreneurs differ from one another in the way they operate their businesses and the manner in which they negotiate their obligations towards family, religion, community and business responsibilities. Earlier literature on ethnic entrepreneurship has emphasized the importance of ‘social embeddedness’ of entrepreneurs in their social and community networks as key factors in operating a successful business. This study however looks to build on and extend this concept to a mixed embeddedness focus that highlights the combination of cultural, institutional, structural elements of the business environment and relevant strategies that entrepreneurs use to create a successful business. The findings in the study emphasize that the mixed embedded approach produces more successes and a variety amongst Samoan entrepreneurs especially when they negotiate the requirements of both fa’a-sāmoa in conjunction with the institutional and the regulatory responsibilities of the New Zealand business environment. The implications of these findings would be valuable for other migrant operated businesses in New Zealand.
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    Culturally relevant tasks and Påsifika students' participation and engagement in mathematics : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Mathematics Education, Massey University (Manawatu), New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Cunningham, Libby Sara
    Påsifika students’ academic achievement in mathematics continues to remain a priority for New Zealand education (Ministry of Education, 2013). Research in both the New Zealand and international contexts identifies the need for New Zealand classrooms to foster culturally responsive and mathematical practices that align with Påsifika students’ cultural values, backgrounds, interests and experiences. As a result, Påsifika students will have increased opportunities to participate and engage in mathematics while developing a cultural identity within New Zealand classrooms. This study utilised the Påsifika students’ and their families’ funds of knowledge to design culturally relevant mathematical tasks. These tasks were used within the students’ mathematics classroom where the teacher was supported to implement culturally responsive and mathematical practices. It examined how the use of culturally relevant tasks while enacting the reviewed cultural and mathematical practices could foster Påsifika students’ participation and engagement in mathematics. This study used qualitative research methods with an ethnographic case study approach while drawing on Påsifika research frameworks (Lemanu, 2014; Sauni, 2011). 11 Year 5 and Year 6 students who descended from the Pacific Islands participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews were completed at the beginning and end to find out the Påsifika students’ perspectives about their experiences of their culture and mathematics. Throughout the study, photoelicitation interviews were used to identify Påsifika students’ cultural funds of knowledge and mathematical experiences that they engaged in outside of school. This information was used to work with the classroom teachers to design culturally relevant mathematics tasks. Observations were made of the students’ behaviour and interactions while working on these tasks within their classroom setting. After each observation, focus group interviews were conducted to gain insight into the students’ perspectives of the task and learning experience. The use of a variety of methods provided greater evidence of data that I drew on to support my findings. The results illustrated key findings and recommendations that have been visually represented using a frangipani (kalosipani/ pua fiti/ fiti pua/ tipani)1 ulalei2. Each petal on the frangipani flower represents the key themes that emerged. These are as follows; mathematics at home and school, culturally relevant tasks, funds of knowledge, collaborative grouping and mathematical disposition and cultural identity. These key themes are supported by a group of learners which include parents, teachers and students and are bound together by the core Påsifika values. The key themes, community of learners and cultural values form the ula-lei. This study revealed these components as being effective practices that educators should develop to support Påsifika learners’ participation and engagement in mathematics.
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    An assessment of local perceptions towards natural resource management practices in the Tuvalu Islands, South Pacific : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (MSc) in Ecology, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Finaunga, Moeo
    As the role of local people in natural resource management continues to be recognized in global conservation interventions, so too does the need to understand the perspectives of local people towards various resource management practices. This study examines local perceptions in Tuvalu towards traditional versus modern resource management practices, and furthermore assesses compliance and enforcement with protected areas village rules or legislation at the community level in the Tuvalu Islands, South Pacific. A mixed method research approach was adopted that includes a nationwide questionnaire survey, a review of the literature and triangulation. The study findings emphasize the dedicated support for local government to deal with most of the aspects of resource management in Tuvalu. The survey findings showed a strong preference by participants to have their Island Councils or Kaupules as the appropriate and responsible authority to be the key informant on the stock status of their natural resources, to manage their island land and marine resources, and to report and impose penalties for violations against their village resource management rules. Participants also indicated a strong preference for a mix resource management system that combines both scientific-based and traditional resource management approaches over a system that uses only traditional resource management strategies. Despite the weakness in the enforcement of existing resource management legislation in Tuvalu, where a monetary fine and imprisonment are the main prosecution methods, monetary fines was strongly perceived in this study as the most preferred method to promote village compliance and enforcement of both formal and informal village laws. In contrast, there was little support to use other common discipline methods such as imprisonment, public shaming, and traditional penalties such as public beating, and feeding of the whole island community by the caught violators; however, this is argued as either being morally wrong or no longer valid due to the Church’s influence and the adoption of laws pertaining to human rights. Although the findings of this study acknowledges that demographic and socio-economic factors can influence local perceptions towards resource management, there is generally very little evidence to conclude that there were significant differences in the perceptions of survey participants based on the many years they have resided in their home islands, having held a leadership role and age. The minor differences in the perceptions may be associated with lack of diversity in the culture of each island, small national population, weak hierarchy in economic status at the individual level as seen in other developing nations. This research provides a deeper understanding of the uncertainties associated with the need and obligation to impose stricter or more resource management measures in small local communities in response to the global move to protect biodiversity. Most importantly, it emphasizes the argument to consider the influence and engagement of local government as an opportunity to promote resource management interventions in Tuvalu and in other local communities of similar constitutional settings.
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    Neonatal nursing in Fiji : exploring workforce strategies to help Fiji achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3, Target 3.2 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in International Development at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Manuel, Ireen
    In Fiji 124 neonates lost their lives in 2017. While rates have improved in the Pacific, Fiji’s neonatal mortality rate has remained stagnant. The neonatal workforce struggles to meet the demands of this vulnerable population. Neonatal mortality is a global health challenge which is reflected in Sustainable Development Goal 3, target 3.2. This target aims to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births by 2030. My research set out to explore and provide some understanding of the development needs of neonatal care globally and review the workforce challenges for nurses in this speciality area in Fiji. Improving the continuum of care for neonates will be critical if Fiji is to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3, target 3.2. To answer these research questions, I adopted a qualitative methodology. I conducted four semi-structured interviews in Fiji and interpreted qualitative primary and secondary data. In doing so, I came across challenges that were present within programmes, service designs and national policies. Some of these challenges were easily fixed and did not need policy interventions, but rather individual willingness to change. Others required state interventions and long-term commitment and willingness. When applying the rights-based approach to health framework, my findings showed that the hardworking workforce in Fiji is still trying to change an organisational culture to a point where the workforce can feel fully inclusive and able to make evidence-based decisions as a team. The profound effects of not being able to do this is detrimental to the positive outcome for the neonates in their care. It was evident that health has many determinants and the problem relating to neonatal mortality is complex. My research showed that the neonatal nursing workforce were committed to reform and an effective health care service with adequate capacity and consumables is needed to run a well-functioning neonatal service. The key conclusions of my research are that there needs to be better collaboration between all sectors, evidence-based research practice and empowerment of the neonatal nursing workforce in Fiji. This is necessary if the government of Fiji is to achieve a neonatal workforce that can support it to achieve the critical Sustainable Development Goals target of reducing neonatal mortality.
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    Facilitating development : an examination of partnerships and intentional development by cruise tourism in Vanuatu : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master's of International Development, Massey University
    (Massey University, 2018) Rutherford, Loren B H
    Since the 2002 Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), the private sector has been elevated as an equal partner for development, alongside the public and the non-governmental organisation (NGO) sectors. Consequently, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public-private partnerships (PPP), both being examples of intentional development, have become increasingly important for international development. Globally, cruise tourism is the fastest growing sector of tourism with a compounding increase of 8% year on year. In this Vanuatu based study, the development initiatives of Carnival Australia, a mass tourism cruise multinational, are examined to establish what extent cruise tourism can enhance development outcomes. A qualitative approach consisting of non-participant observation, semi-structured interviews and a detailed literature review has resulted in the support of previous studies indicating that the private sector can be unreliable when considered a development actor. Carnival is, however, an enthusiastic and committed facilitator of development and should be viewed as such. A realignment of expectations is vitally important for the private sector’s ability to meet expectations as a facilitating partner towards achieving sustainable development. This is reflective of Sustainable Development Goal #17 on Partnerships. Keywords: Carnival, Cruise, Tourism, Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, Public-Private Partnership, PPP, P3, DFAT, Community Development, Facilitation for Development, Development First, Vanuatu, Pacific, SDG