New Pasifika study space opens on Kelburn campus
Toloa Lapita, the new Pasifika student space on Kelburn campus, was opened on Friday 4 October. The study room is located where the old Fujifilm print shop was, in the Cotton building.
The space has largely been organised by students, led by Porita Fruean, president of the Pasifika Student Council, and supported by Associate Professor Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika).
“When Winnie first said this is going to be a student-led project, the first thing that came to my mind is created by students, for students,” says Porita. “It's something that they could use to leave a mark on the University, and perhaps in the future their children might want to come and attend Victoria University of Wellington.”
Porita and her team recruited Pasifika students with artistic skills and those who studied architecture to work on the project. A focus of the space was to make it inclusive of all the different Pacific Island nations from across Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.
“I think it's important for people to know that us as Pasifika students, whenever we leave home, we try to find our own sanctuary in a place elsewhere. And if we can't find it, we create it,” Porita says. “This new place is going to be a sanctuary not only for the current students, but for the students that are to come.”
The students came up with the name, Toloa Lapita. “Because once you name something, it becomes yours,” says Porita. “Toloa is a bird that is very famous in some of the Samoan sayings, and one of those sayings is ‘E lele le Toloa 'ae ma'au ile vai’, which means ‘this bird, no matter where it goes, no matter where it flies, it always goes back to the water’. It's just like us Pacific Island people, no matter where we go around the world, our islands are our home.
“And Lapita represents Lapita pottery, which is scientific evidence that we all came from one place before we were all separated into different nations.”
A space to study and relax in
The space is designed as a study space, with new tables and chairs to work on. The students were able to track down a Samoan tattoo artist, Tua Peniamina, who created the designs for the room. Porita gave him the vision and the story of the room, and he put together various tattoo patterns from all the islands in the Pacific to create the mural.
“It tells a story for every student,” Porita says. “We don't want one island to dominate the room, because there is always that sort of minority within a minority. Some islands are bigger, some islands are smaller. But this room is something that we wanted to create to make sure that when students walk past, it tells a story that we are all equal. No matter the sizes of our islands, no matter where we're from, we're all equal.”
“And New Zealand is a Pacific country as well,” says Dame Winnie. “It’s what I love about the Pacific—it’s a diverse group, but they have a common thing, moana—the ocean. It’s one ocean that connects all the Pacific, including Aotearoa.”
The space features Pasifika art donated by the Adam Art Gallery, which Porita says brings “a beautiful shine” to the room. “It's something that's very unique. When we sit down and when we study, we look around us and we are reminded of our identity and where we're from and the stories the art tells.”
Toloa Lapita is open to all students
Toloa Lapita is in the heart of Kelburn, and is open to all students. “It is a beautiful thing to see it come to life,” says Dame Winnie. “Especially as it's something that was created by the students. It’s them leaving their mark here, giving back to the university as well. We're not creating a space just only for us, but for the whole university. And it's something that represents that. Victoria University is a beautiful, inclusive university.”
The Pasifika students’ space is also another step towards the fale malae that will be built down on the waterfront in the next few years. It’s a lovely connection, Dame Winnie says.
Porita says, “It is a major stepping stone because if you go back to the islands and you go into the village, you have all these small fales. These small places represent those small families around the village. And then there's one big fale in the heart of the village where everyone goes to. And each family has their own genealogy. But once the village comes together, they all go to that big fale.
“And I guess this is that stepping stone for that project as well, we are creating these small spaces, these small fales for our village before we create that big fale for everyone. And once it's up, we are all going to be connected to it and it's going to be amazing.”
The opening ceremony featured addresses from Provost Bryony James, Dame Winnie, and Porita, as well as Kaline Masituba, co-head of the Toloa Lapita project, and postgraduate officer of the Pasifika Students Council, Sarah McLeod-Venu, co-head of the project, and treasurer of Te Aro Pasifika Students Association, with prayers by Pastor Joe Serevi. Light refreshments were served, and students and guests gathered to celebrate the students’ achievement and their legacy.
“It was wonderful to be at the launch of the Pasifika student space, especially to hear the depth of thought and feeling that our wonderful student leaders shared as they spoke of the journey to create the space,” says Professor James. “Every aspect of Toloa Lapita speaks of the home it will provide for our Pasifika students, as they find their feet at Te Herenga Waka, before spreading their wings and taking flight into their future.“
Dame Winnie says, “I’m enormously proud of Porita, the president of the Pasifika Student Council, and the Pasifika students who have taken the initiative and have largely organised this whole place. It’s about belonging, and celebrates who they are and where they are from. It’s a reminder to the University but also Aotearoa, that we are of the Pacific. We don’t sit outside or on top, we are of. We’re all directly connected and the values of looking after each other, that’s what it’s all about. It echoes the new strategy that the University is putting out, celebrating that we are a place of the Pacific. This is a space where all cultures and communities are welcome.”