http://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz ResearchSpace@Auckland Copyright Statement The digital copy of this thesis is protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). This thesis may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use: • Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person. • Authors control the copyright of their thesis. You will recognise the author's right to be identified as the author of this thesis, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate. • You will obtain the author's permission before publishing any material from their thesis. To request permissions please use the Feedback form on our webpage. http://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/feedback General copyright and disclaimer In addition to the above conditions, authors give their consent for the digital copy of their work to be used subject to the conditions specified on the Library Thesis Consent Form and Deposit Licence. Ki He Lelei Taha i Ki He Lelei Taha: Talanoa Mei He Kaliloa of Successful Tongan Graduates ‘Alaimaluloa Toetu‘u-Tamihere This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education, University of Auckland, 2014. Ki He Lelei Taha ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my parents—Lu‘isa and Fīnau Takatau Toetu‘u—whose talanoa mei he kaliloa made me who I am today. I will always carry my kaliloa from you; they have without fail guided me always and will continue to do so. It is also dedicated to my children—Taniela, Sitīveni, Toka and Bruce—, my nieces and nephews—Lu‘isa Jr, ‘Alaimaluloa Jr, Anga ‘a e Fonu Jr, Elijah, Marley, Tiana, Danielle, Ethan, and all Tongans who dream of success in education. May the stories in this thesis add to your kaliloa in your journey in education. With love always, ‘Alaimaluloa Toetu‘u-Tamihere. Ki He Lelei Taha iii ABSTRACT Tonga reputably has the highest per capita number of PhDs in the world; this indicates the high value placed on formal education by Tongans. At the same time, many Tongans, especially those living in New Zealand, are amongst those seen as ‘failures’ of the education system. With the latter concern particularly in mind, this thesis sets out to examine what a group of successful Tongan graduates attribute their success to. The graduates are alumni of Tonga High School (THS), a state school in Tonga, which has competitive entry criteria. The main participants attended the school during the decades of the 1950s through to the 1990s. The two guiding thesis questions are: 1. What do successful Tongan graduates of THS attribute their success to? 2. What role did THS play in the success of these graduates, if any? Tonga is the only remaining Kingdom in the Pacific Islands. This developing nation has placed a lot of emphasis on education since the first school was established by missionaries in 1828. The education system is based on Western school models and curriculum, but the main medium of instruction in contemporary times is the Tongan language. “Success” for Tongans today, and a main selection criterion for participants, means the person has combined academic achievement with a strong Tongan way of being. Academic qualifications (MA only, or a PhD), are complemented by being a useful person, a role model, and a contributing member of society. Such an individual not only follows, but demonstrates respect for and knowledge of traditional Tongan culture, language and values. When appropriate, successful people can also live comfortably in Western spaces, Western education, society and life. The questions were addressed using an ethnographic qualitative approach. The thesis is underpinned by critical theory, language acquisition theories, post-colonial and indigenous Ki He Lelei Taha iv theories, Pacific research theories, and a Tongan Tala ‘o Tonga theory and methodology. Critical theory is mainly informed by the late Pierre Bourdieu’s work in the sociology of education. His “thinking tools” of capital, habitus, field, sense of the game, symbolic violence, and selection of the elect, originally applied to understanding social reproduction in French education, culture and society, are used as the meta-theory in this study. Bourdieu’s theories are contextualised to form a Tongan Bourdieusian framework, ‘Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofi‘a to include important Tongan factors of success. Qualitative data collection methods included a paper survey, ten individual interviews, a focus group interview and archival research. The central argument is that the graduates attributed their success to both their kaliloa (socialisation within the home) and their learning experiences at THS. The graduates’ talanoa mei he kaliloa highlights the central role of the Tongan family in their education. Family imparted Tongan language, culture, knowledge, values, lotu and ways of being which became part of each participant’s strong habitus; they were strong motivators and a foundation for their Tongan identities. THS’s English language policy, Western uniform, Western curriculum and overseas teachers were instrumental in nurturing and equipping the graduates for further education abroad and success. The thesis is presented in eight chapters. The early chapters introduce Tonga and THS, survey relevant literature, and discuss methodologies and methods. The findings are presented in two chapters, followed by their discussion and analysis. The final chapter weaves together the findings from the entire study, and addresses the implications of this research for Tongans in education, and for Tonga. Ki He Lelei Taha v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I acknowledge God first and foremost for the gift of life, wisdom, and the many blessings He has bestowed upon me which are too numerous to mention. This completed thesis is testimony to God’s presence, love and blessings which have carried me through this journey and in life. I would also like to thank my main supervisor, Dr. Vicki Carpenter and, my co- supervisor, Dr. Melenaite Taumoefolau for their unfailing love and support, wisdom and guidance throughout this doctoral journey. I would not have been able to complete this journey without you. May God bless you richly as you have been a blessing to me. I acknowledge my scholarship provider, the St. John’s College Trust Board of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Without your generous financial support my doctoral studies would not have been possible. I would like to also extend my thanks to my Archbishop, the Most Reverend Dr. Winston Halapua, my Tikanga Polynesia Dean, Rev. Dr. Frank Smith, his personal assistant, Lois Anderson, and the late Althea Story for your love and support. Without your generous support, love and prayers, I would not have come this far. To all staff and students past and present at St. John’s College, I extend to you my utmost thanks for all that you have done for me all these years that I have been on scholarship. I am truly grateful. Thank you to my Manukura, Rev. Canon. Tony Gerritsen, Elizabeth Warde, Helen Edwards, Tom Ihaka, Linda Ata and to those who have left college but have in one way or another extended love, support and prayers. Mālō ‘aupito. To all my participants who gifted their stories, I give you thanks for sharing those stories with me. I hope this thesis captures the spirit of giving and empowerment which your stories carried. To my Māori Archbishop, the Most Reverend Brown Turei, Bishop Kito Pikaahu, his wife, Lenore, the late Ven. Dr. Hone Kaa and my whānau at the Māori Anglican church, Te Karaiti Te Pou Herenga Waka, thank you for your prayers and support over the years. Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou. To the many people who have lent a helping hand in New Zealand, Tonga and abroad. To the staff at the Auckland University Graduate Centre; Auckland University libraries, City Campus, Epsom and Tāmaki; the Kinder library and the Tonga Hermeneutics Group at St John’s Theological College in Auckland; with special thanks to Rev. Dr. Nāsili Ki He Lelei Taha vi Vaka‘uta, Dr. Tēvita Ka‘ili, Dr. ‘Okusitino Māhina, Dr. Brett Heagren, Michael Jack, Jenny Harper and Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery, thank you so much. I am truly grateful for all your help. To Dr. Palenitina Langa‘oi and staff at the Public Service Commission in Tonga; Kasa Kilioni at the Examination Unit; Tonga High School principal, ‘Amelia Folaumāhina; the Tonga High School library staff, Sālote Aleamotu‘a and Lesieli Vete; relatives and friends, Rev. Tu‘iniua Fīnau, Pela Tu‘ilotolava, Ma‘afu Takinima, Molly Collier, Evelyn Collier, Alfred Soakai Jr, Sonia Soakai, Lilieta Soakai, Alfred Soakai Snr, ‘Ilaise Tongilava Kupu, Kalauta Kupu, Falesiu Fotu, Tēvita Fotu, Līhati Fīnau, Niuselu Fīnau, Leonard Fīnau, the late Sengi Ma‘ake Fīnau, the late Manuevaha Pese, the late Viliuhi Pese, Vaimoana Moimoi, Tonga Lea‘aetalafo‘ou, Taliangi Leveni, Dr. Sengili Moala, Rev. Siale Toetu‘u, Tupou Paongo, Rev. Tile Toetu‘u, Sisilia Noon, ‘Alaimaluloa Teaupa, Frances Tu‘ifuaivaha, Avalon Sika Kautoke, ‘Amelia Fakatou, Byungho Lee, Siosi‘ana Tonga Taupaki, ‘Asinate Mafi, Fatai Vaihū, Siu Pouvalu, ‘Ana Lupe Voi, Tuli Smith, Beverly Smith, Rannae Sika, Rosa Solomona, Kisa Amituanai, Manu ‘Akau‘ola, ‘Ana Madden, Tansook and Sūsana Prema, thank you for your unfailing love and support over the years. To the founder of Dilworth School, the late James Dilworth and his wife, Isabella Dilworth; Dilworth School Trust Board; chairman of the Dilworth Trust Board, Derek Firth; Principal, Donald MacLean; Head of Rural Campus, John Rice; Head of Junior Campus, Peter Vos; Armagh House Master, Bill Reeder; Armagh House Matron, Tanya Stall; Armagh House Dean, Sue Armstrong; Wilton House Master, Augie Williams; Nurse, Janet Paul; School Chaplain, Rev.
Details
-
File Typepdf
-
Upload Time-
-
Content LanguagesEnglish
-
Upload UserAnonymous/Not logged-in
-
File Pages346 Page
-
File Size-