I’uogafa Tuagalu (Doctoral Candidate)
The ontology of the Samoan concept of vā, and the evolution of the 19th Century Samoan worldview
This thesis establishes the ontological status of the Samoan notion of vā; and traces its development Samoan history from c.1000AD. This development culminates in the development of a 19th century Samoan worldview. This research asks first, what is the ontological status of vā? Second, how is vā manifested in Samoan history and culture? And last, does an historical analysis of vā enable an articulation of a Samoan view of history. For the purposes of this study, Samoan history is divided into two broad time periods: The Gafa period (c1000AD-1790s), where the Samoan worldview is exemplified by gafa or genealogical way of looking at the world; and the Colonial phase (1800-1915), where the gafa worldview, which had always been changing, transforms at an even faster rate because of European contact and influence.
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Rafik Patel (Doctoral Candidate)
A Spatial Exposition of the Barzakh
Rafik Patel is a Lecturer and Researcher in Spatial Design at AUT University. His research has a focus on the Indian and Muslim diaspora in Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently Rafik is pursuing a Doctorate Degree that examines an Islamic ontology of space, whereby the philosophy becomes the motile thinking for renewing grounds as a spatial architectural practitioner. Through the medium of drawing, his research explores the notion of Barzakh (intermediate space) and 'event' as a turn to re-orientate the research practice and thinking. That is to say, these concepts become the force for rethinking architectural spatial theory and practice. Furthermore, Rafik’s drawings are spatial expositions that map the diasporic conditions and reveal the strength and durability of cultural and spiritual belonging.
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Tuputau Lelaulu (Doctoral Candidate)
Maumoana: Regenerating ‘mau’ into development and design principles for Moana ecologies
Maumoana is a spatial investigation of how the regeneration of ‘mau’ can alleviate the systemic and environmental challenges facing Moana communities. The study attempts to connect Moana ecosystems to their mau by regenerating Indigenous worldviews and technologies to build more connected, resilient, and regenerative ecologies. Remembering ‘mau’ today aims to bring forth Indigenous Moana knowledge and build more connected, resilient, and regenerative communities. Moana cultures are the most vulnerable in the face of systemic and ecological catastrophes. By returning to our Indigenous ways of being, to our mau, we can create built environments that bring healing, justice, and peace.
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Paul Janman (Doctoral Candidate)
Other Times? A Praxis of History Film
As an English/Welsh/Palangi/immigrant filmmaker bound to Oceanic communities I am developing the personal voice in unsettled colonial histories through alterities of time in film language. My thesis is that the erasing historicisation of the past in Aotearoa is connected to hegemonies of the linear and the psycho-social politics of colonisation, which can be ruptured by a considered engagement with hybrid avant garde, quantum and indigenous temporalities in cinema practice. I am testing this thesis with experiments in 'historical' cinematic time at very specific sites of what Wiremu Tamihana called ‘The Great War for New Zealand’.
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Marina McCartney (Doctoral Candidate)
The Return: Moana Films and the Re-imaging of Belonging in the Diaspora
This practice-led research explores how a ‘Moana’ worldview can influence creative decisions in the narrative film(s) of contemporary diasporic Moana filmmakers. As a focus on films made by ‘Moana cosmopolitans’ (Lopesi, 2018) increase (NZ Film Commission, 2019), the literature has historically explored the politics of representation on screen and behind the camera. Rather than interrogating Moana representations in the film text, this research will consider the space between filmmaker and film to investigate how a Moana cosmopolitan filmmaker’s worldview informs decisions made during the creative process and how this manifest within their films.
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Jordan Poorman Cocker (Doctoral Candidate)
Museum Futures: Engaging Indigenous Curatorial Approaches
This proposed research is situated in the ‘space between’ Indigenous curatorial approaches and museum futures in order to determine how Indigenous curatorship can promote a new understanding and social consciousness of the education and research of Indigenous art and design within GLAMs (galleries, libraries, archives, museums). The study will deploy contemporary methodology and methods of Indigenous curation (Lonetree, 2012), Native American Art (Lonetree, 2002) and Indigenous futurisms (Dillon, 2016) to explore various approaches to curating Indigenous Art (Kreps, 2009), Material Cultures (McCarthy, 2016, 161) and collection housed Indigenous Design technologies (Yohe, Greeves, 2019, p. 98).
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John Vea (Doctoral Candidate)
Talanoa: Migration of colloquies
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Cecelia Faumuina (Doctoral Candidate)
'Asi: the presence of the unseen
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Emily Parr (Doctoral Candidate)
Restoring the Relations: Housing the Kronfeld Collection through Moving-Image Practice
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Arielle Walker (Doctoral Candidate)
untangling knots in the kupenga: reweaving towards reciprocal relationship through whatuora
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‘Uhila Nai (Doctoral Candidate)
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Jenni Tupu (Doctoral Candidate)
Being Adopted: The life long search for Self
Jenni is enrolled at Otago University but participates in our activities. Associate Investigator, Whāngai and the adoption of Māori: healing the past, transforming the future led by Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Marsden grant awarded 2017.
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