David Tuipulotu

David Tuipulotu engaged with issues of cultural identity in Tongan New Zealanders in his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Pacific Studies.

David Tuipulotu standing outside the Fale Pasifika

Key Facts

Programme: Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
Specialisation
: Pacific Studies

"Postgraduate study was something I always wanted to do. As a Tongan researcher, I wanted to ascertain the many challenges that Tongans face in New Zealand.

"A major worry that our elders had was that knowledge and culture would be lost over time within the diaspora. My research looks at how Tongan New Zealanders shape their cultural identity and whether learning about Tongan customs can help create a substantial cultural identity alongside their identities in New Zealand.

"Being a postgraduate student has given me opportunities to access leading scholars in my field and think more critically about the issues they present.

"I'm able look at the cultural knowledge embedded in our worldview, analyse its practicality and challenge myself to find realistic and culturally appropriate solutions for Tongans in New Zealand.

Research should always have a purpose. There should be a reason you chose your topic – something you have experienced or that has affected you that you feel needs to be addressed.

"We have amazing lecturers in Pacific Studies who encourage us to pursue our research topics and form a community of like-minded people who do wonderful things for our wider communities. The Pacific Studies postgraduate students are also amazing. They are great thinkers who are always willing to listen and help other students succeed in their research and in their careers.

"I was a student in the undergraduate Tuākana Arts programme, which helped me immensely. I was fortunate to give back to the same programme when I became a Tuākana mentor in 2017. It gave me the impetus to use my culture to help students and ensure they felt comfortable and valued in the faculty. I really enjoy engaging with students and being able to use my culture and language in a way that is valued and cherished."