Oceans Between Us – an unflinching examination of racism in NZ

Associate Professor Sereana Naepi has edited Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples and Racism in Aotearoa featuring essays from prominent Pacific thinkers and academics, launching 10 July.

Sereana (Fijian, Pākehā) is an associate professor in sociology at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. She co-authored Aotearoa’s first study on Māori and Pacific science researchers in 2020, showing universities as culturally unsafe learning environments.

An earlier study sought to understand why Pacific people made up only three percent of academic staff across Aotearoa. It touched on universal issues that many indigenous communities face, and the research sparked a global conversation.

Oceans Between Us, published by AUP, features ten essays analysing racism across education, health, justice and society. Many of the 13 academics are connected to Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Sereana says the essays offer a bold and unflinching examination of racism against Pacific peoples in New Zealand.

“Racism. There, we said it. You can let your shoulders drop now that you know we will say the word and not sidestep it to protect people’s comfort.

“Or, you can raise your shoulders in preparation for tension as you realise that this book will not talk about unconscious bias or other terms that enable us to excuse ourselves from our own complicity in, inaction on, or upholding of racist structures.”

She says Oceans Between Us is a testimony and a call to action, documenting the struggles of Pacific peoples, envisioning a world that demands equity and a catalyst for change.

“This book is not about survival alone – it’s about thriving."

While grounded in the Pacific experience, the book speaks to a broader audience - asking why Pacific peoples are treated differently, and how changes can be made.

Authors offer strategies to overcome barriers, proposing steps such as improving access to data, reforming funding structures and acknowledging shared histories.

A leading academic and long-time advocate for equity, Sereana has demonstrated her willingness to ask the ‘hard questions’ as she sets about demanding meaningful change.

“My dad said to me after doing one of my breakfast interviews, if you keep doing that they will fire you,” she says.

Oceans Between Us seeks to widen the conversation on inequity and racism, how the issues are not a ‘them’ problem but require a collective ‘us’ to step up, remove barriers and improve the overall quality of life for Pacific peoples and ensure future generations can thrive.