Wai? Indigenous Words and Ideas

This episode engages with both the thought and practice of interconnectivity and collective consciousness in Indigenous theory. Niu/Knew/Neo Tā-Vā is framed as a talanoa/tzijonïk/storying conversation between Tāvāism, critical and global Indigenous theory. Mayan philosophy of time space is introduced and demonstrated to have overlaps with ideas of reality and life in Tā-Vā, which is explored along...

This episode dives into some of the background and context that influenced 20th century transformational thinking in critical Oceanic thought. Palofesa I. Futa Helu’s intellectual background is explored including realism and panta rhei. The role of critical education, classics, questions of permanence, and the ‘Atenisi legacy are reflected on as significant in understanding the formation of the Tā...

Dr. Boj Lopez is a Maya-K’iche’ Assistant Professor of Chicanx and Central American Studies at UCLA. We discuss her academic journey and early interests in the project of ethnic studies, as well as in building Maya community spaces in diaspora. Boj Lopez works in the growing field of Critical Latinx Indigeneity which she approaches as a bridge of conversations between Latino/Chicano Studies and Na...

Dr. ‘Ulise Funaki (Kakai Tonga, Kanaka Maoli) is featured in this episode and shares a breadth of insights having recently completed a doctorate in anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i and as an instructor at Brigham Young University – Hawai‘i. Topics covered in this episode include: Navigating research and study as a grounded family person; Kava protocols in academic spaces; Historical and s...

Isiah Cambridge (Ute/Núuch and Diné/Navajo) and Samoana Matagi (Tagata Sāmoa and Papalagi) join this episode to discuss culture, language, and relationships to place. We reflect on work we have done at the Nature Center at Pia Okwai where Isiah has taught Diné Bizaad (Navajo language) classes and Samoana continues to run a monthly Friday Fono (Faikava workshop) and regular Umu (underground earth o...

This episode begins by attempting to tackle some bigger questions about religion, belief, and spirituality. I share some different approaches to analysing religion using thinkers like Talal Asad and Émile Durkheim , in order to explore concepts like ‘religion’ itself and the ‘sacred’ and ‘profane’. I also consider Indigenous Reflections on Christianity to explore the tensions and compromises with...

This episode features poet, author, and intellectual Moana ‘Ulu‘ave-Hafoka. The catalyst for this discussion was a recently released YouTube video by former Mormon author and YouTuber Alyssa Grenfell, titled Tonga is 60% Mormon?????? , which has currently been viewed more than 200k times since being posted. This video references one of Moana’s articles , so as nerds of Tonga, Indigeneity, and Morm...

Dr. Kehaulani Fagatele-Folau joins this episode to introduce her doctoral research. We begin with Indigenous concepts and methods she used from the Madau-Moana to make sense of some of the colonial contexts Indigenous women of Oceania traverse in the academy. Some themes we discuss include Indigenous feminism, interconnectivity, sharing space, and relational ethics by using Niu/Neo/Knew Tā-Vā. Fag...

This episode introduces an idea Dr. Hafoka and I have been working through and developing, inspired by and extending out of the undercommons. We reflect on intellectuals that remain connected to home communities or who emerge organically from communities. We also consider the re-framing of study as common knowledge or as a shared and subversive project grounded in the Black Radical Tradition, whic...

This episode begins with a reflection on this podcast project reaching its 50th episode. I share some additional background and future plans, including some of the symbolism behind the WAI logo. This episode introduces some ideas from the article, Indigeneity as a Post-Apocalyptic Genealogical Metaphor , which explores the metaphysics of indigeneity - Indigenous metaphysics through a global Indige...

This episode seeks to share an understanding of coloniality as a global system by engaging with the Matrix film series franchise, focusing on the initial trilogy. The Matrix trilogy is applied as a metaphor to build critical consciousness of coloniality, settler-colonialism, and Indigeneity, while also exploring other social constructions. This compliments an early episode on modernity and Indigen...

This episode focuses on ideas about critical thinking in systems of power. Topics include critical pedagogy, critical consciousness, belief, agnotology (study of ignorance), and aesthetics as ethics. Concepts mentioned include the banality of evil and the illusory effect with pop culture references to the films Don’t Look Up and The Lorax as well as the TV Series Barbaren (Barbarians). The reflect...

Lana Lopesi is an Assistant Professor at the University of Oregon interested in Indigenous and Women of Colour Feminisms, Contemporary Art, and Global Indigeneities. We begin this episode by reflecting on both of our recent shifts in social and political context moving from Aotearoa-New Zealand to the continental United States. This episode covers terms and the differences of scale across societie...

Indigenous Tongan scholars Dr. Ka‘ili and Dr. Hafoka join this episode of remembering the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and the impact of Mate Ma‘a Tonga. We reflect on the background to doing research at that time and thinking about the geopolitics of sport alongside an exploration of Tongan Indigeneity. One of the iconic moments we recall is the roll of diaspora and descendant populations having t...

Kehaulani Folau is a Madau-Moana (Oceanian) scholar and doctoral student of education, and Tino is a critical educator and activist. We discuss ‘diversity’ in the context of dominant schooling institutions, including its impact and limitations. Our talanoa/platica is inspired by recent legal acts to ban diversity initiatives, and Tino’s online commentary “ DEI can’t save us, so why do we try so ha...

This episode features Moana Iose who is an artist and Indigenous art policy consultant, as well as the founder of Salt Lake City’s Pasifika First Fridays and the Lost Eden Gallery. We begin with a look back to our global crossing of paths and our shared connections at Auckland Uni. Moana was involved in the ‘I too am Auckland’ project while she studied at Waipapa Taumata Rau (formerly Te Whare Wān...

Building on an earlier episode about Critical Tongan Studies , Ata and I revisit this idea and discuss the various waves that make up a rich intellectual tradition based in the regions associated with Tonga. Acknowledging the social and national construction at a particular point in time we seek to localise and unpack the context where different philosophical traditions emerged by imagining both a...

This episode begins with some reflections on my experience and relations to people of place and to being mindful of where one lives, especially if one’s immediate ancestral ties lie elsewhere. I think about responsibilities and possibilities of relating differently and better to where I currently reside by digging deeper beyond the dominant understandings of Indigenous people and issues here in Ut...

Ata and I have just published a paper on Tongan Coloniality which this episode provides a brief introduction to as well as a bit of background behind this research project.  Prior to successfully publishing this paper we were getting blocked within academia when making attempts to discuss Indigenous issues from a Tonga context in relation to global perspectives. Questions of Tongan Indigeneity hav...

This episode takes a sneak peak into one of our whānau hui (family meetings/gatherings) where we reflect on a recent move we have made. The tamariki (children) share some insights and observations of living in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and now in Soonkahni (Salt Lake), including nationalism in schools, political ideologies, language, and foods. My partner and I reflect on their comments further a...

This episode features post graduate student Dorothy Savieti who has been interested in and researching fahu (chiefly sister, aunt, relative, etc.) within Tongan culture and society. She shares an introduction to thinking about this significant identity and role within family clans that are commonly known for their ceremonial position and function in life events. We discuss how there are a variety...

Yucatec Maya Anthropologist Genner Llanes-Ortiz joins this episode from his current position as research chair of digital Indigeneities at the Bishop’s university in Canada. He shares some of his background in anthropology, Indigenous rights, and linguistics throughout the world. We discuss Dr. Llanes-Ortiz article Cos-Maya-Politan Futures where he coins this term to identify cultural and historic...

David Fa‘avae joins this episode bringing with him his experience as a Tongan/Sāmoan with ties to Niue, and as a founder of the early Tongan scholars network, a Senior Research Fellow at Waipapa Taumata Rau (University of Auckland), and Senior Lecturer at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato (University of Waikato). Ata and I discuss with Dave some of his intellectual background that seeks to respond to com...

Returning guests: Philosopher, writer , and PhD student Anisha Sankar and soon to be Assistant Professor of Pacific Island Studies at the University of Oregon and author of Bloody Woman Lana Lopesi. Contents: This episode gives some background to the anthology project Towards a Grammar of Race in Aotearoa New Zealand to be published by Bridget Williams Books in Sept/Oct 2022. We reflect back on th...

This episode features educator and city councilperson Jacob Fitisemanu along with community leader and educator 'Inoke Hafoka. They discuss some of the background to a recent community tatau/tātatau event that took place in Utah. We learn some of the background to the history of Ocean peoples in Utah and move into the beginning of this group’s tatau journeys with tufuga Li'aifaiva before the pande...