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Telesia Kalavite imagePhD MEd PGDipEDL (Waikato), PGCertEd BA (USP), DipEd TchgCerts (Tonga)
Nukuleka, Tonga

Pacific Island Studies Programme Co-ordinator

Contact

Office 4S6 Richardson Building, South Tower
Tel +64 3 479 3974
Email telesia.kalavite@otago.ac.nz

Research

Telesia has a wide range of research capabilities and interests in the disciplines of: Education Studies; Pacific Studies; Social Science; Linguistics; Cultural Studies; and Development Studies.

In particular her interests lie in: Pacific educational development; Pacific students' educational achievement; Education for sustainable development; Educational achievement for migrant communities; Pacific culture; Pacific culture and education for sustainability; Culture and educational achievement; Culture and sustainable development in the Pacific.

Other research interests include: Time-Space Theory of Reality and academic achievement for Pacific peoples; Christianity and educational development; Indigenous development; Language and educational development; Tongan-English translations; Climate change and indigenous development; and Social justice and educational development for migrants.

Teaching for 2023

  • PACI 103 Languages and Cultures of the Pacific: An Introduction
  • PACI 210 Special Topic: Pacific Education
  • PACI 405 Indigenous Leadership in the Pacific

Guest Lecture

Supervision

Current

  • Eirenei Taua'i, MIndS
  • Fara Iati, MIndS
  • Tarn Felton, MIndS
  • Jekope Maiono, PhD

Completed

  • Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai, MIndS (2021). The Development of the Pacific Islands Centre at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand: A Personal Reflection
  • Pauline-Jean Henrietta Luyten, MIndS (2021) COVID-19 Talanoa: The Voices of Tongan Kāinga in South Canterbury

Research grants

  • University of Otago Research Grant (2023). Project Titled: The implications of changing cultural practices in Tongan wedding celebrations in New Zealand

Distinctions

  • 2010–2012: University of Waikato Postdoctoral Fellow
  • 2010: University of Waikato Tertiary Achievement in Pacific Ako (TAPA) Award
  • 2009: University of Waikato TAPA Award
  • 2008: University of Waikato TAPA Award
  • 2006: University of Waikato Pacific Excellence Award
  • 2006: Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) Employee Award
  • 2006–2005: New Zealand Ministry of Education Pacific Postgraduate Study Award
  • 2000: University of Waikato Certificate of Achievement Award
  • 1998–1999: Australian Aid (AUSAID) Scholarship Award for a Masters' degree
  • 1990–1991: AUSAID Scholarship Award to study for a Bachelor's degree
  • 1987–1988: Tonga Government Study Award to study for a Diploma in Education

Publications

Seve, N., Kalavite, T., & Potauaine, S. F. K. M. (2025, February). Key papers by Professor Hūfanga-He-Ako-Moe-Lotu Dr ‘Okusitino Māhina. Verbal presentation at the Kātoanga‘i ‘o Tā-Vā Symposium: Celebrating a living legacy of Tā-Vā Time-Space, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Tamatea, K., Berryman, M., Rewi, T., Kalavite, T., & Pasley, A. (2024). Towards a more power-sharing relational response between Tangata Tiriti and Tangata Whenua in education research [Keynote panel]. Proceedings of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE) Conference. Retrieved from https://nzare.org.nz/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Kalāvite, T. (2024, September). Indigenous intergenerational relational rhythms: Sustaining Tongan language and culture across time (Tā) and space (Vā) [Tātātulivaka ‘i he fekaukau‘aki ‘a e ngaahi to‘utangata’ ‘i hono fakatolonga ‘o e Lea mo e ‘Ulungaanga Faka-Tonga’ ‘i he taimi’ mo e vahanoa’ (tā mo e vā - time and space)]. PōTatala public lecture, Tonga National University [’Univesiti Fakafonua ’a Tonga], Tonga. [Research Presentation]. Other Research Output

Kalavite, T. (2024). Indigenous intergenerational relational rhythms: Sustaining Tongan language and culture across time (Tā) and space (Vā). Art/Research International, 8(2), 636-662. doi: 10.18432/ari29742 Journal - Research Article

Schaaf, R., Kalavite, T., Lei-Mata'afa, S., Nafatali, K., Alai, G., & Anderson, V. (2023, November). Teu le vā Tauhivā: Pacific relationality as a model for ethical practice in academia. Verbal presentation at the 51st Annual Conference of the Oceania Comparative & International Education Society (OCIES), Apia, Samoa. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

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