Tula'i 2024

Year 12 Tula’i 2024

On Friday, the 3rd of May, Teio Richard 12FI, Khamial Gerrard 12FG and myself (August Tusigaigoa-Vaega 12AN) attended the Tula’i programme located at Westgate within the Te Manawa Library. The Tula’i programme was centred around fostering young pasifika leaders teaching them values of their polynesian attributes and heritage whilst reinstating it simultaneously.

We had two wonderful guest speakers who’d share their knowledge, wisdom and personal experiences with us helping to kindle our ambition as young polynesians. The key speaker was Aigagalefili Fepulea’i Tapua’i (she is in our small group photo) a young 23 yr old poet, indigenous and climate change activist, telling us about how they were able to rally our polynesian people to protest against climate change. That moment proved that we do not need to be fully dependent on ourselves as an individual to make change, but that we can lean on our family and friends for help and support in crucial times. This led into another discussion of leadership and how at times a team is dependent on the whole group rather than the leader itself.

Grace Phillips (also in the small group photo) is a Rutherford College Alumni of 2021 who is currently studying and is a leader of Tula’i program. Tiana Poliko (also in the small group photo) is a Year 13 student also a leader for 2024. 

We were then taught collectively through various activities distributed via workshops where we were divided into 4 different groups where we then underwent our learning. At first, we engaged in ice breakers to ease the tension within our group given we had just met each other. With time passing by, we came to get along with each other as we’d move on to the first activity of describing positives and negatives assumed of a Pasifika. 

The highlights of that activity were the number of positives and negatives, although fairly humorous it showed the many perspectives of how people involving ourselves and others would perceive us. We then had to make an item, where we would incorporate this concept and showcase it. This was the final activity of the day, as we ended it with singing and prayer as we’d leave the building with more than what we came with.

We would like to thank Mr Talamaivao for organising and transporting us there and back safely.

Fa’afetai lava

August Tusigaigoa-Vaega 12AN