Lay summary
Imagine a future where Pacific communities thrive, wielding their cultural movement traditions like siva and taualuga as powerful tools against health challenges. As a Pacific champion in sports, I have led transformative programmes like Pacific Rugby Smart and Championing Oceania with cultural practices at the core, enriching and enhancing participants' experiences. My research on recognising cultural dance as physical activity has underscored the limitations of Sport NZ's focus on traditional sports, revealing a need to embrace diverse movement practices. This PhD aims to explore how these practices can revolutionise Pacific health and wellbeing.
Using talanoa and participant action research methodologies, this study will deeply engage Pacific communities to ensure authentic and inclusive outcomes. The research seeks to harness the power of cultural movement to enhance Pacific health, influence policy changes, and develop technology solutions rooted in Pacific knowledge.
The anticipated outcomes include improved wellbeing for Pacific youth, policy shifts, and innovative technology.