Pacific People Navigating the Sacred Vā to Frame Relational Care: A Conversation between Friends across Space and Time

Abstract:In many cultures of the Pacific region, the self is relational, inevitably and permanently connected to other people and entities as a fact of existence. Among the articulations of Pacific relationality is the sacred relational space of connection and separation: vā. Differences in relational thinking around vā in the region should be celebrated, but in an increasingly mobile world, Pacific wisdom can also be honored by paying attention to commonalities. In his essay, we offer a dialogue between friends who seek mutual learning across our various fields in relation to the concept of vā: Samoan village life, Tongan leadership in the New Zealand Public Service, and Pacific education. Through an informed and critical conversation across established and emerging social spaces, we hope to provide navigation points for others who value the vā in research and other pursuits.