Our ANZSOC Pacific Criminology Thematic Group held our second wananga or talanoa (workshop) at the ANZSOC annual conference last year, 3 December 2025, at QUT’s beautiful Gardens Point campus. It was run in two parts. The first focused on advancing conversations about the role of ‘aroha/alofa’ (‘love, compassion, grace’) as a ‘strengths-based healing and accountability framework’ embodied through storied education, outreach, and advocacy. This part offered a ‘lived-experience’ perspective, led by matua Faafete Taito (Fete) and his partner whaea Vivienne Wigby of Tamaki, Aotearoa NZ (pictured below).
A strengths-based healing and accountability framework
Fete, a survivor and pivotal member of NZ’s 2018-2024 Royal Commission of Inquiry into State and Faith-based Abuse in Care’s Pacific community engagement team, was the first Pacific survivor to provide testimony to the Commission (https://www.abuseincare.org.nz/reports/whanaketia/survivor-experiences/survivor-experience-faafete-taito). He led the way for many other Pacific survivors to find the courage to come forward and share their own testimonies. His work with survivors from across different ethnicities and sectors of Aotearoa NZ society continues post the Commission. Especially his grass-roots leadership work with Te Roopu Toiora (a national support group for healing and empowering survivors through arts, advocacy and community: https://terooputoiora.org/). Fete reflected on this work and its relevance for healing, and state, family and individual accountability.
Viv spoke not only of her role supporting Fete, but also of how in her own work in the Indigenous Māori film and television/screen industry, embedding aroha or alofa into our societal systems and values often means using tools like the screen to help make that philosophy of care more visible and commonsensical to all. Whether through the arts, the academy, grassroots services, or political activism, having access to a wide range of media platforms and in person talanoa sessions can, as acknowledged by all attendees, have wide reach and profound impacts.
Justice advocacy from across the Pacific
Building on Part I, Part II – which ran after morning tea – four panellists from Australia and Aotearoa NZ (James Beaufils of UTS, Miranda Forsyth of ANU, Tuivalu Lauganiu of Uni. of Auckland, and Vicky Rose of the Nerang Neighbourhood Centre, Gold Coast) were invited to share whakaaro (insights) on their work around justice advocacy from their place in the Pacific. Each spoke passionately to the intersectionality and multi-layered complexities and nature of their work. From trying to build meaningful relationships between Aboriginal Australians, Torres Strait Islanders, Māori and other Indigenous Pacific Islanders in criminology, to working as a white Australian with PNG communities on custom spaces such as those involving ‘sorcery’, to working with Māori and Pacific criminology students, with community providers, and with those seeking access to the basic necessities of life to survive, to name a few. The gap between research and frontline work was also identified as still problematic. This diversity of entry points into our conversation on Pacific voices in criminology gave us much to think about. Two overall threads ran through our collective korero (talk): 1. that we need to wananga more with decision-makers to effect the change we desire, and 2. that it was time for our region, nations, and communities, for those who call the Pacific home, to have this conversation, and think collectively about what a shared set of values grounded in our sense of belonging and commitment to the Pacific might be.
The two sessions were facilitated by thematic group co-convenor Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni (pictured below), co-convenor of the Pacific Criminology Thematic group and ANZSOC Aotearoa New Zealand representative. Both wananga or workshops brought alive the importance of having in person talanoa spaces for our members to talk story and transformation, plan projects, and dream. Both sessions were distinct and complementary. Both wananga ended with karakia (prayer) and closing words of encouragement.
Our next wananga
We thank and acknowledge all who participated in these workshop sessions. We acknowledge the ANZSOC committee of management for their ongoing support. We are indebted to the Pacific Criminology Collective (PCC) for their pioneering work. And, we are excited to announce that on 16th & 17th of November this year, we will hold our next wananga in Sydney. We welcome all who wish to attend. Please make contact with one of us via email:
Photo – Left (courtesy of whaea Vicky Rose): (Some of the participants in Part II of our ‘Pacific Criminology’ Workshop, including panellists James Beaufils who is speaking – 5th from the left, Tuivalu Lauganiu – 6th from the left, and Miranda Forsyth 8th from the left).
Photo – Middle (courtesy of whaea Vicky Rose): From left to right: whaea Vicky Rose, whaea Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni, and whaea Vivienne Wigby
Photo – Right (courtesy of whaea Vicky Rose): From left to right: whaea Vicky Rose, whaea Vivienne Wigby, and matua Faafete Taito
