Discovering ‘tautolu’ within the space: Pacific tertiary students’ reflection of their collaborative creative practice

Abstract

Tertiary degrees in dance can involve the assessment of choreography through group tasks. Whilst research has shown collective creative tasks might be undertaken in diverse ways (Butterworth, 2004), the cultural knowledge and values of students from diverse backgrounds might bring further complexity into this collaborative process. Such collaborative tasks, in which students generate new knowledge while experiencing a collective autonomy can allow Pacific students to extend cultural concepts such as Vā (Anae, 2007, 2010; Koloto, 2016), Matakāinga (Mafile’o, 2006), and Fa’asamoa (Fa’alau, 2016). This in turn may allow them to decolonize their learning processes. To explore this issue my research investigates; How do Pacific students extend their cultural values to decolonize their education within collaborative, creative tasks? As a qualitative research project, I have engaged in Talanoa (Vaioleti, 2011) with three students of diverse Pacific cultures, discussing ways in which each student has integrated Pacific ideals into their collaborative creative practices. Through discussions of how dancers are selected, how choreographic rehearsals begin, what practices are undertaken during choreographic rehearsals, and how choreographic rehearsals conclude, participants reflections have allowed me to construct a framework for considering Pacific values within collaborative creative tasks. Described as Acceptance, Acknowledgement and Atmosphere, I propose the AAA Framework may provide insights into studentled decolonization within other learning contexts. The relevance of this research might also encourage educators, students and institutions to further question and understand the complexity of Pacific student’s experiences when attempting to fulfil a collaborative creative task within the context of tertiary education.