Fakalakalaka

What does it mean for Tongan women to thrive in Western higher education systems while staying true to their cultural and spiritual values?

In Fakalakalaka: Tongan Women Navigating Higher Education: Pacific Feminisms and Place-Based Aspirations in Aotearoa, Dr Ruth (Lute) Faleolo brings forward the lived experiences of Tongan women pursuing university study in Aotearoa. Drawing on talanoa interviews and grounded in the concept of fakalakalaka-a holistic and culturally situated understanding of progress-Dr Ruth (Lute) Faleolo explores how identity, faith, family, and place shape educational aspirations and journeys. The book examines the tensions Tongan women navigate between family expectations, gendered responsibilities, and the structural inequalities of Western higher education systems, while remaining anchored in their cultural and spiritual values.

Through personal narratives and critical cultural reflection, Faleolo challenges deficit-based perspectives of Pacific learners and offers a Pasifika feminist framework for understanding academic success. Rich with insight and practical relevance, the book provides educators, researchers, and policymakers with culturally grounded strategies to better support Pacific women in tertiary education.

Ideal for educators, researchers, policymakers, gender studies scholars, and students interested in Pacific studies, higher education, and feminist approaches to culturally responsive learning.