Our Purpose is to enrich international development with Pacific values
This is achieved through:
- Thought-leadership that reframes international development and humanitarian work using Pacific perspectives
- Create a safe space for Pacific and Maori practitioners to connect, share and relate their experiences within the INGO space.
When the Pacific Koloa Collective was first convened in 2019, it was identified that there was strategic long-term value in establishing an independent collective of indigenous Pacific and Maori practitioners. It was also evident that there was a specific need to create a ‘safe space’ where practitioners could share their workplace experiences and challenges which included enduring acts of racism.
Since its first meeting, the PKC has successfully presented at various INGO conferences including the CID, DevNet Conference and the ACFID conferences. In October 2019, the first indigenous Maori member of the PKC was welcomed at the CID Conference. From that point the PKC used its international and local networks to encourage and grow the indigenous Maori practitioner voice as part of our Pacific values and understanding of our ancestral role as tuakana to Maori as our teina in the wider Pacific regional context.
In addition, PKC has accepted invitations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide advice on one of its funding panels and PKC has engaged with the United Nations to demonstrate its support of the Black Lives Matter Movement.
In early 2020, the PKC challenged the INGO sector about failing to call out racist behaviour within INGO sector. This matter was raised escalated to all the CEO’s within the INGO sector. As a result, it was agreed that an action plan would be co-developed by one of our PKC members and the Council of International Development. Subsequently, when PKC members speak to their experiences of racism, exclusion and/or witness appropriation of their culture, the PKC member is encouraged to share this at the PKC meeting and or raise their concerns directly with the Chair.
Membership
The membership of the PKC reflects indigenous Pacific languages, skills and a balanced focus on a diversity of ethnic representation, as well as a good cross section of skills, knowledge, age and gender. Members should be humanitarian or development practitioners, defined as people with experience in international development, humanitarian and advocacy activities, which includes project management, policy, law, advocacy, research experience, or related, relevant experience within the Pacific region.
List of Members:
Christine Nurminen (Chair)
International Portfolio Manager (Pacific) for Oxfam Aotearoa, responsible for donor relationships for Pacific projects. Former education researcher with University of Auckland and former Chief Executive of Pacific Education Centre.
Mena Antonio
Chief Executive/Kaiwhakahaere Matua for the Catholic social justice agency Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.
George Faalogo
Advisor to the New Zealand Government. Formerly Humanitarian Programmes Coordinator for Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand responsible for overseeing emergencyand development programs in Aotearoa and in the Pacific.
Andre Whittaker
Director Child Rights at Unicef NZ responsible for leading a domestic advocacy and child rights team focusing on tamariki, rangatahi and whānau in Aotearoa.
Mareta Tana
Community Engagement team at Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand engaging with communities in Aotearoa and working in the field of media and communications.
Fuailelagi Natanielu
Programme Manager for Volunteer Services Abroad in Samoa. Former principal for Loto Taumafai school for children with disabilities (LTS).
Sahara Anae
Programme Manager for Adventist Development and Relief Agency New Zealand (ADRA), with work experience with the Government Water Authorities in Samoa, NZ and Australia.
Dr Junior Ulu
Director for Development for Pacific Medical Association. Has extensive experience in design and development of aid activities in the Pacific.
Tu’u’u Maeata’anoa Luamanu
Adviser International Projects for Habitat for Humanity NZ in the international programs team project managing a number of programs since 2016.
Dr Odette Frost-Kruse
Senior researcher for Allen & Clarke Experienced policy and research practitioner focusing on work with Pacific communities in New Zealand and the Pacific region.
Finau Leveni
Asia Pacific Disaster Law Coordinator for IFRC, former Pacific Manager at Canterbury District Health Board and Disaster Law Consultant.
For more Pacific Koloa Collective information:
Name: Christine Nurminen – Chair
Email: chris.nurminen@oxfam.org.nz
Mobile: (021) 242 6040
Follow PKC on Facebook for regular updates.
Note: The term Koloa is found in South Pacific countries like Tonga, Niue and Samoa (koloa is ‘oloa in Gagana Samoa). The term refers to wealth (inclusive of economic definitions of capital). Koloa is inclusive of tangible and intangible forms of wealth such as cultural knowledge and practices of generations of people. Koloa is an all-encompassing term where other terms like ‘talanoa’, ‘kakala’, ‘fono’ and ‘va’ are manifestations of koloa itself. Koloa is a concept that informs practice from a strengths-based approach. Dr David Fa’avae has defined the term Koloa in his PhD from the University of Auckland.
