ACADEMICS and scholars have gathered at the Pasifika Communities University to discuss the region’s principle philosophies.
The approach is a challenge to Western models of thinking and living.
Centrality of the mind was the core theme on Monday as participants discussed rationality, complexity, storytelling and taking a “whole of life” approach to living and interacting with the environment.
These are some of the main characteristics of a Pasifika orientated philosophy.
PCU Manu Folau (Vice Chancellor) Professor Reverend De Upolu Vaai said five core principles underpinned Pasifika philosophy – coinherence, integration, mutual contradiction, restraint, and the principle of continuity.
Vaai said a major challenge in the region was to make decision makers understand these principles and move toward a Pasifika minded approach to policy legislation and implementation.
“We tried to push this reality into policy makers, policy making, policy creation but it’s always pushed back because of the strength of Western philosophical thought.”
Pushing back against the predominance and perceived superiority of current often Western-centric philosophical thought is part of the reason behind the creation of the Pasifika philosophies course.
A real sense of disconnection between implemented policies and the living philosophies and values of Pasifika peoples has meant that the course struck a chord with participants.
Sekonaia Rabukaduaduda of the Higher Education Commission of Fiji said the loss of cultural values and ethics would continue unless they were incorporated into the education system.
“We have lost connection to our roots because people are venturing to overseas countries thinking that that’s life,’’ he said.
“In that sense, the language that we speak the way that we live it, has departed from the original ways of the Pasifika life.”