Dion Enari | Auckland University of Technology (original) (raw)

Papers by Dion Enari

Throughout the Pacific, the whānau/'āiga (family) is an integral element of community and ident... more Throughout the Pacific, the whānau/'āiga (family) is an integral element of community and identity. Within Polynesian communities, it is common for the whānau (family-Māori) or 'aiga (family-Samoan) to be the most important aspect of one's existence. For many Polynesian (Māori and Pacific) athletes, the family unit is central to their ability to succeed in professional sport. The cultural identity that is developed within the family unit as well as the support and nurturing provided are ingredients for Polynesian athletes to thrive in spaces where they may not otherwise: gaining collective support in ways that are not always readily afforded to Western society. This paper draws from the stories of male professional Māori and Pasifika rugby league athletes to provide deeper insight into the critical role of Polynesian families in professional sport. As Polynesian sport academics, who were given deep insight from these athletes, we use our insider lens to tell this story.

The rise of people of color as sport athletes has been contentious and controversial. Although th... more The rise of people of color as sport athletes has been contentious and controversial. Although they are more visible in professional sports, much of their existence is underpinned by "white" systems. Many of these athletes are forced to work in a capitalist individualist structure which runs contrary to their collective cultural ways. As a result, many sporting organizations are culturally exclusive at worst and cultural box ticking at best. As Indigenous researchers, we believe it is not good enough to just have people of color, but to also incorporate their culture and knowledge systems within the sport arena. Through the analysis of Indigenous athletes, we invade these traditionally white spaces with our ancestral knowledge and ways of being. It is envisioned that this chapter is a strengthsbased guide to better work with Indigenous athletes.

Indigenising research: Moanaroa a philosophy for practice, 2024

Growing interest in Pacific issue's has meant a surge in Pacific research across the globe. Sadly... more Growing interest in Pacific issue's has meant a surge in Pacific research across the globe. Sadly, some research on Pacific people has been done without Pacific knowledge, wisdom and culture. As Pacific researchers, we understand the importance of outputs that interweave our ancestral and cultural wisdom, whilst centring and privileging our people's narratives. Through the birth of our Moanaroa Pacific Research group, we explore the importance of a research collective which decolonises and re indigenises research as we know it.

Often a symptom of the colonial project around the globe, the displacement of Indigenous peoples ... more Often a symptom of the colonial project around the globe, the displacement of Indigenous peoples from Indigenous lands means that global Indigenous networks and futures will inevitably include Indigenous diasporic communities. This chapter examines the complexities of identity, place and connection between diasporic Indigenous communities when we consider the roles of the settler nation-state in the evolvement of Indigenous identity. Aotearoa Māori and Pasifika peoples and cultures have various points of connection which can be traced through histories of whānau ancestry and contemporary entanglement with the imposition of the settler states of both New Zealand and Australia. Through Māori and Māori researchers we explore the ways that place and identity can manifest different perspectives on connection and what this can look like for these diasporic communities in Australia.

This article presents narratives from 13 Indigenous early career academics (ECAs) at one universi... more This article presents narratives from 13 Indigenous early career academics (ECAs) at one university in Auckland, New Zealand. These experiences are likely to represent those of Indigenous Māori and Pasifika ECAs nationally, given the small, centralised nature of the national academy of Aotearoa New Zealand. The narratives contain testimony, fictionalised vignettes of experience, and poetic expressions. Meeting the demands of an academic role in one's first years of working at a university is a big deal for anyone; the extra pressures and challenges for Indigenous Māori and Pacific staff are immense, yet little understood by White 'others. ' A writing workshop was the initial catalyst of this collective writing project. Through these insider narratives, this article presents a collective description of, and response to, the experience of Māori and Pasifika early career academics.

Developing Trust in Collaborative Research: Utilizing Indigenous Pacific Methodologies to Create Dialogue Within Research Teams

Pacific have been traditionally extractive. This approach has tended to result in little meaningf... more Pacific have been traditionally extractive. This approach has tended to result in little meaningful benefit to local communities and has resulted in an understandable lack of trust toward international researchers. Indigenous research methodologies can be a way of recentering Indigenous knowledges, (re-)building trust, and ensuring more ethical research engagements. What This Article Adds • • Highlights the importance of building trust within research teams as much as with communities. • • Examines the benefits of Indigenous research methodologies not only for the research itself but within research collaborations. • • Makes a case for "slow science" in cross-cultural research teams.

Ecotherapy: A Field Guide, 2023

This chapter comprises five pieces from seven colleagues – from Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, ... more This chapter comprises five pieces from seven colleagues – from
Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, South Africa and the United
Kingdom – whom we invited to contribute their responses to this book.
These are followed by our reflections on their responses.
We have been careful to invite a very broad diversity of perspectives,
especially from Indigenous peoples and from those whom some might feel
are not ecotherapists at all, mainly because they are not clinical
psychologists or psychotherapists. We want to challenge the idea that
ecotherapy is a form of psychotherapy. Being outside is intrinsically
healing. Working with that potential consciously can be done in many ways,
by very different people in extremely diverse contexts, towards a wide
range of outcomes. All the people whom we have invited fall into this
category; they all engage professionally, one way or another, with the
therapeutic power of nature.
Obviously, inviting responses to what we have written and then offering
our own reflections are just two steps along a much longer conversational
path. Our hope here is to contribute to, and help stimulate, an evolving
dialogue. We do not aim to attempt the impossible, pointless and
undesirable task of trying to ‘pin things down’ or, in the age-old
philosophical tradition, establish ‘a position’. This means that any issues
raised in these contributions, as well as any differences and tensions
between them, remain open.

The over representation of people of color in the NFL (National Football League) has resulted in ... more The over representation of people of color in the NFL (National Football League) has resulted in their increased visibility. Many of these athletes are portrayed by their coaches, fans and the media as ‘gifted’ or ‘natural warriors’. Sadly, much of the public discourse surrounding these athletes ignores the positive affect their cultures have on their professional sporting career. This article shows how professional athletes from a migrant group have positively used their cultural values and pride in the
sporting arena. It is our aim to increase awareness of the important role their cultures play in their professional success. As members of this community, who actively work in these spaces, we privilege
their stories.

Keywords: football, Pacific athletes, athlete wellbeing, cultural pride, indigenous athlete, people of
colour

Mai Journal, 2022

Indigenous people are over-represented as professional players in many sporting codes, and recent... more Indigenous people are over-represented as professional players in many sporting codes, and recently a trend has developed whereby Indigenous athletes are choosing to play internationally for their heritage nations as opposed to the top-tier countries they reside in. With regard to rugby league and rugby union, many of these athletes are Pasifika who have had minimal exposure to their heritage nations, being born and raised in, for example, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia or the United States. Nevertheless, this cohort is increasingly choosing to play for their heritage nations, despite the substantial cut in pay and available resources this decision entails. Throughout this commentary, these athletes are not viewed as mere individuals. Instead, we acknowledge their relationality-that is, the fact that they are intertwined in collective networks of family and nationhood. As researchers from the Pasifika community, we explore the factors which contribute to Pasifika athletes choosing to play for their heritage nations. By analysing the rise of Mate Ma'a Tonga, Tonga's national rugby league team, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural pride-the connection to family and heritage nation-that drives these athletes to play for this team, and the subsequent implications for wellbeing and performance.

The rise of non-European sport athletes has meant a need for their cultural ways to be acknowledg... more The rise of non-European sport athletes has meant a need for their cultural ways to be acknowledged in the sporting arena. Although the players' cultures are visible in sports, through war chants, tattoos, and cultural singing, much of their interactions as athletes are underpinned by foreign western centric philosophies. Many of them are forced to work in an environment which privileges individual capitalism, over their cultural values of service. The failure of sporting organisations to understand the cultural beliefs and practices of players has not only resulted in cultural exclusion but also an incorrect analysis of the player lifespan of these athletes. As Indigenous researchers, we use a culturally appropriate service model to underpin the lifecycle of these professional athletes. Through the analysis of three Indigenous professional athletes from various sporting codes, we provide insight into their professional life span along with their priorities, responsibilities, and duties. By exploring their narratives through a cultural lens, the professional life span of a rookie, veteran and legend athlete are explored and analysed. It is envisioned that this article will provide a strengths-based view of Indigenous athletes and the unique worldviews they bring.

Performers of colour have had to endure racism, both on and off stage. Sadly, many performers of ... more Performers of colour have had to endure racism, both on and off stage. Sadly, many performers of colour have had personal (in)direct experiences of racism.Sadder yet, there are those who have been discouraged to pursue careers in the performing arts because of the racism they have experienced. This article analyses a production by women of colour called Hot Brown Honey. Through this show, notions of racism are called to question and safe spaces for performers of colour are created. As two Pacific Island authors, one being the Director/Co-writer/Performer and the other an activist academic, we provide insider access into the Hot Brown Honey family. Through our insider voices, we are able to share our experiences of how this show disrupts racist perceptions, and privileges people of colour and our narratives. It is our humble prayer that both this show and article empowers people of colour in the performing arts, and builds a better industry for the next generation.

Keywords: People of Colour, Performers of colour, Hot Brown Honey, Pacific Island, Racism

Talanoa (Moana-centred orality) is a widely used Indigenous Pacific discursive approach within re... more Talanoa (Moana-centred orality) is a widely used Indigenous Pacific discursive approach within research contexts across the diaspora. In a globalised and technologically enhanced era, the online space continues to shape Moana (Oceania) peoples' talanoa engagement and communication. e-talanoa in this article is an extension of talanoa research engagement and practice. We unpack the contexts in which e-talanoa is negotiated and made sense, and employ talanoa-vā (relational sense-making and meaning-making) as a critical analytical framework for interrogating and unpacking the complexities associated with e-talanoa as a Moana-Pacific research praxis. e-talanoa considers our current post-covid research space and how Pacific researchers navigate their ethical vā-relations within the temporal-spatial and physical-online boundaries that govern meaningful research undertakings. Being open about the challenges enables further understanding of the dynamic and fluid, yet contextually grounded spaces in which e-talanoa as a method can be realised.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 2022

Insight into the unique benefits of sport participation above and beyond those associated with pa... more Insight into the unique benefits of sport participation above and beyond those associated with participation in other physical activities among adolescents is limited in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between wellbeing and organised
sport participation among adolescents whilst accounting for demographic characteristics and other recreational physical activity. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, (dis)ability status), organized sport, recreational physical activity, and wellbeing were assessed in cohorts of NZ adolescents (11–17 years) between 2017 and 2019. After adjusting for demographics, better wellbeing was associated with participation in any recreational physical activity (OR = 2.49,95%CI = 1.97–3.13), meeting physical activity recommendations (OR = 1.63, 95%CI = 1.47–1.81),and each additional hour of recreational physical activity (OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.02–1.04). After adjusting for demographics and overall recreational physical activity participation, better wellbeing was also associated with participation in any organized sport (OR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.49–1.86), and each additional hour of organized sport (OR = 1.09, 95%CI = 1.07–1.11). Although participation in recreational physical activity appears to be beneficial for wellbeing, organized sport appears to offer
unique additional wellbeing benefits. Positive experiences of organized sport participation may offer additional wellbeing value above and beyond other recreational physical activity types in young people who are active.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022

The purpose of this study was to examine how wellbeing is associated with the setting in which sp... more The purpose of this study was to examine how wellbeing is associated with the setting in which sport participation takes place and the breadth of sport participation. Demographic characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity, deprivation, (dis)ability status), recreational physical activity, and wellbeing were assessed in cohorts of adolescents (11–17 years)between 2017 and 2019 in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Better wellbeing was associated with participation in any sport vs. none (OR =1.57, 95% CI = 1.30–1.90). Better wellbeing was also associated with participating in any coached sport training (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.33–1.66), competitive sport (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18–1.49), social sport (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.18–1.49), and uncoached sport training (OR = 1.16, 95% CI =1.03–1.31) compared to non-participation in the given setting. Wellbeing was not associated with
participation in physical education or solo sport. Participating in sport in three to five different settings (3 settings: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01–1.44; 4 settings: OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.09–1.62; 5 settings:OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.07–1.75) or sports (3 sports: OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04–1.51; 4 sports: OR = 1.31,95% CI = 1.06–1.61; 5 sports: OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05–1.69) was associated with better wellbeing compared to participation in a single setting or sport, respectively. A balanced approach to participating across a variety of sport settings and sports that are facilitated by quality coaches may offer the largest additional wellbeing value.

Sage Journals, 2022

Our talanoa (storied) language journey begins here Dion Enari: early language journey Growing up ... more Our talanoa (storied) language journey begins here Dion Enari: early language journey Growing up in Australia, I came from what some would consider the plastic group. I was the child that was deliberately not taught le gagana (the language) by my Samoan born parents so we could do well in western society. Yes, as a child the only two Samoan phrases I knew were Ou te le malamalama fa'asāmoa (I do not understand Samoan) and manuia fa'afetai (good, thank you). It was not until I was 14, and saw my friend's mother at the mall, that my perception of the gagana Sāmoa (Samoan language) would change forever. Having used the only two Samoan phrases I knew when I spoke to her, the response I would receive would painfully resonate both then and for many years to come. "Did you know it's disgraceful and shameful if you can't speak Samoan?"

Te Kaharoa

Colonization, modernity and migration have impacted indigenous peoples globally. Of particular in... more Colonization, modernity and migration have impacted indigenous peoples globally. Of particular interest, is how identity formation of indigenous peoples are affected through these events. This article explores the life narratives of 20 Pacific Islanders in Brisbane, Australia, and their perceptions of identity. Through talanoa (culturally appropriate conversation) a deeper understanding of how Pacific Island people navigate, use, build and (re)shape their identities was established. The findings showed that although all the participants acknowledged the effects of colonialism, migration and western social expectations, their Pacific culturalism was central to their identity formation. Furthermore, participants expressed that without an understanding of who they were as Pacific Islanders, they would inevitably internalize negative perceptions. Interestingly, all the participants in the study also spoke of the complex intersections and hybrid notions of identity they embodied, as oppo...

Te Kaharoa

This paper reflects on reflexive thematic analyses with Pacific peoples from different cultural a... more This paper reflects on reflexive thematic analyses with Pacific peoples from different cultural and language backgrounds. This paper will briefly describe reflexive thematic analysis according to Braun et al. (2019) and reflect upon issues concerning thematic analysis and Pacific cultures and languages. As academics, researchers, and practitioners, “we engage in a co-construction of knowledge” with our communities while adhering to cross-cultural notions of respect (Enari & Rangiwai, 2021, p. 2). We draw upon our collective cultural knowledge to offer a unique insider perspective (Enari & Rangiwai, 2021) concerning our current understandings of reflexive thematic analysis as it applies to research with Pacific peoples.

Journal of Indigenous Social Development, 2021

This paper gives insights into the ways an Indigenous group has continued to teach and learn thei... more This paper gives insights into the ways an Indigenous group has continued to teach and learn their language(s) during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an insider researcher from this community, I draw upon observations and dialogue among my people globally, as part of an inquiry into our language sustainability. Although social distancing and border closures hindered communal gatherings, this cohort continued to teach and learn their language(s). Many used digital forums such as social media, Zoom and Facebook to facilitate their language transmission. This article shares how this group has been able to maintain and sustain their language(s) in a time of global crisis, may their story support the Indigenous language fight.

Te Kaharoa, 2021

This paper reflects on reflexive thematic analyses with Pacific peoples from different c... more This paper reflects on reflexive thematic analyses with Pacific peoples from different cultural and language backgrounds. This paper will briefly describe reflexive thematic analysis according to Braun et al. (2019) and reflect upon issues concerning thematic analysis and Pacific cultures and languages. As academics, researchers, and practitioners, “we engage in a co-construction of knowledge” with our communities while adhering to cross-cultural notions of respect (Enari & Rangiwai, 2021, p. 2). We draw upon our collective cultural knowledge to offer a unique insider perspective (Enari & Rangiwai, 2021) concerning our current understandings of reflexive thematic analysis as it applies to research with Pacific peoples.

The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic has caused the world to stop. It has disrupted traditional funera... more The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic has caused the world to stop. It has disrupted traditional funeral processes for Māori and Samoan peoples. Their collective ways of mourning were particularly affected, as social distance restrictions and travel bans meant they were unable to physically gather in large numbers. Despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, digital innovation has meant these groups have been able to remain socially connected, at a physical distance. This cohort has also been able to maintain collective interconnectivity with their family and friends during times of grief. Through the digital space, funerals are still able to be a communal time of mourning, support and comfort. As insider researchers, we present our stories, chants and oratory during times of sorrow, while centring our collective digital resilience.

Indigenising research: Moanaroa a philosophy for practice, 2024

Developing Trust in Collaborative Research: Utilizing Indigenous Pacific Methodologies to Create Dialogue Within Research Teams

Ecotherapy: A Field Guide, 2023

Keywords: football, Pacific athletes, athlete wellbeing, cultural pride, indigenous athlete, people of
colour

Mai Journal, 2022

Keywords: People of Colour, Performers of colour, Hot Brown Honey, Pacific Island, Racism

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 2022

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022

Sage Journals, 2022

Te Kaharoa

Journal of Indigenous Social Development, 2021

Te Kaharoa, 2021

Book review Pacific youth Local and global futures, 2021

This book provides a ‘snapshot’ of contemporary Pacific youth and their futures amidst social ch... more This book provides a ‘snapshot’ of contemporary Pacific youth and their futures amidst social change. The youth population of Pacific countries is increasing. It is therefore more important than ever to research their experiences so as to better inform policy. This cohort is not only the future of the Pacific, but a large part of its present story. Geopolitical rivalry between the West and Asia, rising decolonisation movements and the effects of climate change are crucial contexts in which Pacific youth are being socialised. In 12 Chapters from a variety of perspectives from across the region, this book captures the everyday lives, ambitions and challenges of our youth. The main takeaway is that in an ever increasingly interconnected world, via technological advancements and frequent travel, Pacific youth are more engaged in international discourse, than ever before.