Cecelia Faumuina - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

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Papers by Cecelia Faumuina

Research paper thumbnail of Asi - The presence of the Unseen

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Asi: Working with the unseen spirit

LINK Praxis, Oct 24, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences of indigenous (Māori/Pasifika) early career academics

Educational Philosophy and Theory

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.

Research paper thumbnail of Ngatu: a methodological framework for artistic practice

Revista GEMInIS, Jun 1, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Asi - The presence of the Unseen

Rangahau Aranga: AUT Graduate Review

In 1993, Wolfgramm referred to the climax in faiva as ‘asi (the presence of the unseen). This spi... more In 1993, Wolfgramm referred to the climax in faiva as ‘asi (the presence of the unseen). This spirit of artistic expression is an agent sometimes identified when Oceanic people work together to bring artistic works to their apotheosis. This thesis asks, “What occurs when young Oceanic people work together creatively in a group, drawing on values from their cultural heritage, to create meaningful faiva?” The thesis seeks to understand how within this process, ‘asi might bring forward a powerful sense of expression rooted in a relationship between involvement and a sense of belonging. Emanating from a critical consideration of faiva and ‘asi, the research considers the dynamics of collective development and performance. Video, sound, drawing, poetry, performance and talanoa (every day conversations where the people involved share their personal experiences) are collected and analysed through a process of artistic and analytical reflection. The research considers two bodies of work. Th...

Research paper thumbnail of Asi - The presence of the unseen

LINK 2021 Conference Proceedings, 2021

This paper considers an indigenous, methodological framework developed for my doctoral thesis, ‘A... more This paper considers an indigenous, methodological framework developed for my doctoral thesis, ‘Asi: The Presence of the Unseen. Defined as ‘Ngatu’ the framework employs the heliaki (metaphor) of women’s collective crafting of indigenous fabric, to structure an artistic research project. Ngatu is cloth made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree. Used for floor mats, bedding, clothing and room dividers it is also often given as a gift at weddings, funerals and formal presentations. Ngatu is considered one of Oceania’s distinctive art forms and processes. Within the study, the position of the researcher is both a creator of artistic work and a reflector on the experience and practices of other collaborators. The Ngatu framework enables a practice-led inquiry that is underpinned by indigenous principles: uouongataha (the pursuit of harmony), mālie/māfana (warmth and beauty) and anga fakatōkilalo (being open to learning). Guided by these values, the methodology employs five distinct ...

Research paper thumbnail of Ngatu: a methodological framework for artistic practice

Revista GEMInIS

This article discusses an indigenous methodological framework employed in the development of my d... more This article discusses an indigenous methodological framework employed in the development of my doctoral study, ‘Asi – The Presence of the Unseen. Considering the Tongan concept of ‘asi (the unseen spirit that energises and gives agency to artistic work), the thesis asked, “What occurs when young Oceanic people work together creatively in a group, drawing on values from their cultural heritage to develop meaningful faiva (artistic performance)?” In posing this question, the study sought to understand how ‘asi might bring forward a powerful sense of belonging and co-creation that might resource artistic practice. As such, I proposed that the ‘asi identifiable at the peak of a performance, might be also be discernible before and after such an event. The methodological framework for the study drew its inspiration from approaches to making Tongan bark cloth fabric (ngatu). Given the co-creative nature of such work, the Ngatu framework positioned the investigator as both an artistic prac...

Research paper thumbnail of Asi - The presence of the Unseen

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Asi: Working with the unseen spirit

LINK Praxis, Oct 24, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Experiences of indigenous (Māori/Pasifika) early career academics

Educational Philosophy and Theory

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.

Research paper thumbnail of Ngatu: a methodological framework for artistic practice

Revista GEMInIS, Jun 1, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Asi - The presence of the Unseen

Rangahau Aranga: AUT Graduate Review

In 1993, Wolfgramm referred to the climax in faiva as ‘asi (the presence of the unseen). This spi... more In 1993, Wolfgramm referred to the climax in faiva as ‘asi (the presence of the unseen). This spirit of artistic expression is an agent sometimes identified when Oceanic people work together to bring artistic works to their apotheosis. This thesis asks, “What occurs when young Oceanic people work together creatively in a group, drawing on values from their cultural heritage, to create meaningful faiva?” The thesis seeks to understand how within this process, ‘asi might bring forward a powerful sense of expression rooted in a relationship between involvement and a sense of belonging. Emanating from a critical consideration of faiva and ‘asi, the research considers the dynamics of collective development and performance. Video, sound, drawing, poetry, performance and talanoa (every day conversations where the people involved share their personal experiences) are collected and analysed through a process of artistic and analytical reflection. The research considers two bodies of work. Th...

Research paper thumbnail of Asi - The presence of the unseen

LINK 2021 Conference Proceedings, 2021

This paper considers an indigenous, methodological framework developed for my doctoral thesis, ‘A... more This paper considers an indigenous, methodological framework developed for my doctoral thesis, ‘Asi: The Presence of the Unseen. Defined as ‘Ngatu’ the framework employs the heliaki (metaphor) of women’s collective crafting of indigenous fabric, to structure an artistic research project. Ngatu is cloth made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree. Used for floor mats, bedding, clothing and room dividers it is also often given as a gift at weddings, funerals and formal presentations. Ngatu is considered one of Oceania’s distinctive art forms and processes. Within the study, the position of the researcher is both a creator of artistic work and a reflector on the experience and practices of other collaborators. The Ngatu framework enables a practice-led inquiry that is underpinned by indigenous principles: uouongataha (the pursuit of harmony), mālie/māfana (warmth and beauty) and anga fakatōkilalo (being open to learning). Guided by these values, the methodology employs five distinct ...

Research paper thumbnail of Ngatu: a methodological framework for artistic practice

Revista GEMInIS

This article discusses an indigenous methodological framework employed in the development of my d... more This article discusses an indigenous methodological framework employed in the development of my doctoral study, ‘Asi – The Presence of the Unseen. Considering the Tongan concept of ‘asi (the unseen spirit that energises and gives agency to artistic work), the thesis asked, “What occurs when young Oceanic people work together creatively in a group, drawing on values from their cultural heritage to develop meaningful faiva (artistic performance)?” In posing this question, the study sought to understand how ‘asi might bring forward a powerful sense of belonging and co-creation that might resource artistic practice. As such, I proposed that the ‘asi identifiable at the peak of a performance, might be also be discernible before and after such an event. The methodological framework for the study drew its inspiration from approaches to making Tongan bark cloth fabric (ngatu). Given the co-creative nature of such work, the Ngatu framework positioned the investigator as both an artistic prac...