Pacific students find their niche through creative expression

Ana discusses carving techniques with Year 13 students Helylani and Miliame, saying, "It's very special for them to have this opportunity to try carving. It’s a skill that really needs to be handed down to you.”

When Dunedin artist Ana Teofilo put a call out to teachers on her Facebook page to gauge interest in partnering on a Creatives in Schools project, she was inundated with responses. 

Cherie Ford, kaiako o te reo Māori at Queen’s High School, was one of the teachers who vied for Ana’s attention. 

She says she went the un-subtle route: “I replied to her Facebook post with ‘Me, me, me! Us, us, us!’” 

Cherie convinced Ana to be their creative partner. She did have a secret weapon though: Ana is a former Queen’s student. 

“I was holding out to go back to my own school”, says Ana. “I wanted to return to Queen’s and give the girls what I never had in my years there – a chance to understand and connect to cultural identity.” 

Together, the pair designed a project called ‘Finding Our Pasifika Niche’. Delivered by the Ministry of Education in partnership with Creative New Zealand and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatū Taonga, Creatives in Schools is all about fostering wellbeing via creative learning experiences. 

As a successful artist who celebrates her Sāmoan heritage in her work – and as a thoroughly empathic human – Ana was made for this role.

Identity through art

Every Friday afternoon over the course of term 2, Ana led a dozen or so senior Pacific students (from Sāmoan, Cook Islands and Fijian backgrounds) through her art process. 

“We’ve got students from all walks of life”, says Cherie. “There are some who are very strong in their culture and have only been in
New Zealand for a very short amount of time and others who’ve never really identified with their culture.”

Under Ana’s guidance, the students carved motifs and patterns into painted board, embellished the surface with painted glue dots and varnished the finished piece. 

Before letting them loose on the carving tools, Ana encouraged them to research their own backgrounds and embed their culture into their motifs. 

“It’s important they lay that foundation down so they’re not just carving meaningless patterns.” 

Previous art skills or experience wasn’t necessary, with Ana saying, “There’s no judgement on your art. It’s just about sharing and being open.”

Cherie Ford (kaiako) and Ana Teofilo (creative partner). Cherie says, "I was in my first year teaching at Queen's when Ana was in Year 10. We’ve kept in touch and I’ve always followed her art."

Nurturing Pacific students

Cherie was adamant that this programme be directed towards Pacific students only. 

“I wanted to make sure they were at the centre and that we developed this programme around them. This aligns with our school goals and plans for our Pasifika students – just trying to let them know that there’s space in the school for them.” 

Year 12 student Tiana has noticed this advocacy, saying, “Whaea [Cherie] backs us PI girls – she’s the backbone of our community.”

The programme is multi-layered. The students think they are there for the art, but really, nurturing their wellbeing is the underlying true purpose.

“They don’t know that’s what we’re doing”, says Cherie. 

Subterfuge is vital, adds Ana. “Any words like ‘wellness’ or ‘mental health’ are a turn-off for teenagers. 

“For me, art is an escape. It’s very therapeutic. When the students are carving and listening to their music, they’re in the zone. It’s a space for them to activate sisterhood bonding and connect to their own heritage.”

Growth in attendance 

Cherie says there’s been some great personal growth happening alongside the art. 

“I’ve really noticed the change in a number of them, not only in this space but outside in the wider school – the way that they relate to each other as a group of Pasifika students. 

“We’ve already seen a shift for a few of them around how they see themselves. If the programme has triggered their curiosity to find out a bit more and have a bit more pride, we’ve done what we wanted to do.”

There’s also been growth in attendance. At the beginning of the programme, the students would arrive after lunch and pack up around 3pm. Before long, they were drifting in during their lunch hour and leaving
at 4pm. 

“It’s a great way to end the week”, says Cherie. “I haven’t looked at stats yet but I have a feeling that for a few of the students, their attendance on Fridays has increased.”

Once the juniors have completed the programme in term 3, they’ll hold an exhibition of their works. After that, Ana-less Friday afternoons will no doubt lose some of their sheen.

Year 12 students Gabbi and Ilanevada totally absorbed in the creative process.

What the Year 12 students say

Ilanevada: “It’s made me more comfortable and confident in doing things like this. I always just identify myself as Māori but with Ana here it’s made me more comfortable to learn and understand stuff about my Sāmoan side.”

Taia: “I did some research and found out all this interesting stuff about the Cook Islands that I wish I’d known when I was younger. I wish the rest of my subjects were like this. If art was like this I’d do it every day of the week.”

Tiana: “Having someone like Ana who’s so advanced in the arts and also the same ethnicity as me has been pretty powerful. I haven’t met anyone like her before – she’s so helpful and I get to hear a bit of my own language. It’s not like being with teachers that we have to impress. We look up to Whaea [Cherie] and Ana but they also get us. In maths or English we wouldn’t just raise our hand or call across the room for help but in this classroom, everyone knows how to ask for help.

Year 11 student Fa’aiu with her finished work.

“It’s totally different – it’s so free-flowing. There’s less pressure and more creative room and we don’t get graded for it. For a few of us Polynesian girls that pressure of our parents seeing our grades can make us feel disappointed in ourselves. In this class, we all feel like one family. We’re allowed to express ourselves here. This is the space where we all want to be.”

Creatives in Schools open for applications

Kura and schools can now apply for Creatives in Schools, which provides funding of up to $17,000 per project.

They will work with their partner artist to plan and run their project. This can be any type of artform such as visual, performance, design, digital arts, Pacific arts and ngā toi Māori.

If your kura or school is planning to run a creative project for your ākonga in 2024, visit creativesinschools.tki.org.nz(external link) to apply.

Applications close at 11.59pm on Monday 21 August 2023. For questions, email creativesinschools@education.govt.nz.