Matalena Tofa

USyd colleagues: I was an academic rep on the NTEU bargaining team for 18 months. Now that I also have a little distance, I’d like to share some honest thoughts about what has gone wrong this round (very long thread)

I was in a bike accident last year that left me with ongoing neurological symptoms. In the essay below I explain how it changed the way I see myself, our societies, and the #COVID pandemic. I feel with new fire 🔥 that everyone should have the support required to flourish. /1

Imagine you're at a dinner party. There are 10 seats at the table and 10 plates of food – yet half the guests are only served crumbs. You'd say something, right? So why are we so reluctant to talk about wealth inequality? thespinoff.co.nz/society/16-08-… Made with support from @NZonAir

Australia’s first free online training course in Universal Design for Learning. I have enrolled. Have you? Enrol now. disabilityawareness.com.au/courses/univer…

ANU permanent Pacific Studies Lecturer job reminder! Please share and all eligible applicants do apply to join our interdisciplinary scholarly community @ANU_CHL jobs.anu.edu.au/en/job/542389/…

SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION! The need to create a more nuanced & inclusive manner in which diversity is understood can promote a shared & sustainable response. Lovely to co-author this piece with A/Prof Stephane Shepherd & @profsivanes #Labels @USyd_SSESW abc.net.au/religion/would…

In an extraordinary gesture, the NZ government present an ifoga to the Pasifika community, as an ie toga is wrapped around Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, using the traditional Samoan symbolism of asking for forgiveness. #DawnRaidsApology

@BronwynCarlson @tinangata @tmoekepickering @MoanaTheodore @JoannaKidman @SereanaNaepi @alice_tps @PNetwok @JiojiRavulo @PacificMigrant @Blainewuwu @HauaInnez

“We can be Māori and reo-less at the same time. It’s not ideal — especially in the hidden places we never talk about — but we can keep our heads held high. This doesn’t make us less.” — Shelley Burne-Field e-tangata.co.nz/reo/this-doesn…

New Zealanders who have lived and worked in Australia for years and lost their income due to the coronavirus are unable to access any form of welfare or support, and are now unable to return home. My story for @GuardianAus: theguardian.com/world/2020/mar…

Looking for something to do in a four week lockdown. How about a Te Reo course, for FREE!!! massey.ac.nz/massey/interna…

Faisal Al Asaad wrote our first response to the Christchurch mosque attacks, one year ago today. We are grateful for this new piece and awed by his courage, compassion and clarity. overland.org.au/2020/03/there-…

Our paper The Pakaru ‘Pipeline’: Māori and Pasifika pathways within the academy has now been published online in the New Zealand Annual Review of Education #openaccess #Indigenousscholars tinyurl.com/slaftl2 (1/13)

"Tālofa’, provides us with a sense of self & pride in showing and letting others know who we are & what we are" - Guest writer Dahlia Malaeulu writes re proudly sharing who we are by freely using our Pasifika greetings outside of our Pasifika communities thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/g…

We just had our first ever Pasifika Student Association AGM at uni. There was LOTS of laughter, music, food & ideas to build connections, support, share, represent & celebrate while we learn, work & teach. Makes my heart so happy 💓 #pasifika in #highered

If you read one thing today - make it this important & powerful piece in the @ConversationEDU by Bhiamie Williamson, @DrJKWeir & @nessscavvv: 'Strength from perpetual grief: how Aboriginal people experience the bushfire crisis' #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe theconversation.com/strength-from-…

This is terrible, ODT. What a shameful assault on the cartoonist's art - and on empathy, decency, human feeling, and the people of a country with which we're so close. As Sita says, most of the 55 lives lost have been under 5. Who would draw this? Who would publish this? And why?

'There are no words': Samoa buries its children as measles outbreak worsens. In six weeks, a measles outbreak has infected 3,000 people out of a population of 200,000, killing 42, mostly children 💔😢 theguardian.com/world/2019/nov…

Last chance to help us lift the protection status of the whenua at Ihumaatao. Cut, paste, and send to Heritage NZ today before 4pm today!! @actionstation/protectihum%C4%81tao-we-need-your-help-to-protect-the-whenua-6a806c2090f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">medium.com/@actionstation…

@mel_taylor48 😲 yes! I think so!!!