Setting Sail as a Tautai - Navigating the Waters of Tertiary Education with University of Auckland

At the University of Auckland, Unibound, a six-week programme supporting Pacific school leavers to transition into tertiary study, invited Tapasā to facilitate a session for 95 students aged 17–18 under the theme Sailing with Purpose. The session explored how culturally grounded frameworks can support young Pasifika navigating the challenges and possibilities of tertiary education.

Drawing on Tapasā as an indigenous navigation framework inspired by traditional Samoan wayfinding, the session created space for students to slow down, reflect, and locate themselves within the journey they were about to begin. Rather than focusing solely on academic readiness, the workshop centred identity, purpose, and collective strength as essential foundations for success.

Through talanoa and storytelling, students were invited into reflection around questions such as: Why am I starting this journey? What fears am I carrying? What am I looking forward to? For many participants , particularly those who are the first in their families to attend university, these reflections surfaced both excitement and a deep sense of responsibility. Holding these experiences collectively helped students recognise they were part of a shared story of resilience, courage, and aspiration.

By unpacking Tapasā as a navigation system, participants began to see how they already read signs in their own lives; navigating expectations, pressure, and unfamiliar systems long before entering university. A key moment in the session was the Tapasā waka activity, which made these often-invisible processes visible. Students mapped how they move through obstacles and uncertainty, strengthening awareness of the skills and cultural intelligence they already carry.

The atmosphere in the room was hopeful, energetic, and deeply engaged. Students leaned into the process with openness, supporting one another through shared reflection and laughter.

By the end of the session, many expressed increased confidence, clarity of purpose, and a stronger sense of belonging... grounded not only in their individual goals, but in their cultural and collective identity.

The impact of the session extended beyond inspiration. Students left with practical ways to ground themselves, a clearer sense of purpose, and the understanding that tertiary education is not something to survive, but a journey they can navigate intentionally — guided by both their gafa and their personal vision for the future.

Beyond the individual outcomes, the session demonstrated how Tapasā’s training approach can be adapted for different settings - from students and youth, to teams and organisations navigating change. By combining indigenous knowledge, reflective practice, and applied learning, Tapasā supports people to perform, lead, and learn in ways that are grounded, sustainable, and culturally responsive.

Tapasā: Creating grounded spaces where people can navigate change with purpose.