Lessons from Pasifika Leadership

Namulau'ulu Leulua'iali'i Anne Singh

“O le ala i le pule o le tautua” 

The pathway to leadership is through service.


In early childhood education, leadership is not something we switch on when we step into a formal role. It lives in our values, our relationships, and the way we serve children, whānau, and each other every day. Pasifika leadership perspectives remind us that leadership is not about status or control — it is about tautua: service.

This blog invites faia'oga (kaiako) to reflect on leadership not as power held, but as responsibility carried.


“O le ala i le pule o le tautua.” The pathway to leadership is through service.

This alagā’upu (whakatauki) challenges Western ideas of leadership that often prioritise authority, hierarchy, or individual success. Instead, Pasifika leadership positions service as the foundation of influence.


To lead well, we must first ask:

· Who am I serving?

· How am I serving them?

· Am I serving in ways that honour who they are, not just what I think they need?


Service may be visible or unseen — carried out in villages, families, churches, workplaces, or quietly behind the scenes. All forms of service matter.

Leaders Serve Their People First

When faia'oga (kaiako) feel supported, valued, and cared for, they are better able to put children first. Belonging, trust, and professional growth are not “extras” — they are essential conditions for high-quality practice.

As outlined in Leading with Heart & Soul (Christie, 2016), when leaders:
· Take care of their people
· Build sound management structures
· Lead with generosity and clarity

Faia'oga (kaiako) are able to offer their full gifts and talents. Children thrive. Whānau feel confident. Communities grow stronger.

Knowing Our Children Means Knowing Their Worlds

Serving children well begins with truly knowing them.

We ask faia'oga to reflect deeply:
· What do you know about your children’s families and aspirations?
· What do you know about your community — its history, geography, flora and fauna?
· What Pasifika, Māori, and settler histories shape your local area?
· How might colonisation, migration, and experiences such as the Dawn Raids still affect families today?

This knowledge is not abstract — it directly informs local curriculum. When we understand children’s aiga’s stories, gagana (languages), and histories, we are better able to design learning that is meaningful, responsive, and respectful.

Serving Through Culture and Talanoa

Pasifika leadership values talanoa — open, respectful dialogue grounded in relationship. 

Through talanoa, we listen to understand, not to respond.

Each service must be culturally responsive:
· One way of serving does not fit all
· Cultural knowledge matters

Leadership requires humility and curiosity, serving others means learning how families want to be served - not assuming we already know.

Honouring Language as Leadership

Language is a powerful act of service.
Te Whāriki reminds us that bilingual and multilingual faia'oga:
· Help children hear and use their home languages
· Support communication and belonging
· Strengthen connections with whānau
· Model pride in identity and culture

Pasifika learners and families bring rich languages, values, and ways of being. When faia'oga weave home languages into daily practice through songs, stories, displays, and everyday conversation - children feel seen and valued.
Language affirms identity. Identity supports wellbeing. Wellbeing supports learning.

Tapasā: A Guide for Our Journey

Like ancestral navigators who read stars, winds, and currents, Tapasā offers faia'oga guidance rather than fixed direction. 

It supports teachers to:
· Build strong relationships with Pasifika learners and families
· Create shared visions for success
· Honour Pacific values such as respect, service, family, belonging, and reciprocity
Tapasā reminds us that leadership is relational — it exists within the va, the sacred space between people.

Serving with Our Talents and Passions

Another powerful reminder from Pasifika leadership is that service is not only about skills — it is about who we are. Our talents, passions, languages, and lived experiences are gifts to our communities.

What could you bring to your centre?
· A language you speak
· Music, dance, storytelling, or art
· Cultural knowledge
· A skill that supports whānau wellbeing

When faia'oga share their talents, children are inspired. Research shows that teacher passion directly influences children’s motivation and engagement.

Relationships Before Roles

Pasifika leadership is grounded in relationships — between parents and children, siblings, chiefs and communities, teachers and learners. Leadership works because it is collectively upheld.
ECE leadership is strongest when it reflects this truth: we do not lead alone.

A Call to Reflection

I invite you to reflect honestly:
· What does service mean to me as a faia'oga?
· How do I serve children, whānau, and colleagues?
· What could I do differently or better?
· How can Pacific perspectives shape my daily practice?

And finally, a reminder that sits across both Māori and Pacific worldviews:
“He aha te mea nui o te ao?
O le ā le mea e pito sili ona tāūa?
What matters most?
- It is people, it is people; it is people.