As part of a larger effort to reflect critically on the nature, scope, and processes of colonialism in Oceania, decolonizing the field of Pacific studies must focus on the impact of colonialism on people's minds—particularly on their ways of knowing, their views of who and what they are, and what they consider worthwhile to teachand to learn. It is essential to challenge the dominance of western philosophy, content, and pedagogy in the lives and the education of Pacific peoples, and to reclaim indigenous Oceanic perspectives, knowledge, and wisdom that have been devalued or suppressed. Modern scholars and writers must examine the western disciplinary frameworks within which they have been schooled, as well as the ideas and images of the Pacific they have inherited, in order to move beyond them. The curricula of formal education, particularly higher education, should include indigenous Oceanic knowledge, worldviews, and philosophies of teaching and learning, for several reasons: to contribute to and expand the general knowledge base of higher education; to make university study more meaningful for many students; to validate and legitimize academic work, particularly in the eyes of indigenous peoples; and to enhance collaboration between indigenous and nonindigenous peoples.

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This essay contributes a Pacific Islands perspective to the global discussion of ''Living Together: Education and Intercultural Dialogue''. Through poetry and prose, this essay traces the impact of the Tongan concept of vaa (values/valued relationships) on learning and language. By invoking UNESCO's mandate to build peace through education, the concept of vaa is shown to be a key to promoting peace. The challenges and prospects of nurturing peace through international cooperation in education are discussed with examples drawn from the Pacific. Specifically, Tonga's social and linguistic histories provide avenues for interpreting Pacific educational ideals in relation to Western concepts of knowing and learning. Reflection on cultural literacy in the Pacific context raises deeper questions about the role of educators when working interculturally. Lessons to be learned include the oft-quoted maxim that educators must first learn about their own culture before learning about others', and before imposing their own pedagogies and curricula on others' education systems.Re´sume´-CONSOLIDER LES RAPPORTS ET RENDRE HONNEUR AUX RESPONSABILITÉ S : UNE PERSPECTIVE SUR LE PACIFIQUE -cet essai contribue, avec une perspective sur les ıˆles du Pacifique, a`la discussion globale de « vivre ensemble : É ducation et Dialogue Interculturel ». En poe´sie et en prose, cet essai trace l'impact du concept tongien du vaa (valeurs/rapports e´value´s) sur l'apprentissage et le langage. En e´voquant le mandat de l'UNESCO pour e´tablir la paix par l'e´ducation, le concept du vaa s'ave`re eˆtre une clef favorisant la paix. Les de´fis et les perspectives de la consolidation de la paix par le biais d'une coope´ration internationale dans le domaine de l'e´ducation sont discute´s avec des exemples tire´s du Pacifique. De manie`re spe´cifique, les histoires sociales et linguistiques du Tonga fournissent des voies d'acce`s pour interpre´ter les ide´aux e´ducatifs du Pacifique par rapport aux concepts occidentaux du savoir et de l'apprentissage. La re´flexion sur l'instruction culturelle dans le contexte du Pacifique soule`ve des questions plus profondes au sujet du roˆle des e´ducateurs lorsque ceux-ci travaillent interculturellement. Les lec¸ons a`apprendre incluent la maxime souvent cite´e que les e´ducateurs doivent d'abord apprendre de leur propre culture avant d'en apprendre d'autres, et avant d'imposer leurs propres pe´dagogies et programmes d'e´tudes aux syste`mes d'e´ducation des autres.

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This article reports on the findings of original field research carried out in the small island developing state of Fiji, in the South Pacific. A North-South research partnership was built upon previous collaboration between team members and, in so doing, pioneered the blending of Pacific and Western research approaches sensitive to a postcolonial positioning.The study interrogates practitioner perspectives on the nature and quality of teachers and teaching in Fiji; the challenges of teachers' work and lives; priorities for successful qualitative reform; and theoretical implications for the processes of education policy transfer and qualitative improvement. The analysis draws upon work on the politics of aid and international development, revealing tensions between existing learner-centred policy frameworks and emergent neoliberal and performativity oriented initiatives influenced by international surveys of student achievement, related league tables and the experience of the regional reference societies of Australia, New Zealand and India.