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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington Gathering 2026 |
Connections, Core Strength, and Catalysts for Change: Reflections on the NZPPA Wellington Fono
Warm Pacific greetings to our NZPPA whānau and supporters!
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| Photo: NZPPA Auckland Members arriving in Wellington |
From Wednesday 3 June to Thursday 4 June 2026, the New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association (NZPPA) gathered in Wellington for a powerful, soul-filling two-day fono. Guided by the theme, “Who are we in our school spaces and how are we affecting change?” In total 35 of our member principals from across the motu (Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Palmerston North, Levin, Porirua, Lower Hutt, Wairarapa, Wellington, Christchurch) came together to talanoa, reflect, and strengthen our collective vision for Pacific education.
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| Photo: NZPPA Executive Meeting |
🛠️ Day 1: Co-Designing Our Future
Our programme kicked off on Wednesday with an NZPPA Executive Meeting, and it was fantastic to have our attending members join us right from the start. True to our cooperative spirit, we utilized this time for invaluable member input on our core initiatives:
- Strategic Alignment: Members provided direct feedback on our proposed NZPPA Strategic Plan, Priorities, and Outcomes.
- Curriculum Design: We engaged in deep discussions regarding our ongoing collaborative work with curriculum design.
- Global Perspectives: We mapped out and gathered insights for our upcoming NSW Sydney Tour.
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington Gathering Dinner – Jason (Tairangi), Clara (St Michaels), Maria (St Josephs Levin), Tute (Arakura) and Natasha (Birkdale) |
Following a productive afternoon of strategic mapping, we shared a beautiful dinner together at the Rydges Hotel. This was a treasured opportunity to unwind, laugh, and build upon the deep, long-standing relationships that anchor our association.
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington Gathering Day Two |
🏫 Day 2: Inspiration, Well-being, and Practical Leadership
Thursday was an action-packed day hosted across two phenomenal local institutions: Thorndon School and St Patrick’s College.
1. Thorndon School
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington Gathering Day Two – Thorndon School |
The morning began at Thorndon School with a beautiful Mihi Whakatatau, led by their Principal (NZPPA Vice President) and his students.
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington Gathering Day Two – Thorndon Classroom Tour |
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington Gathering Day Two – Thorndon Classroom Tour |
This was followed by a tour of their wonderful kura where we got to see first hand inside the amazing classrooms at Thorndon and the hard working staff.
To finish our stay at Thorndon School we then held an Talanoa Session where we got some new and old members of NZPPA to introduce themselves and to share what was on top for them.
2. St Patrick’s College
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Mihi Whakatau – St Patricks College |
Moving to St Patrick’s College for the afternoon showcase, we were privileged to hear from our guest speaker, Tomasi Palu. Tomasi captivated the room by sharing his elite team-building experiences with the ʻIkale Tahi (Tongan National Rugby Team). Even more inspiring was his current grass-roots work helping youth find their path and gain life-changing qualifications through Victoria University. In attendance were also Staff from the Ministry of Education and Children’s Commission.
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Tomasi Palu |
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Tomasi Palu |
3. Manava: So’otaga (Heart & Connection)
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Parehuia (PASS) |
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Manava Sootaga |
Led by our Executive Member, Parehuia Enari, the “Mānava: So’otaga” session provided a crucial, sacred pause. Being a principal under pressure is demanding; this session gave our leaders a much-needed space to stop and focus entirely on their own well-being. Parehuia guided us through tough but deeply necessary reflective question-and-answer times that challenged us to look after ourselves so we can continue to look after our communities.
4. The Bus Stop Activity: Shared Leadership Journeys
One of the absolute highlights of the afternoon was the Bus Stop Talanoa, where we rotated to hear direct, raw, and triumphant leadership stories from our local PPOW Principals. They spoke transparently about the difficulties of navigating change, what their priorities were, how they designed their plans, and how those changes ultimately elevated their communities.
We want to acknowledge the incredible insights shared at each “station”:
- Mike Savali (Saint Patrick’s College): On lifting the visibility of Te Ao Māori and giving authentic effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
- Tute Mila (Arakura School): On their profound cultural journey with Taranaki Whānau, resulting in a formal Kawenata (MOU) established in December 2025.
- Wes Va’ai Wells (Woodville School): On managing simultaneous changes to build, nurture, and sustain a positive school culture.
- Sue Goodin (Holy Family School): A powerful personal reflection titled “The Pule is Palagi!” detailing how she adapted her leadership style to genuinely support her staff and aiga.
- Jason Ataera (Tairangi School):
5. A Final Charge from a Founding Member
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Founding member – Faatili Iosua Esera (MNZM) |
To close out our gathering, we were blessed to receive a final word from one of NZPPA’s original pillars and Founding Members, Faatili Iosua Esera (MNZM). His closing challenge to the room was incredibly fitting, timely, and relevant, reminding us all of why we started this movement and the responsibilities we carry moving forward.
📸 Captured Moments & Attachments
For those who couldn’t make it or want to revisit the structure of our days, please refer to the following program details and schedules saved in our records:
Programme and Details:
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| Photo: NZPPA Wellington – Members of PPOW |
Thank you again to the Wellington PPOW chapter of NZPPA, our executive team, and the 35 passionate principals who dedicated their time to make this fono a roaring success. The hospitality, organization, and spirit of connection they fostered made this gathering unforgettable.
We head back to our respective schools refueled, inspired, and ready to continue affecting positive change!
O le ala i le pule o le tautua — The pathway to leadership is through service.
Sent with Aroha,
The NZPPA Executive Team