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Extract

Emerging voices, urgent truths: a bold and unflinching examination of racism against Pacific peoples in New Zealand.

Racism. There, we said it. You can let your shoulders drop now that you know we will say the word and not sidestep it to protect people’s comfort. Or, you can raise your shoulders in preparation for tension as you realise that this book will not talk about unconscious bias or other terms that enable us to excuse ourselves from our own complicity in, inaction on, or upholding of racist structures. — Sereana Naepi

Salt water carries the weight of powerful stories – of migration, struggle and survival. It is in the sweat of labour, the tears of grief and joy, and the waves that have shaped generations. Like the ocean, racism has carved deep scars in the landscapes we navigate. In this collection, thirteen Pacific scholars rise to turn the tide, dissecting the racism embedded in New Zealand’s core systems, from education and health to justice and climate. Through ten essays rooted in the vā – the relational space of story, dialogue and environment – each chapter builds on the next, weaving together lived experiences and sharp insights.

Oceans Between Us is both a testimony and a call to action. It documents the struggles of Pacific peoples and envisions a world beyond now. A rallying cry for justice, a demand for equity and a catalyst for change, this book is not about survival alone – it’s about thriving.

Author

Sereana Naepi (Fijian, Pākehā) is an associate professor in sociology at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland. With a research focus on equity in higher education, Indigenous research methodologies, and the experiences of Pacific peoples, Māori and early career researchers in academia, she is committed to addressing systemic barriers to success in universities and advocating for institutional change. Her work explores the impact of neoliberalism on education and the need for Indigenous knowledge systems to be recognised within academic spaces. Sereana has co-authored research on decolonising universities and improving pathways for underrepresented scholars. She is a recipient of the Rutherford Discovery Fellowship and Spencer Education grants. Through her scholarship and advocacy, she contributes to rethinking how education serves diverse communities, challenging traditional structures to create more just and inclusive learning environments for future generations.

Endorsements 

‘This book promises to be a timely and much-needed intervention into discussions of race in Aotearoa.’
— Simon Barber, senior lecturer of sociology, gender studies and criminology, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago

‘Oceans Between Us is a paradigm-defining work – filling a crucial gap in scholarship on racism against Pacific communities in New Zealand. Bringing together critical academic analysis and lived experience, this book is both intellectually enriching and a call for social transformation.’
— Steven Ratuva, Pro-Vice Chancellor Pacific, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha – University of Canterbury

‘Oceans Between Us is a groundbreaking collection that fuses critical scholarship with Pacific cultural wisdom. Connecting past, present and future, it confronts the deep-seated racism in New Zealand’s systems and offers bold pathways for change. A must-read for scholars, policymakers and anyone committed to justice and equity.’
— Patrick Vakaoti, professor and dean of Te Tumu School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago

Table of Contents

RACISM – Why We Need to Talk About It
Sereana Naepi

HISTORY – ‘They Call Me a Bunga’: Colonialism, History and Stereotypes in Aotearoa New Zealand
Marcia Leenen-Young

ECONOMY – Is the Migrant Dream a Capitalist Dream? Pacific Peoples and the Economy
Sereana Naepi, Lisa Meto Fox, Dylan Asafo and Evalesi Tu‘inukuafe

EDUCATION – Structural Racism and Education in Aotearoa
Jean M. Uasike Allen, Toleafoa Yvonne Ualesi, David Taufui Mikato Fa‘avae and Fetaui Iosefo

MIGRATION – Time and Race: Pacific Migration Journeys to Aotearoa
Evalesi Tu‘inukuafe

CLIMATE JUSTICE – There Can Be No (Climate) Justice on Stolen Land: Pacific Peoples, Climate Change and the Law in New Zealand
Dylan Asafo

HEALTH – ‘We Need to Get Real’: Structural Racism and the Wellbeing of Pacific Peoples in Aotearoa
Caleb Marsters

HIGHER EDUCATION – The Pacific Pipeline: Structural Racism and Pacific Peoples in Higher Education
Sereana Naepi

JUSTICE SYSTEMS – Recognising Stories of Suffering in Section 27 of the Sentencing Act 2002
Barbara-Luhia Graham

THE NEXT GENERATION – To Weave Dreams of Liberation
Chelsea Naepi

Media

• Read the Sunday Star-Times interview with Sereana Naepi: ‘The book became our way of saying: here's the comprehensive evidence, here's how the system actually works, and here's what we can do about it.’

• Read an extract from the book in the Sunday Star-Times.