Pacific University’s first PhD: A doctorate and a deeper connection to home

When Cook Islander Dr Anthony Wawea walked off the stage earlier this month with his thesis, the result of six years of hard work, he achieved more than just becoming the first Pacific Islander to be awarded a PhD in marine biology from Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

After about two years of studying subsistence fishing on Vavija’s home island of Mitiaro, he realized that his PhD was just a byproduct. His main achievement was learning more about the island’s language, history and culture.

Vavia grew up in Manurewa, south of Auckland, New Zealand, with his mother’s ancestry from Mitiaro and Mangaia and his father’s ancestry from Taveuni, Fiji.

When Varvia was in high school in Oakland, his father encouraged him to study marine biology after asking him about his career interests.

“I just told him I was looking for adventure and wanted to help solve problems,” Vawia shared.

“When I started my undergraduate studies at Auckland University of Technology in 2014, I never imagined that I would be able to conduct research in my hometown of Mitiaro – the idea seemed too romantic.

“But here I am. I was offered a pathway to a PhD because of my excellent performance as an undergraduate. I was able to skip doing a master’s and was offered a scholarship to do a PhD. It wasn’t what I had planned, but it was an offer that was hard to refuse.”

His research seeks to use scientific methods to document and better understand marine resources and how Pacific Islanders use them.

Vaviya’s doctoral research focused on Pacific island fisheries, using Mitiaro as a case study.

He arrived in the South Islands, which has a population of less than 200 people, in 2019 and spent 21 months there.

“It’s really interesting to learn about the subsistence fisheries in Mitiaro – what fish are caught, how often, what size, when. By looking at the growth rates of some popular reef fish, we can learn something about how we think about our own fishing practices, for example how we make decisions about what reef fish to catch based on species and size.”

Since fisheries data is often lacking on remote islands, Vavia said this was a great opportunity to learn from locals how fisheries have changed over time and explore the many variables in the Mitiaro lifestyle and culture that may have influenced these changes.

Initially, he thought that learning more about the language, history, and culture of the Mitiaro would be a byproduct of his research.

“But in the end it turned out to be quite the opposite, I discovered that learning the Mitiaro way of life, getting my hands dirty, taking on local responsibilities was the real work, and the PhD was just a byproduct.”

The six-year journey of studying for his doctorate during the COVID-19 pandemic was not easy for Varvia, who encountered many challenges during this time, some of which he is still working through today.

“The core challenge was that when we first started this project, we didn’t know what to do or where to start,” recalls Varvia.

“I had visited Mitiaro several times as a child but had never lived there. My Maori Kuki Airani heritage was modest and I knew almost no one on the island. This made the start of the journey incredibly slow.”

Living alone, Wawija balances socializing and participating in local affairs, maintaining his uncle’s property, and finding time to fish, harvest, and prepare meals.

“I try to rest when I can while trying to do my fieldwork. I have to spend time with people and find or create my own role in Mitiaro society – a sense of belonging.”

As time went on, Wawia had several people who looked after him, spent time with him, shared meals with him, and allowed him to take on more of Mitiaro’s responsibilities.

“They did a lot for me and helped me get rid of a lot of bad feelings about being marginalized.”

Wawija said the other challenges are on his mind.

“Constantly dealing with imposter syndrome, wondering if I was doing my research correctly, especially with the lack of resources and needing to work with the few resources I had access to while in Mityaro.

“I literally turned my kitchen into a two-star science lab and sauna because I would close all the doors and windows to prevent swarms of flies from rushing in and smelling the stench of fish guts!”

Varvia would have online meetings with his supervisor, who tried to assure him that whatever process he was going through was probably “correct.”

“That was helpful because I had been thinking that I needed to counter those who criticised my work by saying it was easy, but it wasn’t. I was encouraged to understand that this was the reality of doing research on remote islands.

“But those sneaky thoughts kept coming and made me doubt whether I could successfully complete my PhD.”

Varvia often has to reflect on the “why” she keeps going — “my family and having an enjoyable career.”

“I can’t just give up, so it’s worth it to persevere and overcome the difficulties.”

Amidst the challenges, there were some memorable moments that left an indelible mark on his life.

“I remember vividly one time when I was fishing and was chased and harassed by three grey reef sharks. That absolutely set my heart racing.

“Friends in Rarotonga thought they were tiny and laughed at me jokingly. But the ones in Mitiaro were clearly on steroids or something… Ask (marine biologist) Dr Taina Longo!”

However, one of the most memorable moments of his PhD was flying back to New Zealand during the COVID-19 lockdown. Knowing he had to return to Mitiaro to continue collecting data, Vavija risked being stranded in New Zealand to surprise his family.

“After a year in Mitiaro, I hadn’t seen my family and friends yet, so when there was a small window that allowed flights in and out of the country, I jumped at the chance. I ended up being stuck longer than planned, but it was worth it to see my family after being out of touch for so long,” he said.

Family has always been a driving force for Varvia, especially the women in the family.

“On my side of the Cook Islands Maori, my generation and the generation before it in our family tree are mostly women – and fierce women at that.

“I spent most of my childhood in Manurewa, living with my mum, sister and step-dad. I went to Onehunga High School, which was far from where I lived, so I spent a lot of time with my nan and dad. My sister also lived close to my school at the time.

“My father was the spark that lit the fire of my career path. He took my simple joys – the ocean and fishing – and guided me toward a meaningful career and lifestyle.

“All of these family members, and so many others, have been integral to my growth with their inspiration, humility, compassion, and discipline.”

When he received his hard-earned PhD on August 1, Wawea became the first Pacific Islander to receive a PhD in marine biology from Auckland University of Technology, and only the second Cook Islands Maori to receive a PhD in the field, following Dr Teina Rongo. He felt both honoured and challenged.

Throughout his academic career, Wawija, a lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, said the pervasive narrative of being the only “brown face” in these spaces was often viewed through the lens of victimhood, tokenism, and using this narrative to highlight inequality in academia.

He has a different opinion.

“It’s so exciting to be the only brown face!” Varvia said.

“As a byproduct of my own career interests, I feel privileged to be actively helping to take the lead in challenging some of the stereotypes and highlighting the potential for other Pacific Islanders to consider a career in academia – or rather, pursue their dream career.

“But the challenge is that it comes with a pressure, an expectation to do whatever it takes to help other Pacific Islanders, even if it might be at the expense of my goals.”

Wawia said one of the main ideas he pondered before and especially after writing his thesis was: “How do we build healthy working relationships with our Aronga and Kawamani tribal members if we want to make positive changes for our environment and marine resources to ensure our people can continue to thrive?”

“Trigger warnings – maybe we can start by not suppressing so-called ‘akamea scientists’ in our community, and embracing new knowledge.”

Wawia said he is always excited when he finds out other Cook Islanders are considering marine science, including climate change and anthropology.

“But understand that higher education isn’t everything. You need other things to fill in besides academics — in your hobbies, in your community, in times when you step outside of your comfort zone, over coffee with a friend on a Saturday, on the other side of the world,” he shared.

“As long as they are passionate about what they want, go for it! I adopted the words of my first tattoo artist, Tetini Pekepo, ‘If it doesn’t excite you, don’t do it’.”

Vaviar plans to return to Mitiaro to celebrate and show his work to the public.

“I definitely wouldn’t be able to celebrate this success without them,” he added.

“Plus, you feel better when you can share your success with others. This applies to all the great communities I have met around the Cook Islands.”