Giftedness from a Tokelauan perspective 

This video explores the following questions: 

• From a Tokelau perspective, what Tokelau words/concepts come to mind when you think about giftedness? 
• When you think about young children, how do you see those concepts be lived/reflected/played out? 

This video looks at how giftedness is nurtured from a Tokelauan context. 

The following content summarises key points from the two videos. It offers insights for kaiako on engaging with Tokelau children and their kāiga (families) to support giftedness from a Tokelau perspective, as outlined below.

Meaalofa (precious gifts/blessings/treasures) 

• Tokelau culture views children as ni meaalofa mai te Atua (precious gifts/blessings from God/deity). They are blessings that are to be nurtured and cared for with utmost respect and love. 
• Children enrich the centres they attend with their presence and bring with them their kāiga (family) and community’s values, knowledge and experiences. 

Cultural enrichment

• Children come to the centres with cultural knowledge and practices from their kāiga and communities, which should be acknowledged and integrated into the learning environment. 
• The role of kaiako extends to working closely with parents, grandparents, kāiga and other community members to support the child’s learning. 

Respect and care for the uniqueness of each child

• Treat each child as a meaalofa (blessing/precious gift), worthy of the best possible care and educational experiences. 
• Maintain a perspective that values and honours the child’s intrinsic worth and potential. 
• Unlocking the innate abilities of young mokopuna requires alofa, care and understanding, coupled with patience from kaiako. 
• In doing so, this will create opportunities for reciprocity and encourage young children to give back to their peers, kaiako, parents, kāiga and wider community. 

Regular reflection 

• Kaiako need to intentionally find a balance between their cultural understanding and empowering children to take risks, such as climbing trees, exploring and being curious. 
• Kaiako need to reflect on their teaching practices regularly to ensure they are supporting the children’s strengths and interests. 

Cultural responsiveness 

• Embed cultural practices and values into the curriculum and daily learning experiences. 
• Recognise the importance of kāiga in the child's learning and involve them within the centre programme. 

Holistic and inclusive learning 

• Develop learning programmes that consider all aspects of a child's development. 
• Kaiako can speak words of encouragement and acknowledge the prayers and aspirations of parents, so that children may grow in their spirit of reciprocity and service.    
• Create inclusive environments where children can express their talents in singing, dancing, fatele (action songs), technology, or other areas. 

Inati 

• Utilise the concept of Inati (traditional system for sharing and distribution of fish and resources) knowledge, skills, and experiences to create meaningful and relevant learning opportunities for children. 
• Continuously seek to expand one’s own knowledge and skills to better serve the strengths of children’s talents and giftedness.

Kafaga 

• An analogy, kafaga (a coiled rope, cloth, or strip of bark worn around the ankles of a man who is climbing a coconut tree, to assist the feet climbing the coconut tree). In this context children can be seen as the link between their two worlds, including kaiga-family, (culture, language and identity) and the early childhood education settings.  
• As tamaiti learn new knowledge, skills, and experiences this gets passed on to all those that exist within their kaiga and ECE settings allowing not only themselves to prosper and progress, but all those around them to also prosper and progress.   .

Provide engaging experiences

• Create and repeat activities children enjoy and excel in, such as singing, dancing, fatele (action songs) and storytelling. 
• Use technology and other tools that match the children’s interests and skills. 

Cultural practices and spirituality 

• Incorporate prayer and other cultural practices into the daily routine if they resonate with the parents/family’s aspirations and children’s interests. 
• Observe and listen to children’s spontaneous expressions, like singing or storytelling, to identify their interests and talents. 

Intentional teaching

• Engage actively with children during all activities. 
• Reflect on teaching methods and adapt them to better align with the children's needs and cultural background. 
• Allow risk taking (eg, climbing trees, jumping off climbing frames etc). 

By implementing these key concepts and considerations, kaiako can create a culturally responsive and supportive environment that nurtures and enhances the talents and abilities of Tokelau gifted and talented children in early learning settings. 

Below are key concepts that express giftedness from a Tokelauan perspective: 

• Ao - High Achiever/active  
• Pagapaga - High achiever/active 
• Ala - to be awake/alert/sharp)  
• Ola - to be alive 
• Taleni fakapitoa - to have a special talent 
• Mafaufau Matala - to have an open and sharp mind.