Discovering Pusiaki: A Relational Kinship Practice Redefined

Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland is at the forefront of illuminating Indigenous practices through groundbreaking research. Doctoral candidate Amanda Sullivan-Lee's work, titled Reclaiming Connection: Indigenous Tongan Adoption (Pusiaki) in Historical Perspective, challenges conventional understandings of adoption. This study reveals pusiaki—full name Pusiaki, an Indigenous Tongan adoption practice—as far more than a simple child transfer. Instead, it functions as a dynamic, multilayered kinship system that fosters enduring connections across families, lineages, and communities.

In Tongan culture, where family and communal ties form the bedrock of society, pusiaki exemplifies relational care. Originating before missionary influences in the 19th century, it allows children to move fluidly between birth and adoptive households while maintaining strong bonds to their heritage, land (fonua), and extended kin. This fluidity contrasts sharply with Western closed adoption models, highlighting a culturally embedded approach to child-rearing that prioritizes collective well-being over individual ownership.

Amanda Sullivan-Lee: Bridging Personal Experience and Academic Rigor

Amanda Sullivan-Lee, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Arts at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, brings a unique perspective to her research. Raised as an adopted Pacific person outside the Pacific in San Francisco, she returned to explore her roots through Indigenous frameworks. Her journey intertwines intellectual pursuit with personal healing, making her study profoundly resonant.

"Talking about adoption is intellectually challenging—and it’s also emotionally challenging," Sullivan-Lee shares. "As an adopted Pacific person raised outside the Pacific, returning to Indigenous frameworks has been both rigorous and healing." Her work not only advances Pacific Studies but also inspires adoptees and scholars alike, demonstrating how lived experience enriches academic inquiry at New Zealand's leading university.

The Essence of Traditional Tongan Kinship Systems

Tongan kinship, or fāmili, extends beyond nuclear units to encompass vast networks governed by reciprocity, respect, and hierarchy. Terms like kainga (extended family) and vā (sacred relational space) underscore the cultural emphasis on interconnectedness. Pusiaki fits seamlessly into this tapestry, serving as a mechanism for distributing care, resources, and responsibilities across households.

• Collective Child-Rearing: Children are raised communally, strengthening social bonds.
• Lineage Preservation: Adoption reinforces rather than severs ancestral ties.
• Gender Roles: Women often play pivotal roles in facilitating pusiaki arrangements.

In New Zealand, home to over 82,000 Tongans—the largest Pacific ethnic group—this system supports diaspora communities navigating modern challenges like urbanization and migration.

Historical Evolution of Pusiaki Pre- and Post-Colonialism

Historical records, including fragile manuscripts in Auckland's Special Collections like Elizabeth Bott Spillius's field notes, reveal pusiaki's pre-colonial vitality. It involved strategic child placements for alliances, education, or labor support, always with ongoing parental involvement. Missionaries and colonial laws in the 19th-20th centuries imposed Western nuclear family ideals, leading to 'closed stranger adoptions' that ruptured whakapapa (genealogy).

By the mid-20th century, Tongan migration to New Zealand amplified these tensions. Today, pusiaki persists informally, adapting to legal frameworks while retaining cultural essence. Sullivan-Lee's archival talanoa (conversations) uncovers how Tongans resisted erasure, preserving practices through oral histories passed in fales (homes).

Innovative Methodology: Pacific Storywork Meets Archival Analysis

Sullivan-Lee employs a decolonized approach inspired by scholars like Linda Tuhiwai Smith and Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta‘isi Efi. Key methods include:

• Talanoa: Informal dialogues with Tongan knowledge holders for lived insights.
• Oral Histories: Capturing narratives from elders and adoptees.
• Archival Research: Analyzing missionary records and ethnographies for 'archival silences.'
• Indigenous Storywork: Weaving multiple knowledge forms to center Pacific voices.

Presented at the Pacific History Association Conference in Sāmoa, this methodology ensures research is 'with us, not about us,' fostering community ownership.

Core Findings: Pusiaki as Sustained Relational Care

The study redefines pusiaki as a living practice of resilience. Findings highlight:

• Children navigate multiple homes, embodying 'openness and movement.'
• Ties to birth families remain active, preventing identity loss.
• Community enforces reciprocity, embedding children in fonua (land/people).

"Pusiaki endures because it’s relational, flexible and held by community—that persistence itself is Indigenous resilience and resistance," notes Sullivan-Lee. This contrasts with colonial models, offering a blueprint for restorative family practices.

Colonial Impacts and Pathways to Healing

20th-century policies mirrored those affecting Māori whānau, enforcing permanent severances. Sullivan-Lee draws parallels with Dr. Erica Newman's research on Māori 'closed stranger adoption.' In NZ, Tongan families faced similar traumas, yet pusiaki's adaptability allowed underground persistence.

Healing involves reclaiming narratives: Adoptees find solace knowing their stories align with ancestral practices; adoptive parents are urged to honor biological kin ties. Community talanoa sessions post-presentation sparked shared stories, underscoring collective recovery.

Pusiaki's Relevance to New Zealand's Tongan Diaspora

Auckland hosts the world's largest Tongan population outside Tonga. Amid pressures like housing costs and cultural dilution, pusiaki bolsters identity. Sullivan-Lee's bFM radio appearance amplified discussions, with listeners recounting multi-household upbringings.

For NZ higher education, this research enriches Pacific Studies curricula, informing policies on family support and cultural competency in social services. It positions UoA as a hub for Indigenous scholarship, benefiting Tongan students and professionals.

Implications for Adoptees, Families, and Policymakers

Practical insights include:

• For Adoptees: "You are not alone; reconnection is collective."
• For Families: Facilitate questions without burdening children.
• Policy: Integrate relational models into NZ adoption laws for Pacific families.

This could reduce transgenerational trauma, enhancing mental health outcomes in Pasifika communities.

Placing Pusiaki in Broader Pacific Kinship Traditions

Pusiaki mirrors practices like Samoan toga (adoption) and Māori whāngai, emphasizing vā and reciprocity. Sullivan-Lee's conference collaborations with peers like Allyssa Verna-Pula highlight shared resilience against colonization. In NZ, these systems counter nuclear family individualism, promoting holistic child development.

Future Outlook: Advancing Pacific Scholarship at UoA

As Sullivan-Lee nears thesis completion, her work promises publications and community workshops. UoA's commitment to Pacific research, via centers like the Pacific Studies program, positions NZ as a leader in Indigenous knowledge revival. Potential extensions include comparative studies with other Polynesian nations.

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Photo by Niranjan Lamichhane on Unsplash

Why This Matters for Higher Education and Communities

Sullivan-Lee's research exemplifies how university scholarship bridges academia and lived realities, fostering healing and policy change. For NZ's Tongan community, it reaffirms cultural strengths amid diaspora challenges. Aspiring researchers can draw inspiration from her blend of rigor and heart, advancing higher ed career advice.

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