Laiseni Fanon Charisma Liavaa, Researcher.
Felupean (Polypotentialian)
I began my career as a midshipman in the Tongan Navy in 1999, where I was formally introduced to various trainings and disciplines
in leadership. Since then, I continue to deepen, expand, and grow my leadership capacity through different roles, educational
pathways, and personal development practices. I have more than 15+ years of experience in church ministry with special focus
on teaching, research, pastoral care, chaplaincy, discipleship, social entrepreneurship, humanitarianism, and community inspiration
& development.
I have been working for many years on the issues of disaster, climate crisis, and gender in the Pacific, focusing on Tonga
as case study with comparative relationship with other Pacific Island societies. I have a long and distinguished experience
as a church pastor, community leader and scholar focusing on the plight of the underprivileged, oppressed and the unfortunate.
My work deals with the indigenous population of Tonga and in Aotearoa New Zealand.
My qualification includes a MApplTheo, MBA, PostgradCertChap, BD, and others.
My current PhD research (interdisciplinary) frames climate change and responses to it from the position of some churches (lotu)
in Tonga. More specifically it uses the framework of felupe, a Tongan concept, which means ‘holding things together,’ to understand
how lotu respond to climate change at a time when governments and other global, regional and national institutions are also
involved in different ways with the same issue. Of significance here is how the thesis analyses the indigenous notion of felupe
from the viewpoint of ordinary Tongan women and their experience, as a way of creating a gendered approach to a unified response
to climate change.
Blessings, peace, joy, and abundance,
Seni
Supervisors: Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva, FRSNZ and Steve Tollestrup, Spiritual Director