Sustaining Future Generations
Mission Statement
We are committed to nurturing the cultural identity and spiritual foundation of Samoan
children by upholding Christian values and affirming their right to access their language,
heritage, and faith. Rooted in the belief that Samoan children are part of vibrant
transnational communities, we honour their identity as sacred and essential in navigating
the complexities of a changing world. We recognize that children are the rightful inheritors
of their fanua—their land, language, and legacy—which together form the cornerstone of
their holistic wellbeing, belonging, and purpose.
Vision
All Samoan children have rights to access their language, culture and Christian faith wherever they
are born.
Aoga Amata Transnational Aotearoa envisions a world where every Samoan child is
grounded in their cultural identity from the earliest years (perinatal, prenatal and
postnatal). As the inaugural international Aoga Amata consultancy, AATA strongly
believes in the importance of Aoga Amata/ECE in laying the foundation for lifelong
learning by nurturing pride, confidence, and a deep understanding of
fa‘asinomaga—who they are and where they come from. Through this cultural
empowerment, Samoan children will thrive academically and contribute meaningfully to
the prosperity and identity of Samoa as a Christian nation.
Who we are
AATA is led by Dr Salā Pafitimai (Fa’asaulala) Tagoilelagi-Leota, Dr Tafili Utumapu-McBride
and Professor Dr Jacoba Matapo, all experienced researchers and sector leaders. Together,
they bring 90 years of expertise in Aoga Amata/Samoan language nests, bilingual and
immersion pedagogy, leadership development, culturally sustaining curriculum design, and
robust self-review and evaluation.
Dr Salā Pafitimai (Fa’asaulala) Tagoilelagi-Leota
Dr Salā is a co-director of Aoga Amata Transnational Aotearoa Limited who has over 30 years of ECE experience in tertiary and community platforms. Sala is a former chair of the SAASIA Inc (Samoan Aoga Amata Association in Aotearoa) and director of the organisation of which she is still a member of. She led the coordination and co-editor of the inaugural Aoga Amata (O Pēlega o Fanau/Treasuring Children) that was published by AUT University in 2013. She was contracted by MFAT to support Indonesia ECE where she co-facilitated Training of Trainers workshops and provided insights in framing an ECE curriculum for Indonesia. She has been a Principal Analyst in the Data and Insights team, leading high-quality Pacific research to inform decision-making and policy for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand (2021-2024). Her work centres on Pacific worldviews, with a strong focus on equity, cultural wellbeing, and educational outcomes. She has co-led and contributed to major projects including the Pepe Meamea TLRI study, developing New Zealand’s first Samoan infant and toddler framework, and co-researching housing and retirement among Pacific peoples. She has conducted research in NZ-Pacific churches and language revitalisation which engaged over 300 participants across 25 churches nationwide. Her PhD followed children from Samoan immersion ECE to bilingual classrooms, and her earlier publications explored bilingual development during school transitions. As a Samoan scholar and early childhood specialist, she grounds her research in Pacific and bicultural epistemologies. Her work champions culturally sustaining education and the critical use of data to serve Pacific communities.
Dr Tafili Utumapu-McBride
Dr Tafili is a co-director of Aoga Amata Transnational Aotearoa Limited. She is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), specialising in Pasifika education with a focus on Samoan education and Early Childhood Education (ECE). She weaves Pasifika values, language and culture into the current B.Ed Initial Teaching Education programme. Her research centres on Samoan indigenous philosophies and culturally grounded educational practices, especially for Samoan infants and toddlers (Pepe Meamea) in Aotearoa New Zealand. Dr. Utumapu-McBride’s scholarship spans from early childhood to tertiary education, addressing educational inequities and advancing success for Māori and Pacific students. She has published on Samoan language nests, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the impact of cultural concepts such as Fanua, O tinā o le poutu, talanoa and alofa. As a respected postgraduate supervisor and examiner, she mentors master’s and PhD students whose work focuses on Pasifika education, leadership, and identity. Her leadership is grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and a strong commitment to equity-focused research. She has a Research Ethics background, currently sitting on the AUT Research Ethics Committee. As a teaching resource of AUT in 2007, she translated Te Tiriti o Waitangi into the Samoan language.
Professor Faalogo Aganoa Jacoba Matapo
Professor Faalogo is a co-director of Aoga Amata Transnational Aotearoa Limited. In her role as the Pro-Vice Chancellor Pacific at AUT University, she has led the strategic advancement of Pacific research at Auckland University of Technology. As a Pacific research leader, Jacoba has been a lead Principal Investigator on projects such as New Zealand’s first Samoan infant and toddler pedagogical framework, Pepe Meamea (TLRI, 2021–2022), and Wayfinding Pasifika Success at the University of Auckland (2021). She also leads the Ministry of Education-funded project "Pacific Pedagogies of Giftedness in the Early Years" (2024-2025). Her collaborative research includes work in Pacific pedagogies of assessment and Pacific student transitions into university mathematics. As Chair of the AUT Moanaroa Pacific Research Network (2023–current), she has championed Pacific led research capacity-building. Jacoba’s practice draws on Pacific Indigenous philosophies and arts-based methods to reimagine education, and she has facilitated professional development, contributed to Te Whāriki (NZ ECE curriculum) Online, and has presented her research internationally, including to UNESCO.