A talanoa session – sharing favourite quotes
Talanoa sessions are the new addition to the Unitec Wellness programme and are quickly growing in popularity. Facilitated by our Director of Pacific Success navigator, Falaniko Tominiko, Talanoa sessions are held every Friday from 4pm via Zoom. You can drop in whenever, for however long you can.
The idea for the talanoa sessions came from discussions around how more of the Unitec whānau could come together reflect and learn from this COVID-19 experience, in an informal way. Each week the group discusses a different topic, with all the topics sitting within a wider resilience theme. In the first session, each participant brought a quote that they found helpful during lockdown. The following week they shared songs that make us happy, and this week is part two of everyone’s favourite topic so far – the movies that inspire us, including showing and chatting about favourite scenes.
Here is what a few of our staff had to say about Talanoa sessions.
- What do you like about these sessions?
“It is a fun, great way to close off the week and feel like you belong. Niko is an amazing facilitator. I appreciated the questions he asks to help us all go a bit deeper and at the same time keep things flowing.”
“I love the fact that we don’t really know where we will end up or who you will get to know better. In fact at our last talanoa, I learned things about two of my colleagues from Construction that I never knew before because our relationships had always been professional.”
“Gathering via zoom for something other than work or teaching felt good. I like how everyone is relaxed about the whole thing, comes and goes as they please.”
“Niko always has a good subject to get us started. I also enjoy listening to other people’s point of view which allows me to “step outside of myself” and understand that my problems are not the only problems, and that like/dislikes/ideas are not unique.”
“I believe in the purpose behind having those sessions. In my view, Talanoa sessions are more than just chit-chatting and storytelling. Talanoa is the democratic component to a somewhat rigid traditional socio-economic structure of governance within a Pacific Island community. It allows the free uncensored flow of information from one person to another regardless of position or hierarchy.”
2. How did the sessions compare with your expectations?
“Oh it was way better, it was fun and engaging! Participating is effortless. I finish each session feeling relaxed and that I didn’t think was possible with everything we all have going on.”
“I am fortunate to have a couple of group sessions with friends here and abroad. The difference was it was a group of total strangers which I found to be open and willing to talk about themselves.”
“In the session I joined, we were talking movies and I did not expect to have such a rich discussion re: movie genres. I have gotten to know fellow colleagues who also like me enjoy sci-fi and stories that go outside the norm and into the unknown.”
“Before the first one, I felt a bit apprehensive as I wasn’t sure what to expect. Since then, I keep coming back for more – it gives me such a great buzz!”
“I expected this will be the opportunity to meet new staff but didn’t realise how much I will enjoy hearing other’s people “likes” in music, movies, quotes etc.”
If you’d like to join a talanoa session, check out the Nest calendar to find the Friday event listing and click on the Zoom link. For this week, Friday 22 May, click here.