Dr Sione Faletau’s appointment as a permanent lecturer at the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts marks a full-circle moment for a Tongan artist whose career has been shaped by culture, family and a determination to succeed in education.

Faletau, who has connections to Taunga in Vavaʻu and Lakepa in Tongatapu, first entered Elam in 2010. He went on to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts with First-Class Honours, a Master of Fine Arts with First-Class Honours and a Doctor of Fine Arts. The University of Auckland has previously documented his journey and his ambition to return to Elam as a lecturer.

His doctoral research examined Tongan masculinity from an Indigenous perspective, drawing on talanoa and more than 140 conversations. His creative practice spans performance, sculpture, installation, sound and digital media, with Tongan concepts including ongo and kupesi informing his work.

For Faletau, the appointment also carries a wider message about representation in education.

“As a Pacific person, I understand the importance of seeing yourself reflected in teaching spaces. Representation matters because it helps students imagine what is possible for their own futures,” he says.

His own path was not straightforward. After facing difficulties at school, he credits Ōtāhuhu College with giving him and his brother an opportunity to prove themselves.

That experience continues to influence his approach to teaching, particularly his desire to help Pacific students find confidence in their own identities and creative voices.

As Tonga Language Week is observed in Auckland from 16–22 August, Faletau’s journey highlights how Tongan language, culture and knowledge can move across generations and institutions while remaining central to contemporary Pacific scholarship and creativity.

“Education transformed my life,” he says. “If I can help students find confidence in their own voices, cultures and creative practices, then that’s something really meaningful.”