Keeping the 'Aiga' in a Life Dedicated to Education

Rochelle Tuitagava'a Fonoti is a long way from home.  Originally from the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific, she moved to Seattle last year from Hau'ula, a small town on the island of 'Oahu in Hawai'i in order to study anthropology at the graduate level at the UW.  When asked about the distance between her and her family, Rochelle simply smiles, "I always have my family."  Rochelle's 'aiga', or family, is always present - "I have an extensive family network both here and abroad." Creating a family network is a constant theme in Samoan culture, she explains, in large part because migration and movement have been central to the Samoan identity.  As Rochelle puts it, "Family is the backbone of my life.  I am here not just because of myself, but because of my family."

It is little wonder, then, that Rochelle acknowledges her parents first and foremost for her current educational success.  In 1990, Rochelle's parents sacrificed all they had and brought her and her four siblings from the Independent State of Samoa to Hawai'i. As staunch advocates for education, her parents were determined to allow each of their children access to better educational and employment opportunities in the U.S.   Now, more than fifteen years later, Rochelle and her siblings are working to mirror this sacrifice in their own lives.  "There is no 'I', just 'we'," Rochelle explains, "and I want my work to reflect what that stands for – hope, compassion, and community."

And Rochelle's research is doing just that.  Her work focuses on the experience of diasporic Samoan communities through performative expressions of cultural identity within the U.S., such as dance, music and organized sport.  As Rochelle describes it, "I am looking at how everyday Samoans choose to perform their identities outside of the islands of Samoa, and particularly, how this identity is perceived by other Samoans."

One of the main reasons Rochelle chose the UW for her graduate work was because of the Graduate Opportunities & Minority Achievement Program (GO-MAP) Fellowship. "After learning that I had received the GO-MAP fellowship, I thought - it's a sign, this is where I am meant to be." Nevertheless, the first quarter on campus was difficult.  Having just completed a M.A. in American Studies from the University of Hawai'i in Manoa, moving to Seattle and the UW was somewhat of a culture shock.  Instead of focusing on the negative though, Rochelle asked herself, "How can this work to my advantage?"  Part of the answer was GO-MAP and the sense of family and community the program created for her.  "I am here to accomplish something," Rochelle explains and, "it all started with GO-MAP." Rochelle is also grateful for the support her anthropology professors and mentors have given her, acknowledging the encouragement Professors Miriam Kahn, Rachel Chapman and Devon Peña have given her in pursuing anthropology as a career.

Today, Rochelle is still humbled and honored to have been given this remarkable opportunity to pursue her life long dream of earning a doctorate degree.  In addition to making her dream a reality at the UW, Rochelle has taken it upon herself to embody the spirit of service and community that GO-MAP represents.  As a mentor for the Pacific Islander Partnership in Education (PIPE), Rochelle encourages undergraduate students to continue their education and pursue graduate degrees.   "When I came to campus," Rochelle explains, "there were very few Pacific Islander students in graduate school.  But that's changing."  Through her involvement with PIPE, Rochelle hopes to be part of that change.

Although just settling into her graduate studies at the UW, Rochelle is already looking to her future career: teaching at a research university with a focus on interdisciplinary research.  In the meantime, Rochelle hopes to conduct research that is reflective of the "aiga" and community she represents.  "As a member of an underrepresented group in a discipline like anthropology, I have a moral obligation to not only conduct research that is meaningful for my family and community, but to also encourage other individuals of other diverse communities to engage in similar work."