Talanoa moe vā: Pacific knowledge-sharing and changing sociocultural spaces during COVID-19

Abstract

This paper is a consideration of how the method/methodology of talanoa and vā, can be used online by Pacific researchers to respond to the current pandemic’s effect on the traditional face-to-face physical spaces used for knowledge-sharing. The following discussion examines and explores the two concepts: talanoa and vā. It is important to understand how these research approaches work in a multi-sited research context, particularly when travel regulations and social distancing rules require Pacific researchers and their informants to keep physically apart. Virtual sociocultural spaces have become increasingly important to Pacific knowledge-sharing. As a Pacific researcher, I share my thoughts on talanoa and vā and how these concepts have been transferred online in previous research (2015–2019) and more recently, during COVID-19.