TPVM welcomes new Research Fellow Kheelan Thompson-Tonga

This week we had the joy of welcoming our newest team member, Kheelan (Kheejay) Thompson-Tonga, who joins Te Puna Vai Mārama as a Research Fellow.

Kheelan and her family joined the wider USP Campus staff for a celebratory morning tea and welcome on Wednesday.

A welcome for Kheelan (fifth from left)

After graduating from the University of Otago in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indigenous studies and minoring in Pacific Island studies, Kheelan was based in Invercargill, where she worked with Miharo Murihiku; the Māori and Pasifika Cultural Arts Trust. There, she brought her creativity, passion, and leadership to delivering major exhibitions, workshops, programmes, and events that celebrated, supported, and uplifted Māori and Pasifika communities.

Kheelan has now made the decision to return to the Cook Islands to serve her islands and her people.

Reflecting on her decision to return home, Kheelan shared:

"Moving back to the Cook Islands felt like a natural move at a necessary time. A time that called for being amongst our ipukarea, our Cook Islands people, and in a position where I can better understand the intricacies of our identity. The familiarity drawn from my family's stories growing up has given this transition a comforting narrator. The way the humidity hits when you step off the plane, the sweetness of freshly picked raparapa, the warmth of the ocean, and the beauty of our people that surround. It has been a natural and necessary move."

We are honoured to have her join TPVM and are excited to support her as she begins this next chapter at home. We look forward to the passion, perspective and care she will bring to both our team and our work. 🌺