Dr Jekope Maiono and Academic Dean, Associate Professor Lynnaire Sheridan pictured with new posters all translated into Fijian for the iTaukei RSE workers.
A proud iTaukei academic and newly appointed lecturer in the Department of Management at the University of Otago, Dr Jekope Maiono is using culturally grounded methods to bring workplace safety for Pacific RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) workers into sharp focus.
With the support of a Pacific Health Research Knowledge Translation Grant, Jekope’s research project examines how Indigenous iTaukei seasonal workers in Aotearoa New Zealand interact with hazardous substances in the workplace, particularly in freezing works and horticulture.
“My background is in chemical management,” Jekope says.
“The rules are clear, but communication is not.”
His research explores how RSE workers are often not protected or sufficiently informed about the risks they face daily. Many, he found, do not wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) provided, not out of ignorance, but because of discomfort, poor fit, or simply not understanding the dangers of the chemicals they use.
“I created new posters to place in these workplaces. Right now the posters are written in technical English terms, like ‘toxicity’ or ‘respiratory irritant’. Now, that means little to many of our people so we translated that risk into Fijian so that they could grasp the dangers of these risks. It’s about health, safety, and dignity,” he says.
Central to this work is the 3D Veivosaki method – a Fijian system of knowledge-gathering that guides how and when conversations take place in the field.
Structured differently to the talanoa method, the approach enabled Jekope to build genuine trust in the RSE communities of Oamaru and Central Otago, where he spent time visiting homes, attending church, and speaking with community leaders.
“Before I could do anything, I had to do my Sevusevu, to offer my respects,” he says.
“Then I could find the right participants. I didn’t just go in with a clipboard. These were people I lived with, ate with, prayed with.”
The results are clear. While many of the participants understood that chemicals were hazardous, few were fully aware of the long term consequences of working with them unprotected or their legal rights to be protected.
The posters Jekope developed are now set for a second phase of distribution in iTaukei languages, followed by evaluation.
“My aim is not just to inform, but to empower,” he says.
“These workers need to know that if PPE is provided and they don’t use it, they may not be covered under the law. But more than that, they deserve to know the risks they are taking just to earn a living.”
Dr Jekope Maiono pictured at the Vana Levu markets in Fiji during his research.
Jekope’s research aligns with the goal of Te Maea – Otago’s Māori and Indigenous Economy and Enterprise Research Theme, which he is a member of. Te Maea’s goal is to undertake research that contributes to the development of sustainable and equitable Māori and Indigenous economies and enterprises.
But Jekope’s work does not stop at the borders of New Zealand. Back home in Fiji, Jekope is supporting sustainable economic development initiatives in his village, including a study on Indigenous women who sell food parcels at the Labasa Market - a type of business his own mother was part of.
These efforts reflect his deep commitment to Pacific livelihoods – from the horticultural fields of Cromwell to the food stalls at Labasa market in Vanua Levu, Fiji.
Jekope is also an active community member in Dunedin, coaching the University Whites Colts rugby team, which is currently sitting second on the table, and still finding time to support the local Seafarers Sevens Rugby team.
As a Pacific academic, Jekope is acutely aware of the tensions that come with researching his own community.
“There’s a stigma. People think researchers just want to write bad things and shut down the RSE scheme.
“But I’m not here to stop the RSE programme. I want to protect the workers so that they can continue to provide for their families.
“We talk about equity, and this is what it looks like in practice. Understanding, translating, and respecting Pacific knowledge while creating real, tangible change,” he says.
With plans to seek further Health Research Council funding to expand the study into chemical monitoring, Jekope hopes to see better workplace protections rolled out across Pacific communities working in New Zealand.
Talanoa by Pacific Communications Adviser Viena Faiva
Study Management at Otago
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