Oceania oralities research and sustainable education: Exploring layers of engagement

Oralities research has a central place in supporting sustainable education in the Oceania region because it has the potential to reveal what education does and could mean to communities at the local level. In this way, oralities research can assist interventions that key into and make sense of local ontological positions. The Oceania Oralities Framework (OOF) is an analytical tool that supports links between Oceania oralities and research. It provides a grounding for theorising Oralities research, supporting research design and shaping analytical scope in data treatment. This article extends the reach of the framework by drawing from a tok stori session held at the OCIES 2023 Conference at the National University of Sāmoa, Apia. In the article, we approach the OOF in a way that points to some of the layers in the potential contribution of the OOF to oralities research. These focus on holism, framework elements, cultural principles and oralities as performance. The approach adds to the framework’s value to support an appreciation of Oceania oralities across the region and points to how oralities research can support sustainable education. Formal education can be adjusted to fit the needs and perspectives of Indigenous groups and minorities only when their voices can be heard on their own terms.