Lalaga o le Vā: Weaving Culture, Connection, and Community into Mental Health and Education Systems
Tracks
Ballroom 1 - In-Person & Virtual via OnAIR
| Tuesday, June 23, 2026 |
| 2:45 PM - 3:05 PM |
Overview
Libby Blore & Gemma Elbourne Orourke, Big Tings
Presenter
Miss Libby Blore
Founder
Big Tings
Lalaga o le Vā: Weaving Culture, Connection, and Community into Mental Health and Education Systems
Presentation Overview
This presentation explores Lalaga o le Vā, a Samoan-led project developed by Big Tings, a movement founded by mental health nurse and therapist Libby Blore. Grounded in the belief that connection heals, this kaupapa reimagines mental health through a cultural, relational, and collective lens. Rooted in the Indigenous concept of the vā – the sacred space between people, culture, and environment – and guided by the Vā i Moana framework, this work weaves together the threads of identity, belonging, and collective healing.
The Vā i Moana framework provides the foundation for Lalaga o le Vā, centring spiritual, social, cultural, enviornmental and physical connection as vital elements of wellbeing. The Vā i Moana framework views wellbeing as an ocean, deep, vast, and interconnected. It represents the spaces that hold us, the relationships that sustain us, and the light that guides us forward. This model draws on both cultural and clinical wisdom, recognising that evidence-based practice and Indigenous knowledge can coexist and complement one another.
At its heart, Lalaga o le Vā aims to be the connector between the mental health, education, and community sectors — weaving holistic, cultural, and medical practices together. It acknowledges that each of these spaces holds immense value, but greater impact happens when they work in harmony. By bringing systems, people, and approaches together, it seeks to create a model that works for our people, not around them.
This vision comes to life through three interconnected strands:
The Thread, a community event series fostering storytelling, reconnection, and shared learning.
The Library, a digital platform connecting people to culturally grounded wellness resources.
The Fale, a community hub hosting initiatives, workshops, and partnerships.
Together, these strands strengthen collective recovery, empower communities, and create a future where culture leads, systems collaborate, and healing begins in relationship.
Three Key Learnings
1. How the Vā i Moana framework guides practice and strengthens collective recovery by centring connection, balance, and relational healing.
2. Practical strategies for integrating culture, community, and collaboration into systems of care, weaving Indigenous, Pasifika, and clinical practices to create a model that works for our people.
3. How Indigenous leadership, lived experience, and village-based worldviews can unite the mental health, education, and community sectors, fostering collaboration and a more connected future for the next generation.
The Vā i Moana framework provides the foundation for Lalaga o le Vā, centring spiritual, social, cultural, enviornmental and physical connection as vital elements of wellbeing. The Vā i Moana framework views wellbeing as an ocean, deep, vast, and interconnected. It represents the spaces that hold us, the relationships that sustain us, and the light that guides us forward. This model draws on both cultural and clinical wisdom, recognising that evidence-based practice and Indigenous knowledge can coexist and complement one another.
At its heart, Lalaga o le Vā aims to be the connector between the mental health, education, and community sectors — weaving holistic, cultural, and medical practices together. It acknowledges that each of these spaces holds immense value, but greater impact happens when they work in harmony. By bringing systems, people, and approaches together, it seeks to create a model that works for our people, not around them.
This vision comes to life through three interconnected strands:
The Thread, a community event series fostering storytelling, reconnection, and shared learning.
The Library, a digital platform connecting people to culturally grounded wellness resources.
The Fale, a community hub hosting initiatives, workshops, and partnerships.
Together, these strands strengthen collective recovery, empower communities, and create a future where culture leads, systems collaborate, and healing begins in relationship.
Three Key Learnings
1. How the Vā i Moana framework guides practice and strengthens collective recovery by centring connection, balance, and relational healing.
2. Practical strategies for integrating culture, community, and collaboration into systems of care, weaving Indigenous, Pasifika, and clinical practices to create a model that works for our people.
3. How Indigenous leadership, lived experience, and village-based worldviews can unite the mental health, education, and community sectors, fostering collaboration and a more connected future for the next generation.
Biography
Libby Blore is a Samoan mental health nurse, therapist, and founder of Big Tings, a movement weaving culture, connection, and community into the heart of mental health. Through her kaupapa Lalaga o le Vā, she bridges health, education, and culture to create accessible, culturally grounded pathways for healing. Her work focuses on empowering rangatahi and whānau through storytelling, psychoeducation, and community-led approaches that honour Indigenous knowledge and collective wellbeing. Libby’s vision is to turn mental health from a dark ting into a Big Ting, where connection heals, culture leads, and community thrives together.
Gemma Elbourne Orourke
Lalaga o le Vā: Weaving Culture, Connection, and Community into Mental Health and Education Systems
Presentation Overview
This presentation explores Lalaga o le Vā, a Samoan-led project developed by Big Tings, a movement founded by mental health nurse and therapist Libby Blore. Grounded in the belief that connection heals, this kaupapa reimagines mental health through a cultural, relational, and collective lens. Rooted in the Indigenous concept of the vā – the sacred space between people, culture, and environment – and guided by the Vā i Moana framework, this work weaves together the threads of identity, belonging, and collective healing.
The Vā i Moana framework provides the foundation for Lalaga o le Vā, centring spiritual, social, cultural, enviornmental and physical connection as vital elements of wellbeing. The Vā i Moana framework views wellbeing as an ocean, deep, vast, and interconnected. It represents the spaces that hold us, the relationships that sustain us, and the light that guides us forward. This model draws on both cultural and clinical wisdom, recognising that evidence-based practice and Indigenous knowledge can coexist and complement one another.
At its heart, Lalaga o le Vā aims to be the connector between the mental health, education, and community sectors — weaving holistic, cultural, and medical practices together. It acknowledges that each of these spaces holds immense value, but greater impact happens when they work in harmony. By bringing systems, people, and approaches together, it seeks to create a model that works for our people, not around them.
This vision comes to life through three interconnected strands:
The Thread, a community event series fostering storytelling, reconnection, and shared learning.
The Library, a digital platform connecting people to culturally grounded wellness resources.
The Fale, a community hub hosting initiatives, workshops, and partnerships.
Together, these strands strengthen collective recovery, empower communities, and create a future where culture leads, systems collaborate, and healing begins in relationship.
The Vā i Moana framework provides the foundation for Lalaga o le Vā, centring spiritual, social, cultural, enviornmental and physical connection as vital elements of wellbeing. The Vā i Moana framework views wellbeing as an ocean, deep, vast, and interconnected. It represents the spaces that hold us, the relationships that sustain us, and the light that guides us forward. This model draws on both cultural and clinical wisdom, recognising that evidence-based practice and Indigenous knowledge can coexist and complement one another.
At its heart, Lalaga o le Vā aims to be the connector between the mental health, education, and community sectors — weaving holistic, cultural, and medical practices together. It acknowledges that each of these spaces holds immense value, but greater impact happens when they work in harmony. By bringing systems, people, and approaches together, it seeks to create a model that works for our people, not around them.
This vision comes to life through three interconnected strands:
The Thread, a community event series fostering storytelling, reconnection, and shared learning.
The Library, a digital platform connecting people to culturally grounded wellness resources.
The Fale, a community hub hosting initiatives, workshops, and partnerships.
Together, these strands strengthen collective recovery, empower communities, and create a future where culture leads, systems collaborate, and healing begins in relationship.
Biography
Bio not provided
