Toaga Alefosio

Toaga Alefosio is a Lecturer in Samoan Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, School of Languages and Cultures. A tama'ita'i Sāmoa (Samoan child) and daughter of migration, she was raised in Wellington, New Zealand, and Sale'aula, Savai'i, where she learned Samoan language and culture through practical immersion.

• Academic Affiliation: Victoria University of Wellington (2023–present)
• Education: BA (2012), BA Hons (2018), MICAT (2020) in Pacific Studies and Samoan Language

Her research focuses on Pacific Studies, Indigenous Samoan practices, and heritage language preservation. She has published on Samoan coconut oil in traditional medicine and the phonetics of heritage Samoan speakers in Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Her publications reflect interests in linguistic analysis and cultural preservation. The 2024 chapter explores phonological patterns among Samoan heritage speakers, while the 2018 journal article examines traditional Samoan medical practices through coconut oil usage.