This practice-based research project looked at designing a culturally responsive and engaging resource for Cook Island adolescents. Eurocentric frameworks are currently dominating health and research concerning the development of Pacific peoples, where there is a lack of understanding of the cultural sensitivities of topics such as sex. In addressing the culturally sensitive topic of sexual health and wellbeing, this practice-based research project explored communication design approaches to prompting safe, engaging, and culturally responsive conversations around sex with Cook Island youth. There was an opportunity to understand better where Pasifika1 (specifically Cook Island) youth get their sexual health and wellbeing information and develop a designed resource incorporating this.

This research project adopted an Action Research and Tivaevae model approach. Pasifika sexual health and wellbeing researchers, Pasifika communication designers, and Cook Island youth were included in this research to provide insight into first-hand experiences around specific challenges surrounding the issue. In conjunction, this research was also highly self-reflected and incorporated a wide range of experiences and interpretations to redefine taboos within sexual health and wellbeing and how conversations are navigated. This creative and reflective exploration informed a culturally responsive and engaging conversational ‘game.’ Embedded with Tivaevae, the game is an engaging way to talk about situations relating to sexual health and wellbeing safely and provides a visual representation of the conversations. Creative and culturally driven methods were integral to the research around facilitating safe conversations that understand Pasifika and its values. The final design outcome suggests that incorporating Tivaevae and Cook Island communication design can potentially create a safe space for these difficult conversations among Cook Island youth.