Faith, Family, and Fa‘aaloalo: Ruta’s Lifelong Service to Pacific Education
Ruta McKenzie- SAASIA Inc.
In the heart of Ōtautahi Christchurch, Ruta stands tall as a proud Samoan mother, grandmother, educator, and community leader. A true pillar of Pacific Early Childhood Education in Aotearoa.
Her journey hasn’t followed a straight path, but it has always been led by love; for her family, her culture, and her people.
With three children, grandchildren, and a husband who served at Lincoln University for a long time, Ruta once believed that studying wasn’t for her. She was working hard, earning a living, and supporting her family. But her husband, Bruce, saw something more. “You’re happiest when you’re teaching,” he reminded her. When she hesitated, content with her routine, he gently but firmly challenged her: “Do you want to work in a factory for the rest of your life?”
That question changed everything.
With prayer and courage, Ruta returned to education. A step that re-ignited her lifelong love for teaching. She thanks God for giving her the strength to respond to that challenge. “It wasn’t easy,” she says, “but I knew I had more to give.”
When she began studying again, Ruta found comfort in the presence of Pacific people during her interviews, a simple but powerful reminder that she wasn’t alone on this journey. Soon after, she landed a role at an early learning centre just five minutes from her home in Lincoln. It was there that her passion for ECE was truly reignited.
That local preschool became the launchpad for a meaningful career not just as a teacher, but as a leader. Ruta went on to become an Early Childhood Advisor at the Christchurch Teachers College, guiding and mentoring countless Pasifika students through their ECE studies. She walked alongside them, supporting their growth not just academically, but culturally and spiritually.
Though now retired from formal roles, Ruta hasn’t slowed down. Today, she continues to serve through SAASIA (Samoan Aoga Amata I Incorporated), where she advocates for Pacific educators to bring their full cultural selves into the classroom. Using the Tapasā framework, she shares effective, culturally grounded practices with ECE professionals across the country.
For Ruta, education is more than a profession. It is a form of service. A way to uplift her people. A calling.
“We carry our ancestors, our families, and our cultures with us every day in this work. The more we stand in who we are, the more our children thrive.”
Ruta’s story is a testament to the power of encouragement, faith, and finding purpose at any stage in life. Her journey continues and the legacy she’s building lives on in every Pacific educator she empowers.