Transforming practices in initial teacher education and school and early childhood education contexts to support the success of Pasifika students and children can be challenging. Palagi educators, in particular, may find their practices are constrained by bureaucratic systems, processes and professional norms in ways that limit thinking about and responses to different ways of being and doing. Drawing from the experiences of a diverse group of educators during an educational journey to Samoa led by an esteemed Samoan leader, colleague and mentor, this article argues culturally based pedagogy holds the key to thinking and moving beyond some of these constraints. The article suggests that understanding Pasifika cultural values and integrating these into pedagogy is a critical first step for educators, before concluding with several practice messages. While these messages focus on Pasifika communities, students and children, they can be adapted for other ethnic groups.