Commentary on ‘Cultural Diversity Across the Pacific’: Samoan Cultural Constructs of Emotion, New Zealand-Born Samoan Youth Suicidal Behaviours, and Culturally Competent Human Services

Abstract

A recent special section on cultural diversity across the Pacific, in this journal, highlighted the need for greater alignment between human services and cultural diversity in the region. Alignment entails detailing a local context. Samoan cultural constructs of emotion, particularly anger and shame, may precede suicidal behaviours among New Zealand-born (NZ-born) Samoan youth. These behaviours can stem from perceived ruptures in family unity, as youth partly identify with majority norms. A barrier to integration faced by acculturating youth is that the young person either lives with the shame of their offence, or avoids it by taking their life. It seems Samoan cultural constructs of emotion must be considered in effective service delivery for this population. Consistent with the articles in the special section, suicide prevention should focus on developing culturally competent tools tailored for NZ-born Samoan youth, so they may communicate their feelings without fear of disrupting cultural prescriptions and expectations, as well as functioning successfully in both the Samoan and Western worlds. Although the point is discussed in relation to one special population in the Pacific region, it is consistent with an emergent theme in the special section and subsequent commentaries: the need to integrate and acculturate human services.

Young Pacific Male Rugby Players’ Perceptions and Experiences of Mental Wellbeing

“…Pacific perceptions of emotions and mental wellbeing offer alternative worldviews than those that dominate the mainstream literature. Without making sweeping generalisations, Western views of mental wellbeing are often biomedically framed and individualistic [37,48,49,50,51]. Pulotu-Endemann, Annandale, and Instone [50] argued that Western perceptions of mental wellbeing tend to derive from clinical perspectives that must be objective in their explanations of mental wellbeing and illness in order to facilitate standardised medical diagnoses.…”

Pacific Youth: Local and Global Futures

“…Pacific perceptions of mental health, both traditional and contemporary, differ to those found in mainstream literature. Without making any conclusive generalisations, Western views of mental health are often based on clinical and biomedical paradigms and tend to take an individualised stance (Alefaio 2009;Bush et al 2009;Pulotu-Endemann et al 2004;Tiatia 2012;Tukuitonga 2013). Fuimaono Pulotu-Endemann et al (2004) argued that this is the case because Western perceptions of mental health tend to be derived from clinical perspectives that must be objective in their explanations of mental health so that medical diagnoses can be standardised.…”

The experiences of second generation Samoans in Australia

“…Challenges for this second generation may include identity tensions. Typically, a Samoan identity is a relational identity based on collectivist ideals (Tamasese, Peteru, Waldegrave, & Bush, 2005;Tiatia, 2012) where individuals have a strong sense of responsibility to their social groups. In contrast, the dominant Australian identity is underpinned by the ideal of individualism (Noordin & Jusoff, 2010).…”

“…The research literature suggests this common aspect of their identity is tempered by tensions afforded by moving in two non-aligned worlds associated with home and school (Benham, 2006;Kearney, Fletcher, & Dobrenov-Major, 2011). While research in an Australian context remains limited, studies in New Zealand have shown that the second generation have been caught between cultures; and pulled between obligations to their Island heritage and participation in Western society (Anae, Anderson, Benseman, & Coxon, 2002;Manuela & Sibley, 2015;Tiatia, 2012). Tiatia (1998Tiatia ( , 2012 explained that Samoan elders may regard their young peoples' westernised thinking as a threat to cultural traditions, while schools may disregard and discount Samoan students' cultural knowledge.…”

“…While research in an Australian context remains limited, studies in New Zealand have shown that the second generation have been caught between cultures; and pulled between obligations to their Island heritage and participation in Western society (Anae, Anderson, Benseman, & Coxon, 2002;Manuela & Sibley, 2015;Tiatia, 2012). Tiatia (1998Tiatia ( , 2012 explained that Samoan elders may regard their young peoples' westernised thinking as a threat to cultural traditions, while schools may disregard and discount Samoan students' cultural knowledge. We propose that in Australia many Samoans who are second generation Australians may journey on a similar conflicting path.…”