Creating Mentorship Metaphors: Pacific Island Perspectives

Abstract

The authors facilitated three inter-professional mentorship workshops in Fiji and Tonga, which were part of a series of such events that they recently conducted across the Pacific region. These workshops, in turn, formed part of a larger, ongoing leadership initiative co-sponsored by several local, regional, and international organizations. The purpose of each workshop was to facilitate each multi-disciplinary cohort of leaders in attendance to begin to create an adaptable mentorship model that would fit their unique Pacific contexts. One task within these model-development sessions was for each cohort to create metaphors that they believed best encapsulated the essence of their specific mentorship approach. In this article, the authors summarize aspects of that creative process, present several metaphors that the three cohorts generated, and raise implications regarding future mentoring initiatives.

“Please bring a plate”: A metaphor for learning advisor practice based on Pacific values

“…Pacific writers often refer to Pacific values or the 'Pacific Way', which indicates the importance of values to people of Pacific cultures (Huffer, 2006;Johansson-Fua, Ruru, Sanga, Walker & Ralph, 2012). Here I privilege the voices of Pacific authors explaining their cultural values.…”

“…Here I privilege the voices of Pacific authors explaining their cultural values. Te Ava, Arini and Rubie-Davies ( 2011) suggested teaching activities based on values of teamwork, hard work, respect and achievements; Johansson-Fua et al (2012) highlighted the values of "responsibility/loyalty, maintaining reciprocal relationships, and compassion/ humility/ willingness" (p. 254) and Chu, Samala Abella and Paurini (2013) referred to values of "respect, compassion, humility, honesty, integrity, trustworthiness and reciprocity" (p. 7). Huffer (2006) concluded "that common values in the Pacific revolve around concepts of solidarity and reciprocity; the fostering and maintenance of kinship networks and relationships; attachment to land and sea; respect and care for others; the upholding of human dignity; and consultation and shared leadership" (p. 50).…”

“…Pacific metaphors make links to nature, land, families, and traditions. These metaphors are active for Pacific peoples, who need little explanation to understand the connection between the vehicle terms, such as the Fonofale (Samoan house), Kakala (Tongan flower necklace), or Tivaevae (Cook Island quilt), and the topic term (for example, Albon, 2015;Johansson-Fua et al, 2012;Pulotu-Endermann, 2001;Sanga, 2014). The coconut or niu is an example of a universal Pacific metaphor because of its significance to many Pacific islands (Albon, 2015).…”

“…The investigation then focused on Pacific values, and how they could be incorporated into a metaphor drawn from my own background. Pacific values emphasise reciprocal community relationships, and respect and caring for others (for example, Johansson-Fua et al, 2012;Te Ava et al, 2011) metaphor that emphasised a community context while still acknowledging my primary relationship is with the student.…”

The Promise of Adaptive Mentorship©: What is the Evidence?

“…The 11 published studies, which are listed in the References section, addressed the following topics: applying the AM model in undergraduate advisory programs (Chrosniak, Ralph, & Walker, 2013); using the AM model to mentor EAL university students (Khoii, 2011); adapting the model for teacher-candidates completing their in-school internship (Chin & Kutsyuruba, 2011); mentoring student nurses (Jennings & Couture, 2011); implementing the model in a unique medicine/nurse practitioner mentorship arrangement (Ralph & Shaw, 2011); adapting the model for mentoring undergraduate pharmacy students (Hawrysh, 2011); employing it to enhance the mentorship of business students (Posner, 2004); adjusting the model to enhance dietetic preceptors' mentorship practice (Haskey, Floer, Walker, & Ralph, in press); and adjusting the model to fit how mentorship was conducted in three cross-cultural, inter-professional settings (Johansson-Fua, Sanga, Walker, & Ralph, 2011;Johansson-Fua, Ruru, Sanga, Walker, & Ralph, 2013;Ruru, Sanga, Walker, & Ralph, 2013).…”