Pacific Research and Policy Centre
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Item Between a rock and a hard place : analysing and evaluating the Samoan Mental Health Policy for its applicability to policy development in Niue : a research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of International Development at Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2017) Corcoran, DaleMental health is a prevalent, but often ignored area of health. Mental disorders can significantly impact the mentally ill, their families, and the wider community. Access to proper care and treatment for the mentally ill can be hindered by availability, ignorance, discrimination, and stigma, and can result in human rights violations. This is especially true in developing countries where services may be inadequate or non-existent. National mental health policies can help this situation by improving and prioritising mental health services in terms of finance, legislation, advocacy, human rights, mental health training, and service delivery. In 2001 the WHO launched Project Policy to support this effort. Sixteen years later, Niue has yet to formally begin the process of developing their national policy, while their neighbour Samoa, has had a policy in place since 2006. This research project seeks to determine if and how the Samoan mental health policy should be leveraged for Niue’s future policy development. This desk-based research has been completed through a critical literature review that includes government documents, WHO publications and policy guidelines, Pacific Island Mental Health Network reports, academic literature, and mental health and rights-based organisational websites. This research is accomplished in several steps: critically analysing the WHO mental health policy guidelines that have been chosen as the framework for this report, detailing regional mental health considerations with a focus on Niue and Samoa, and evaluating and analysing the Samoan policy using the WHO framework. The findings from this allows for a discussion of strategies for Niue to best leverage Samoa’s policy. This research concludes, based on Samoa and Niue’s cultural connections, their similarities in terms of mental health challenges and capacities, as well as the positive findings from the analysis and evaluation of the Samoan policy, that the Samoan policy is an excellent choice for Niue to leverage in their future policy work. While noting areas for improvement concerning finance and human rights, the remaining contents of the Samoan policy strongly align with the requirements and depth of information required by the WHO framework. Going forward, Niue would benefit from developing their mental health policy based on the precepts of South-to-South Cooperation by collaborating and sharing knowledge with their experienced neighbour Samoa.Item Fetu'utu'una'i le vā = Navigating relational space : an exploration of traditional and contemporary pastoral counselling practices for Samoans : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2017) Pala'amo, Alesana FosiPastoral counselling is one of the important roles of ministers in Samoa. An emerging ethos of individualism is challenging traditional notions of collectivism in fa’aSamoa (culture and traditions of Samoa). This evolution has been identified and described as the ‘changing Samoan self’. Traditional approaches of counselling employed by ministers in the past must adjust to align with the changes faced by church members today. This thesis presents the voices of 34 Samoan participants living in Samoa that include ministers, minister’s wives, matai (title-holders), New-Zealand born Samoans, church members, and service users of a domestic violence agency. Participants shared their expectations of being counselled as well as counselling others, together with reflections concerning effective and ineffective counselling practices. A Samoan research methodological framework called Tafatolu (three-sides) has been conceptualised and used herein as the methodology for this project. Tafatolu methodological framework involves the synthesis of three key parts that this project considers as valuable to any research—a ‘contemporary academic’ approach to research, a ‘cultural’ approach, and the ‘self’ that represents the researcher’s perspectives and positioning within the project. Collectively, these three parts have assisted this project in the collection and analysis of data that have informed this study. The findings from this research have highlighted the emergence of a changing Samoan self and counselling practices that remain centred upon God. Fetu’utu’una’i le vā, (Navigating relational space) emerged as an applicable approach to pastoral counselling for Samoans today. The enforcement of fetu’utu’una’i le vā has evolved alongside a changing Samoan self, from the use of physical force, to verbal force, excommunication and punishment, to now include conversations through dialogue. The findings from this research have forged a theoretical framework of pastoral counselling for Samoans, presented as a continuum of traditional and contemporary understandings. Recommendations from this research propose pastoral counselling practices that cater for both traditionalists and contemporary Samoans.Item Ecology and drivers of decline in a tropical island honeyeater : the Ma'oma'o : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2015) Stirnemann, RebeccaThere is a worldwide decline in biodiversity. Few studies have explored the processes that underlie biodiversity decline in some tropical regions, especially on tropical oceanic islands, where there are many threatened species and a high level of endemism. Indeed, even basic biological information is lacking for many Oceanic species. The Ma’oma’o (Gymnomyza samoensis), an endangered honeyeater endemic to Samoa, is an example of this. Here, I report results from an investigation on: 1) the breeding biology of this island honeyeater, 2) how survival varies with life history stage, 3) how to sex this monomorphic species in the field, and 4) how landscape and local-scale vegetation features influence nest predation of these cup nesting birds. I used observational data on breeding biology and survival at different life history stages to determine why this species is declining, and a combination of vegetation mapping and artificial nest surveys to determine how landscape processes and predation by invasive species contribute to declines in Oceanic forest birds. I also collected morphometric measurements and calls of known-sex individuals to develop a method of sexing Ma’oma’o in the field and to assess whether the declining populations showed sex bias. I found that the decline of this species is driven by interactions between the life history traits, predation by the black/ship rat (Rattus rattus), and fine and large-scale vegetation and landscape attributes. The Ma’oma’o produces at most one chick per year and therefore has a small maximum annual reproductive success rate compared to other honeyeaters. Furthermore, compared to other honeyeaters, the Ma’oma’o remains in the nest for longer and has an extended fledgling dependency period. My study highlights how predation by black rats at the nest reduces reproductive success. I found that the probability of nest success was significantly reduced near plantations. However, interior forest did not have lower nest predation rates then edge forest. My findings indicate that the maintenance of large sections interior forest alone is unlikely to increase reproductive success for the Ma’oma’o or indeed for other forest bird species sensitive to black rat predation. The key management strategy is to have intensive rat control at breeding sites during the reproductive season.Item Assessing the impacts of land use patterns on river water quality at catchment level : a case study of Fuluasou River Catchment in Samoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Management at the Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2015) Faiilagi, Seumaloisalafai AfelēA sound understanding of the impacts of land use on river water quality and their relationships is fundamental in addressing issues of water pollution at the catchment level. However, while the impacts of land use on water quality, at different scales of operation and management, are well researched in temperate climate region, there is limited information on the impacts of land use on water quality in most developing countries in tropical regions, including the Pacific islands. This study contributes to determining this information gap and qualifying these gaps through scientific evidence, as well as assessing the impacts of land use on river water in the Fuluasou River Catchment (FRC), Samoa. The FRC is one of the sub-catchments (and the largest of four) that drain Samoa’s largest watershed basin known as the Apia Catchment Basin (ACB) on the island of Upolu. It covers an area of 45.57 km2 dominated by forests on the higher elevation of the upland catchment, by agriculture (through mixed cropping e.g. taro and banana plantations with vegetable gardens) and tree crops plantations in the mid-catchment, and by home gardens with patches of small-scale plantations (taro & banana) around households in the lower catchment. This study investigated the impacts of land use on river water quality response at ten sites across the upper, medium and the lower catchment. The study examined the relationships between various physicochemical (pH, temperature (Temp), turbidity (TUR), conductivity (COND), total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), Nitrate (NO3-), total nitrogen (Total N), and total phosphorus (Total P), and microbiological (E. Coli & Total Coliform) water quality parameters, and four major land use types: agriculture (AG), grassland (GR) (ie. livestock), built-up areas (BUA) and forest (FO) cover in the catchment. A change in land use was estimated by comparing the land use maps created from the years 1999 and 2013. The water quality was sampled and measured every 2 weeks at ten sites over the three months of the dry season from August to October, 2013. The findings showed the mean (± sd) concentrations levels of Temp (27 ± 3.521), pH (8.4 ± 0.48), COND (124.2 ± 25.73), TDS (62.1 ± 12.88), DO 8.96 ± 0.558), TUR (1.3 ± 0.557), Total P (0.01 ± 0.0026), Total N (0.24 ± 0.0159), NO3-(0.01 ± 0.0032), T coli (9923 ± 1782), and E. coli (7431 ± 1347) respectively. The measured parameters were analyzed and compared with the WHO, SNDWS and DWSNZ/ANZECC drinking and aesthetic standards. All parameters were found to have had their total mean concentrations below the permissible standards, with the exception of Total coli and E.coli. Out of 53 water quality parameters that were tested and analyzed, all samples for Total coli and E. coli were significantly higher, and therefore failed to comply with the drinking (SNDWS: 0/100 mL; WHO & DWSNZ/ANZECC: <1/100 mL) and aesthetic regulatory standards (DWSNZ/ANZECC: <260/100 mL) thus indicating a 100% of non-compliances. The findings are indicative of high levels of microbiological contamination all across the catchment, which indicated very poor microbial water quality of the Fuluasou River. The Total coli and E. coli were recognized as the two major pollutants in the Fuluasou River. The coefficient of variance (CV) for all the measured parameters have indicated a low variation amongst the measured parameters across the upper, mid and the lower catchment at different sampling stations, except TUR (44.4%), NO3- (38.9%) and TSS (37%) with a significant degree of variability compared to other parameters. The land use change analysis from the years 1999 and 2013 informed 12.7% of forest (FO) had been lost since 1999, with AG lands increasing by 10.8%, GR slightly decreased by 0.50%, and with BUA increasing by 2.40%. The findings demonstrate that FRC is under threat from increasing land clearance for agriculture activities such as mixed cropping (eg. taro and banana plantations), tree crops plantation (eg. coconut), and increasing in BUA to allow expansion for new developments (e.g. settlements) especially on the eastern-upper & mid to lower catchment. The study found a strong positive relationship between the four main land use types and water quality parameters. In the upper catchment where high proportion (%) of FO exists and this was found to be strongly associated with decreasing concentration levels of Temp, pH, COND, TDS, Total N and NO3-. This is unlikely the mid-catchment where AG is the dominant land use type and it positively influences pH, Temp, COND, NO3-, TDS, Total N, Total P, which are indicative of high intensity in mixed-cropping plantations and possible waste input from increasing agricultural activities and settlements going downstream. This spatial relationship is similar to GR areas used for livestock grazing and cattle farming in the upper and the mid-catchment which is strongly reflected in increase in pH, COD, TDS, NO3-, E.coli, Temp, Total N, Total coli, and E.coli. Despite having water quality parameters that are strongly influenced by land use across the catchment, individual effects for each land use type could not be determined due to a multicollinearity issue, as a result of the net effects of land use proportions (%) of sub-catchments delineated upstream. This can be further examined in future studies. Future improvements to the assessment of land use impact, can include water quality monitoring covering the wet seasons (Nov-Apr), as more runoff could possibly discharge higher concentration levels of pollution, instead of only having samples from the dry period.Item Capacity building and disaster response : a case study of NGOs' response to Cyclone Evan in Samoa : a research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of International Development at Massey University, New Zealand(The Author, 2015) Pycroft, VirginiaWith natural disasters increasing both in number and economic impact, the challenge for governments is to effectively respond to the needs of affected communities. In difficult conditions, and often with resource constraints, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have contributed to meeting the needs of affected communities during disaster responses. NGOs usually have flexible structures, which enable them to respond to a rapidly changing environment. They also often have strong links to the communities in which they work, which creates good synergies when responding to disasters. The involvement of NGOs in a disaster response has been discussed widely in the international community. The challenge is to ensure that NGOs have the capacity to respond effectively when the need arises. This report has a particular focus on Samoa and uses a capacity building lens to investigate a disaster response. It looks closely at the ability of NGOs to assist the Samoan government in a disaster response. The report used a document analysis and semi-structured interviews, with representatives from NGOs involved in the response to Cyclone Evan in 2012, to investigate capacity building in NGOs with a view to enabling them to respond effectively in disaster. The key finding of the report is that the ability of NGOs to form relationships with other stakeholders and to maintain those relationships between disaster responses is important to building partnerships that contribute to the effectiveness of a response.Item Wind in the sails or captain of the Va'a? : the influence of the global education agenda in the Samoan education system : a research project presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Development at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(The Author, 2015) Tu'i, Nina LuciaThe aim of this research was to explore the influence of an international education agenda, particularly through the Education for All goals and Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2, on the education system of Samoa. The findings of the research indicate that the priorities of the Samoan education policy are closely related to this second Millennium Development Goal, in particular with regards to access to education. Samoan education policies also relate to the emerging Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when addressing educational quality. The emphasis on international goals is problematic as these goals do not take into consideration the context or culture-specific needs of the country, but rather reflect a combination of various underlying theories such as rights-based approaches and economic theories. The involvement of donors in the education system of Samoa was found to be strongly influenced by MDG 2. It also became evident that donors give priority to their own interests and their funding can easily change as priorities in development shift. This research has also found that there is an indigenous education agenda being constructed by rich academic discussions about the goals and purpose of education in the Pacific. These discussions are reinforced by selected regional initiatives, such as the Re-thinking Education Initiative and the Pacific Regional Initiative for the Delivery of basic Education (PRIDE). Pacific education experts point out the importance of education being culturally relevant, as the current system is perceived as an alien force, and describe how, by its nature, the education system imposes incompatible values on the children of the Pacific. The Samoan education system was found to set its own course, while also incorporating international goals, donor priorities, the national level priorities and ideas presented by Pacific authors on education.Item Language change : linguistic imperialism or empowerment? : observations on the use of English in contemporary urban Samoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2014) Vague, PhillipaEnglish is widely considered to be a global language, the lingua franca of the modern world, and the language of globalisation. For some cultures, this English imperialism equates to the loss of their indigenous language(s). Amidst growing concerns that language loss is occurring in the Pacific, this research seeks to explore the use and purpose of English in contemporary urban Samoa, and considers the effect this is having on Gagana Samoa – the Samoan language. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s practice theory, this study argues that English occupies an important place in Samoan society as it possesses symbolic and economic capital which can be utilised by both individuals and family units, within Samoa and overseas. Furthermore I explore the role of music in English language acquisition and use, and assert that music is a means of gaining symbolic capital within Samoan society. Finally I discuss Samoan perspectives of language change and consider the future of the English and Samoan languages in Apia. The fieldwork for this research was conducted over a period of six weeks in the village of Moata’a, and the wider Apia area in Upolu, Samoa. My research methods consisted of participant observation, discussions with key informants and informal interviews. I also carried out observations at three early educational establishments, Sunday school, preschool and primary school.Item Entrepreneurial assistance across the ocean : an examination of the effectiveness of international mentoring as a support service for entrepreneurs in Samoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2013) Purcell, GiselaIndigenous entrepreneurs play an important role in the economic growth of developing countries but to be sustainable they must balance their business needs with the cultural norms of the local context. Donor countries are increasingly supporting the private sector through business mentoring, however the challenges facing indigenous entrepreneurs are quite different to those experienced by their mentors. This research investigates the value of donor-funded, cross-cultural mentoring through an examination of the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme, a New Zealand initiative in Samoa. Based on an extensive literature review, this thesis develops a framework to assess the value of a mentoring programme. Semi-structured interviews with 23 entrepreneurs in Samoa reveal their positive and negative experiences with the programme. An online survey of the New Zealand mentors who had worked in Samoa provides further data regarding the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the programme. This information is evaluated against the mentoring framework to assess what worked well and what areas could be improved. Research findings show that mentoring can provide both business and socio-cultural development outcomes, however economic improvements can be very difficult to attribute directly to a mentoring programme. Several cited benefits of the mentoring programme, such as providing a neutral sounding board and challenging the entrepreneur’s assumptions, are difficult to quantify. The majority of entrepreneurs believe that their mentor did not have a good understanding of the local cultural context. Where a mentor’s advice conflicted with their cultural practices, the entrepreneur would usually ignore or adapt the advice to reach a compromise. Some cultural practices appear to be detrimental to running a business, however many of these practices add to the resilience of local people as well as having a social function, and should therefore not be undermined. This thesis concludes that donor-funded business mentoring is a versatile, effective tool for development assistance if mentors are sensitive to the unique challenges of the local context and do not underestimate the abilities of the local entrepreneurs. With careful selection, training and support, mentoring can support indigenous entrepreneurs to improve their business skills while retaining their cultural identity.Item Navigating the values of Siapo: Through identity, Le Va and textile design: : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of M.Des. at Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2014) Withers, Sonya ElspethIntroduction: Growing up as a child of mixed race, I was never aware of the major influences my ethnic identity would play upon my existence as a designer today Looking back now I have seen how important the teachings of my elders and Samoan relatives have become in providing me with a sense of respect for tradition, Samoan culture and faith. Yet, I am always reminded of my European and Scottish heritage when encountering differences. From the experiences I have attained through my involvement in the Pasifika Arts community, my professional role in high-end menswear, and a daughter to a father of European Scottish heritage, I have begun to question where these values around tradition and culture will lie in the future. The interconnected culture of Siapo has been a prominent medium in navigating this journey. About this Exegesis This exegesis is constructed through five main parts and a progressive conclusion. Each part consists of a short film and supporting text as an attempt to provide a glimpse in to the experiences and context gained throughout the project. It should also be noted that the use of Talanoa has been a prominent research methodology throughout this journey ( 1) ( 1) Talanoa - a tong an term meaning "a personal encounter where people story their issues, their realities and aspirations" (Vaioleti, 1999-2003). Several talanoa with Rev. S.L. Vaioleti, Head of the Church of Tonga, USA, in Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco.Item Fa'a Samoa : an aid to livelihood recovery following the Samoan tsunami? : a case study examining two Samoan villages : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2013) Murphy, Sandra JoyNatural disasters are destructive, traumatic and expensive. Costs associated with natural disasters are increasing, while simultaneously, there is a call to minimise or optimise development spending. With this in mind, this study examined the ways in which the cultural framework of Samoa, fa’a Samoa, influenced Samoan livelihood recovery following the 2009 tsunami. Fa’a Samoa is widely considered to consist of three major components, matai (chief), church, and aiga (family), supported by a variety of other factors including land, ceremonies, respect, service, love, hospitality and compassion. This research was undertaken through qualitative research, using critical case study analysis. Semi-structured interviews within an unaffected donor village, an affected village and with key informants provided primary data. The data was evaluated against the Samoan cultural framework, fa’a Samoa, using key themes such as Christianity, love, family, customary land, reciprocity and village governance to ascertain trends or attribute meaning. Research findings show that central to the recovery of Samoan communities following the tsunami, and their development in general, is fa’a Samoa. By drawing on fa’a Samoa, Samoan communities were able to recover their livelihood with the provision of less official assistance than would have otherwise been required. As a result, the principal conclusion of this thesis is that development should employ an approach in which the acknowledgement of cultural frameworks moves from desirable, to an essential requirement of policy and practice. Additionally, to aid livelihood recovery, non-affected communities should be called upon to provide assistance during the response and recovery phases and procedures should be put in place to enable families to connect with and help their affected kin.
