Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Pacific Islanders

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 28
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Loto Malie (Contented Heart) : understanding Pacific youth mental wellbeing : a thesis by publication presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Auva'a-Alatimu, Taulaga Monica
    The voices and perspectives of Pacific young people can often be overlooked, yet they are instrumental in shaping the future of today’s society; their voices need to be amplified. Pacific youth, a diverse and vibrant group in Aotearoa New Zealand, are facing growing mental health concerns and are less likely than youth of other ethnicities to seek psychological help due to stigma and a lack of mental health awareness. The paucity of culturally appropriate psychological interventions may contribute to Pacific youth’s reluctance to seek help. The Ministry of Health has encouraged the implementation of Pacific worldviews when promoting the wellbeing of Pacific youth. This study aimed to contribute to the development of new knowledge in Pacific Mental health research and psychological interventions for Pacific youth. To date, there has been limited published research on psychological approaches which integrate spirituality, culture and a digital intervention for promoting mental wellbeing in Pacific youth. This research explores Pacific youth’s experiences of engaging with mental health tools, specifically a Pacific mental health intervention developed for the very purpose of meeting the needs of Pacific youth, Loto Malie (contented heart). In exploring youth experiences and perspectives on mental health, prioritising Pacific-Indigenous knowledge in the research methodology was fundamental. Consequently, the Fa’afaletui and Talanoa frameworks, which draw on Pacific-Indigenous methodologies, provided culturally sound processes for engagement with Pacific youth which allowed them to share their stories and experiences authentically. The findings highlight the key themes that formulate and conceptualise the Loto Malie therapeutic framework, revealing the importance of interweaving culture and spirituality within the therapeutic environment, especially as this strengthened Pacific youth engagement with this approach. At the outset, the aim of this PhD was to explore digital mental health tools with youth, given the low uptake of such tools specifically among Pacific youth. The primary researcher developed an innovative cultural digital mental health intervention, Loto Malie 2.0 Mukbang + mental health, as an interim measure during the pandemic. This innovative approach was shared privately (upon invitation) via YouTube and Facebook. Loto Malie 2.0 aimed to provide accessible cultural and clinical examples that promoted mental health awareness and meaningful connections with the viewers, who were predominantly young adults. Overall, developing the Loto Malie programme and Loto Malie 2.0 allowed young people to attain mental health knowledge and equipped them with relevant tools for wellbeing improvement. Therefore, this newfound knowledge and wisdom provided initial evidence that Pacific youth engage effectively with mental health tools when they are grounded in a Pacific therapeutic approach embedded within their worldviews. The Loto Malie therapeutic framework aims to serve as a guide for Pacific therapeutic approaches to enhance the overall wellbeing of Pacific youth.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Complementary feeding practices, nutrient intake, and iron status of Māori, Pasifika, and other infants in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nutritional Science, Massey University, Albany, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023-09-09) Casale, Maria
    Background: The period of transition from a solely milk-based diet to sharing family foods at around 12 months of age is a critical time for infants. Complementary feeding practices, from the age of introduction to complementary foods, method of feeding (baby-led weaning vs. traditional spoon-feeding), use of the novel baby food pouches, use of traditional cultural foods and practices, and the characteristics and nutrient density of first foods offered support the healthy growth and development of the infant, as well as shape long term dietary patters and food preferences. Additionally, iron status is crucial for healthy infant growth and development, and while this is impacted by myriad maternal, genetic, and environmental factors, complementary feeding practices and the characteristics of foods offered are key modifiable practices that influence infant iron status. Aims and objectives: The overall aim of this study was to investigate and describe early infant feeding practices, key nutrient intake and density, and the iron status of Māori, Pasifika and other infants living in Aotearoa New Zealand, using an observational cross-sectional study design. The primary objective was to conduct an intra-ethnic analysis of infant complementary feeding practices, nutrient intake and density from complementary foods, and iron status between Māori, Pasifika, and ‘other’ infants. ‘Other’ refers to any infants who were not self-identified by the adult respondent as Māori or Pasifika. Methods: Infants aged 7.0–10.0 months along with their primary caregiver participated in an observational cross-sectional study, with 625 infant–caregiver dyads recruited from Auckland and Dunedin, New Zealand. Participants were recruited from a range of ethnic groups and deprivation statuses. Infants were stratified by ethnicity using total response for Māori and Pasifika, with all non-Māori, non-Pasifika infants categorised into a single ‘others’ group. Demographic and feeding practices data were collected via questionnaire. Nutrient intake from complementary food was measured using the multiple-source method from two multiple-pass 24-hour diet recalls. Nutrient density of complementary food was calculated as the concentration of selected nutrients per 418 kJ (100 kcal) of energy. For iron status, haemoglobin, plasma ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, C-Reactive protein, and alpha-glycoprotein were obtained from a venous blood sample. Inflammation was adjusted for using the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anaemia (BRINDA) method. Body iron concentration (mg/kg body weight) was calculated using the ratio of sTfR and ferritin. Results: A total of 1424 infant-caregiver dyads were assessed for eligibility, and 625 eligible dyads were enrolled in the study, all of whom provided written consent. Data for complementary feeding practices and nutrient intake were analysed for all 625 infants, with blood samples obtained from 365 of these infants for the assessment of iron status. Within the cohort 131 infants were identified by their caregiver as Māori, and 82 as Pasifika. The remaining infants are allocated into a single ‘others’ group as the primary focus of this manuscript is Māori and Pasifika infants. The mean (SD) infant age was 8.4 (0.8) months for Māori, 8.5 (0.9) months for Pasifika, and 8.4 (0.8) months for ‘other’ infants. Over half of all ethnicities introduced CF at around six months of age (56.5% of Māori, 62.2% of Pasifika, and 80.9% of ‘others’). BLW prevalence increased from 11.5% of Māori, 3.7% of Pasifika, and 12.4% of ‘other’ infants at the time of introducing CF to 29.2% of Māori, 17.1% of Pasifika, and 27.3% of ‘others’ currently. Baby food pouches were used at least once by 89.3% of Māori, 85.4% of Pasifika, and 75.6% of ‘other’ infants. Of those who always or frequently were fed pouches, 27.1% of Māori, 25% of Pasifika, and 12% of ‘other’ infants always or mostly sucked directly from the nozzle. Vegetables and ‘pureed’ were the most common first food and texture offered, respectively, for all ethnic groups. At six months red meat was consumed by 54.6% of Māori infants, 63.4% of Pasifika infants, and 61.8% of ‘other’ infants, and approximately half had iron-fortified baby rice (Māori 57.3%, Pasifika 56.1%, ‘other’ 48.7%). Age-inappropriate drinks were currently given to 17.6% of Māori, 20.7% of Pasifika, and 3.8% of ‘other’ infants. In total, 9.1% of Māori and 20.7% of Pasifika respondents reported offering traditional cultural foods to their infants. Energy intake increased with age for all ethnic groups and was higher for boys than girls. Protein as a percentage of energy intake from CF was significantly lower for Māori compared to ‘others’. Fat as a percentage of energy intake from CF was significantly lower for both Māori and Pasifika than ‘others’, whereas carbohydrate as a percentage of energy intake from CF was significantly higher. Sugar intake in grams from CF was significantly higher for Pasifika when compared to ‘others’, and sugar as a percentage of energy intake from CF was significantly higher for Māori than ‘others’. Iron, zinc, and calcium density of the complementary diet was inadequate for all groups: Māori and ‘others’ had an iron density of 0.8 mg/418 kJ, and Pasifika 0.9 mg/418 kJ. Zinc density was 0.5 mg/418 kJ for all groups. Calcium density was 37 mg/418 kJ for Māori, 40 mg/418 kJ for Pasifika, and 38 mg/418 kJ for ‘others’. In total, 96.4% of Pasifika infants were iron sufficient, compared to 82.5% of Māori and 76% of ‘other’ infants. ‘Other’ infants had the highest prevalence of iron deficiency overall, with 3% categorised with iron-deficiency anaemia, 12% with early functional iron deficiency, and 9% with iron depletion. For Māori infants, 4.7% had iron-deficiency anaemia and early functional iron deficiency, respectively, and 8% were iron depleted. One (3.6%) Pasifika infant was iron depleted, and the remainder were iron sufficient. Mediation analysis suggested that the difference in body iron concentration between Pasifika and ‘others’ was partially explained by the frequency of their higher consumption of baby food pouches. Conclusions: The high prevalence of Māori and Pasifika infants feeding directly from baby food pouch nozzles is concerning in light of the increasing popularity and prevalence of this novel feeding device, with concerns for both the safety and impact on development of this way of feeding. The low density of iron, zinc, and calcium in the complementary diet warrants further investigation into feeding and fortification strategies, due to the key role these nutrients play in the growth and development of infants. The rate of iron deficiency was very low for Pasifika infants despite little iron intake from complementary food, indicating non-dietary factors as the likely cause for this group.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    "E lē ma’i, o le malosi!" = (He’s not sick, he’s strong!) : Pacific parents’ journey of raising autistic children in Aotearoa : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Albany, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Nafatali, Rochelle
    Ministry of Health data estimates there are 4,000 Pacific children in Aotearoa New Zealand officially diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This figure is likely underestimating the true prevalence of autism within Aotearoa Pacific communities, due to diagnostic disproportionality, and a lack of autism assessments completed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Children of Indigenous and ethnic minority populations globally tend to be diagnosed later, incorrectly diagnosed, or are not referred for autism diagnosis. Indigenous and ethnic minority parents regularly have their concerns dismissed by health professionals, face lengthy delays, and endure multiple attempts at diagnostic referral. Despite the growing autistic community globally, and Pacific peoples being the fastest-growing youth population in Aotearoa, Pacific peoples’ perspectives and experiences have not been included in autism research. Consequently, no reliable data exist on Pacific autistic people, and just six percent (6%) of eligible Pacific families are accessing Disability Support Services within Aotearoa. This first Pacific-led study (based on three Pacific-Indigenous research frameworks) focuses on Pacific parents’ expert knowledge from lived experience raising their autistic children, revealing key differences from a Pacific-Indigenous context in autism conceptualisation, support access, and language and culture maintenance. Fifteen Pacific parents of autistic children from the Pasifika Autism Support Group and Pacific community in Auckland Aotearoa, participated in eight research talanoa. Findings revealed parents sought an overall state of Diasporic Adaptation to Neurodiversity which involved acceptance, adaptation, and unlearning for Pacific parents. Four subthemes together explained the experience of Pacific parents of autistic children in Aotearoa: 1) Uncharted Islands: Understanding Autism; 2) Encountering Stormy Seas: Challenges; 3) Collective Unity through Relational Resilience; and, 4) Autism Support. Pacific-Indigenous knowledge and knowledge gained from Pacific parents was woven together to create the Tapasā a Tagata Sa’ilimalo (compass for people in search of success), which can be used for navigating the experiences of Pacific parents of autistic children within Aotearoa. Together with clinical implications provided, the Tapasā a Tagata Sa’ilimalo can guide clinicians, educators, and practitioners working with Pacific families of autistic children in Aotearoa to provide culturally appropriate, family-centred care and support prior to, during, and following autism diagnosis.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Māopoopo : a socio-cultural and collective understanding to improve wellbeing amongst Pacific people in Aotearoa/New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Tuisano, Hana Salome
    The Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) healthcare system, has, like many other colonising ‘Western’ societies, placed a strong emphasis on biomedical models and the physical aspects of ‘disease’. Yet, it is the more encompassing and holistic worldviews of wellbeing that historically and currently resonate most strongly with Indigenous peoples. As a South Pacific country, there are many Pacific peoples who now live in Aotearoa/NZ with multiple generations having migrated from their island homelands over a period of some 80 years. However, there are significant health inequities among Pacific peoples compared with other ethnic groups in Aotearoa that have been ongoing for decades – notably those conditions related to non-communicable disease. This thesis explores the socio-cultural and historical perspectives of Pacific peoples in order to expand understanding about how they view health and wellbeing, an area about which relatively little is known. These understandings have the potential to lead to improved service delivery models and contribute to better health outcomes for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa/NZ. The overall objective of the study is to identify and articulate the values and principles that promote and enable Pacific peoples’ wellbeing and health in Aotearoa/NZ. The aims of the study are to: • draw on Tokelau knowledge of the cultural, historical, and social environment to better understand the influences on Pacific health and wellbeing • examine strategies of health empowerment and wellbeing among Pacific youth, and • examine service delivery models that can lead to improved Pacific health outcomes. The Tokelau worldview of māopoopo was used as an overall principle to inform all phases of this study. Conceptually, māopoopo serves as a cultural connector with people, a motivator of action, and informs principles that guide behaviour in practice. Māopoopo as a practice in action is to restore peace and wholeness and to inform future thinking (lumanaki), which includes an inseparable relationship with te fenua (land) e laga kita ko te fenua (to be determined to look after the land). Māopoopo as a metaphysical state is described in relation to levels of the individual (te tino), the family (Kāiga), the village (te Nuku). Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with a total of 37 participants including Tokelau elders, Tokelau community leaders, Tokelau adults, Pacific youth, and Pacific health and policy workers between July 2016 and January 2017. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and the emergent themes applied in relation to māopoopo. There were seven key themes identified from this research. The first theme, kāiga (family), was interrelated with the values of loto alofa (kindness), fai kāiga (family orientated), fakaaloalo (respect), loto maualalo (humility), and loto fehoahoani (helping others). The second theme, duty of care (tiute tautua), related to traditional knowledge and the intergenerational transfer of that knowledge, particularly in relation to culture, land, and language. Maintaining family relationships (loto fai kāiga) was the third identified theme and fundamentally underpins and is interrelated with all the first five themes identified. The fourth theme, interconnectedness (fehokotakiga), highlights the breadth of relationships between people and understandings of interdependence as opposed to independence. The fifth theme, spirituality (olaga faka-te-agaga), recognizes the centrality of the church in Pacific communities. Health advocacy was the sixth key theme with the final key theme being the impact of inequities on Pacific wellbeing. This thesis identifies Māopoopo as being an inclusive research approach that can have benefits for Pacific peoples while also having the potential to be developed within health policies to facilitate focus on collective action through effective cross-government and intersectoral approaches. In this way, it could be utilized to ensure effective approaches to collaboration between the health care system and the social, housing, employment, and education sectors. This work highlights the value and utility of applying Pacific understandings of wellbeing to support and empower communities through their active inclusion from the design through to the implementation of services. There is a great need for increased reciprocity in the relationships between government agencies and Pacific communities. There was recognition of the need for the application of cultural practices and concepts into service delivery for Pacific peoples, such as provision of on-site bilingual health workers, and it is therefore imperative that core health delivery services are brought closer into alignment with the realities of Pacific communities, for example, through active engagement with churches. There are significant gaps in health services for Pacific youth. This population group are an energetic group and, most importantly, the fastest growing population in Aotearoa. This current generation plays a significant role in terms of health advocacy, thus, to ensure relevant and effective impact within communities, they must be central players and key informers in the development of any interventions/strategies focussed on Pacific health and wellbeing. Further studies may well be useful to scope or investigate the healthcare services available for Pacific youth. Associated with the position and role of youth within Pacific communities, is the largely untapped potential to utilise the unique skills and knowledge available through intergenerational approaches where the grandparents are the educators in terms of the passing on of cultural knowledge and values. Health services can be made aware of this important pathway by which knowledge is transferred and of the critical role grandchildren could have to change their grandparents’ attitudes towards health.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Synergising youth empowerment and co-design to transform Pasifika youth into agents of social change : a novel approach to advance healthy lifestyles in Pasifika communities : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health at Massey University, Wellington campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Prapavessis, Dani
    Current population health statistics demonstrate the need for innovative approaches to improve health outcomes and prevent non-communicable disease (NCD) for Pasifika peoples. This research builds off pilot studies on the effects of youth empowerment programmes to address obesity-related issues amongst Pasifika communities. It developed and tested an original model of co-design embedded within the youth empowerment framework of the Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme. The programme was co-delivered with two community health service providers (one rural and one urban), employing Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methodology. N=29 youth (aged 15-24 years) participated in eleven educational and capacity-building modules that comprised the empowerment and co-design components during weekly sessions from MayOctober 2018. At the end of the programme, the model of co-design generated two individualised community intervention action plans to reduce prediabetes in their communities. This research employed a qualitative research design with four data collection techniques and thematic analysis to evaluate the effects of the tested programme. It used an original framework of social change to determine the impacts on the youth’s values, knowledge, and behaviours as well as the community organisations, and the socio-cultural norms of each community. It also explicated the contextual considerations of programme uptake in each location. Overall, this research illustrated that co-design is an effective addition to empowerment frameworks. It demonstrated how to operationalise co-design in a community-based setting with youth, and the tested model provided a practical framework to translate empowerment ii outcomes into the community. The programme analyses also led to a more nuanced understanding of social change. This research developed a concept of the process of social change that can be used to inform future programme development and evaluation. This research suggests future translations of the programme to maximise uptake and postulates different community contexts and settings for delivery, beyond Pasifika prediabetes prevention.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Validation of a food frequency questionnaire to assess nutrient intakes in women participating in the PRedictors linking Obesity and gut MIcrobiomE (PROMIsE) study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Drury, Beatrice
    Background: Diet is a modifiable risk factor for a range of chronic diseases. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) are commonly used in epidemiological studies to investigate this relationship due to their ease of administration, low cost and ability to assess nutrient intake over an extended period of time. Like all dietary assessment tools FFQ’s are not free of error and need to be validated for use in their intended population. There is currently no FFQ that has been independently validated for use in the Pacific and New Zealand (NZ) European women in New Zealand. Aim To validate a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in 18-45-year-old pre-menopausal adult NZ European and Pacific women participating in the PROMIsE study, living in the greater Auckland area. Methods Participants included 287 premenopausal women living in New Zealand of NZ European (n=161) and Pacific (n=126) ethnicity. Women completed an FFQ (NZWFFQ) designed to assess the dietary intake of 31 nutrients over the previous month and a five-day estimated food record (5d-FR). Relative validity was assessed by comparing the nutrient intakes of the NZWFFQ and 5d-FR using Wilcoxon signed rank test, Spearman’s correlation coefficients, cross-classification, weighted kappa statistic and Bland-Altman analysis. Validity was evaluated for crude and energy adjusted data for the total group and separately for NZ European and Pacific ethnicity. Results The nutrient intake of the NZWFFQ was higher than the 5d-FR overall for all nutrients (range: 6%-113% difference) except iodine (-16%). Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.07 for iodine in the unadjusted total group to 0.63 for alcohol. The highest energy correlation coefficients were for energy adjusted NZ European data (0.17-0.73) and were lowest for the unadjusted Pacific data (-0.02-0.47). Classification into same and adjacent quartiles of intake, and gross misclassification into opposite quartiles, were respectively 77.5% and 5.41% for the total group, 81% and 3.6% for the NZ European group, and 71.2% and 7.6% for the Pacific group for energy adjusted data. The weighted kappa showed slight to moderate agreement for the total group (0.12-0.47), slight to moderate agreement (0.16-0.54) for NZ European, and slight to fair agreement (-0.10-0.28) for the Pacific group. Bland-Altman analysis showed wide limits of agreement for nutrients in each group, with wider limits of agreement and larger mean differences for the Pacific group. Conclusion: The NZWFFQ gives good validity for ranking NZ European women by nutrient intake however did not compare well for ranking Pacific women by nutrient intake. As most nutrients were overestimated by the NZWFFQ it is not a suitable tool to use for estimating absolute nutrient intake.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Under the gaze : a study of the portrayal by the New Zealand print media of Pacific Island workers in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, 2007-2012 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Media Studies at Massey University, Wellington New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Enoka, Angelynne Josephine
    Media reporting on Pacific people in New Zealand has frequently been criticised for being sensationalised, biased and narrow. Yet, there have been few broad and systematic analyses of the nature of reporting specifically concerning Pacific Island seasonal workers in New Zealand. My thesis explores how the New Zealand print media portrayed Pacific Island seasonal workers travelling under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme from 2007 to 2012. That period represented the first five years of the scheme and a time when it was in the news by virtue of its novelty in New Zealand, thereby providing a rich vein of media representations to study. My research focusses on the media themes occurring in the communities where RSE workers were living, while they were living there, so as to understand the discourse circulating in their immediate community. This provides understanding of the philosophical and cultural assumptions that underpin mainstream regional media reporting in New Zealand with regards to the particular representation of Pacific RSE workers, and how this compares with representations of Pacific people as a whole. Although the goal of my thesis is to trace the nature of the portrayal of Pacific Island workers under the RSE scheme, I have contextualised this with a review of the depiction of Pacific people dating back to their arrival in the 1950s and ‘60s. I look at how Pacific people were racialised in the early 1970s and compare that with coverage of the influx of Pacific Island seasonal workers in 2007, exploring underlying assumptions prevalent in the 1970s that Pacific Island workers were disruptive to New Zealand, such as by taking employment from New Zealanders or posing a threat to health, law or order. A sample of 115 articles drawn from the five regional newspapers – Bay of Plenty Times, Hawkes Bay Today, Nelson Mail, Marlborough Express and The Southland Times – was chosen for media analysis. Additionally, five selected case studies extracted from the NZ Herald, a metropolitan newspaper, for each calendar year from 2007-2012, were explored and compared to the regional sample, to help identify themes about Pacific seasonal workers that were portrayed in the wider New Zealand news media but missing from the regional coverage. I analysed the articles using interpretive thematic analysis. In this method, I looked at newspaper coverage in depth to make sense of the patterns of meaning. I identified themes used by print media to portray Island workers in regions that constitute a high number of Pacific seasonal workers during the scheme’s first five years of operation in New Zealand, and mapped these over time to investigate whether there was a shift in the discourse of stories as the scheme matured. With 115 articles assessed from 2007 to 2012, concentrating on November to March in each season when most RSE workers are in New Zealand, key themes were identified. Media analysis showed the reportage had extensive positive coverage of the scheme’s policy aims in New Zealand, with government, agency officials and industry spokespeople the most frequently cited news sources. Nine key themes; Labour shortage, RSE policy, New Zealanders first, Pastoral care, Economic benefits, New Zealand unemployment, RSE cap, RSE praises and RSE issues were represented in regional coverage across regions and time periods. The overall portrayals of Pacific Island seasonal workers under the scheme represented a more positive light in comparison to what we know broadly about historical depictions of Pacific peoples in the New Zealand media. The patterns and trends in media reporting in the studied RSE regions uncovered a more affirmative portrayal overall, but also indicated that local media perceptions shifted in particular regions as time passed. The characterisation of Pacific RSE workers by the New Zealand print media in the first five years of the scheme carried fewer stigmatising discourses than in the 1970s. However, examined critically, these seeming positive discourses can be understood as positive to those promoting capitalism and seeking cheap labour, but as positioning Pacific temporary workers as dehumanised commodities in ways that may contribute to undermining their human rights and long-term best interests. These discourses and patterns are important to understand. They fill a gap that exists in the examination of how Pacific people working in temporary labour positions have been represented by the New Zealand print media. The findings provide RSE Pacific countries with insights into the issues, challenges and successes depicted by the media about their workers, as well as alerting the New Zealand public more broadly to patterns in the way the scheme has been reported to them, and to broader patterns of racialised and economic discourse. [The RSE scheme was launched in April 2007 with a cap of 5,000 workers under the then Labour Government led by Helen Clark, but the cap was lifted to 8,000 in October 2008 and was lifted again in November 2014 from 8,000 to 9,000, and then again from 9,000 to 9,500 in December 2015 and 10,500 in December 2016. It lifted again in December 2017 to 11,100 and the latest increase was in November 2018 to 12,850. The workers are mostly sourced from the Pacific Islands. They contribute substantially to New Zealand’s economy but do not accrue any rights to citizenship in New Zealand as a result of participating in the scheme.]
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Culturally relevant tasks and Påsifika students' participation and engagement in mathematics : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Mathematics Education, Massey University (Manawatu), New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Cunningham, Libby Sara
    Påsifika students’ academic achievement in mathematics continues to remain a priority for New Zealand education (Ministry of Education, 2013). Research in both the New Zealand and international contexts identifies the need for New Zealand classrooms to foster culturally responsive and mathematical practices that align with Påsifika students’ cultural values, backgrounds, interests and experiences. As a result, Påsifika students will have increased opportunities to participate and engage in mathematics while developing a cultural identity within New Zealand classrooms. This study utilised the Påsifika students’ and their families’ funds of knowledge to design culturally relevant mathematical tasks. These tasks were used within the students’ mathematics classroom where the teacher was supported to implement culturally responsive and mathematical practices. It examined how the use of culturally relevant tasks while enacting the reviewed cultural and mathematical practices could foster Påsifika students’ participation and engagement in mathematics. This study used qualitative research methods with an ethnographic case study approach while drawing on Påsifika research frameworks (Lemanu, 2014; Sauni, 2011). 11 Year 5 and Year 6 students who descended from the Pacific Islands participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews were completed at the beginning and end to find out the Påsifika students’ perspectives about their experiences of their culture and mathematics. Throughout the study, photoelicitation interviews were used to identify Påsifika students’ cultural funds of knowledge and mathematical experiences that they engaged in outside of school. This information was used to work with the classroom teachers to design culturally relevant mathematics tasks. Observations were made of the students’ behaviour and interactions while working on these tasks within their classroom setting. After each observation, focus group interviews were conducted to gain insight into the students’ perspectives of the task and learning experience. The use of a variety of methods provided greater evidence of data that I drew on to support my findings. The results illustrated key findings and recommendations that have been visually represented using a frangipani (kalosipani/ pua fiti/ fiti pua/ tipani)1 ulalei2. Each petal on the frangipani flower represents the key themes that emerged. These are as follows; mathematics at home and school, culturally relevant tasks, funds of knowledge, collaborative grouping and mathematical disposition and cultural identity. These key themes are supported by a group of learners which include parents, teachers and students and are bound together by the core Påsifika values. The key themes, community of learners and cultural values form the ula-lei. This study revealed these components as being effective practices that educators should develop to support Påsifika learners’ participation and engagement in mathematics.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploring physical activity profiles of Māori, Pacific and European women from Aotearoa New Zealand : implications for body composition and metabolic health : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Nutritional Sciences at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) O'Brien, Wendy Jean
    Background: Regular physical activity provides extensive health benefits, and is a key modifiable risk factor for chronic disease. Aims and objectives: The research aim was to robustly explore the physical activity profiles of Māori, Pacific and European women aged 16-45 years, living in New Zealand, to understand ethnic differences in their physical activity profiles and its consequences on body composition and metabolic health markers. Objectives were to: investigate the challenges of collecting hip-worn accelerometer data; determine ethnic differences in physical activity levels, and associated disease risk of being overweight-obese; investigate whether substituting sedentary behaviour with equal time in physical activity can predict improved health markers; examine recreational physical activity preferences to make ethnic-specific suggestions for meeting physical activity guidelines. Methods: Participants were 406 healthy premenopausal Māori, Pacific and European women aged 16-45 years, stratified by body composition profile and ethnicity. Physical activity data were collected using hip-worn accelerometers and Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire. Body composition was assessed using anthropometry, air displacement plethysmography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Metabolic biomarkers were measured from venous blood samples. Results: Accelerometer wear compliance was 86%, but discomfort (67%) and embarrassment (45%) hindered wear. European women (92.7%) returned more valid data than Māori (82.1%) or Pacific (73.0%, p < 0.04) women. More overweight-obese European (67%) than Māori (49%) or Pacific (32%, p < 0.001) women achieved physical activity guidelines. Achieving guidelines was strongly associated for Māori, inversely with total and regional fat percentages and clustered cardiometabolic risk score (p < 0.01) and positively with body lean percentage (p = 0.21), and for European women inversely with regional fat percentages and positively with body lean percentage (p ≤ 0.036). Substituting sedentary time with moderate-vigorous physical activity predicted improvements (p < 0.05) in total (14.8%) and android (12.5%) fat percentages, BMI (15.3%) and insulin (42.2%) for overweight-obese Māori women, and waist-to-hip ratio (6.4%) among Pacific women. Recreational physical activity preferences varied by ethnicity, possibly due to cultural/ethnic factors. Suggestions to increase physical activity were: family/whanaubased team activities for Māori women; community/church-linked games and fitness sessions for Pacific women; adding variety to existing activities for European women. Conclusions: Ethnicity played a major role in: collecting data; amounts/types of physical activity performed; implications of physical activity on health markers. Tailoring physical activity recommendations for specific ethnic groups could have major positive health implications for New Zealand women.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The New Right's employment impacts on Pacific peoples within the Porirua area and their responses to the initiatives set-up to promote education and ultimately employment : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Elise, James Tavita
    This thesis examines the concepts of development encapsulated in the New Right ideological spectrum. More specifically this thesis focuses on the impacts of employment deregulation and responses to these effects on Pacific populations in urban Aotetora/ New Zealand. It investigates the role neo-liberalism has played since the 1984 Labour government and the subsequent 1990 National government, which many have argued coincided with the breakdown and apparently permanent collapse of Keynesian social and economic policies of the post-war era. Neo-liberalism is an economic and political project that is primarily concerned with promoting a free market economy. It is based on the principles of individualism, rationalism, flexibility and supply-side innovation manifested in the following ways: 1.) the liberalisation of competitive market forces; 2.) the abandonment of demand-side intervention in favour of supply-side policy measures; 3.) the rejection of both social partnership and welfarism; and 4.) the rejection of 'full-employment' and the liberalisation of the labour market. Some well-known neo-liberal projects have been Thatcherism (UK), Reaganism (US) and Rogernomics (NZ). The responses taken from the research participants illustrate the impacts the New Right development approach has had on this community living in New Zealand, and more specifically living in the Porirua area. Unemployment was seen to place socio-economic stress on the individual and Pacific family unit. These broad New Right concepts which underpin a more flexible labour market are reduced-down to the current community-based employment initiatives being used, the responses and benefits of such development projects to this area, and to exemplify the disparities in the employment sector for Pacific peoples. The impacts: The macro-level results of this thesis have shown that the New Zealand labour market has been transformed into an individualist and flexible labour environment based on contractual agreements. Pacific peoples labour market participation rates have increased in part-time work and in the service sector, however, this has been offset by large decreases in the manufacturing sector. Pacific peoples have higher unemployment rates when compared to other ethnic groups (with the exception of New Zealand Maori). The responses: The micro-level findings have shown that Private Training Establishments (in this case TOPEC) provide a 'seamless' education system for an individualist, flexible and contractual labour market. In conclusion, the impacts and the responses from Pacific peoples involved in the New Zealand labour market demonstrate that the path being used to close labour market disparities are based on industry training and student-centred approaches.