The influence of shifting Pacific identities in learning : the experience of parents raising children of mixed Pacific ethnicities : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Loading...
Date
2017
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The Author
Abstract
Identity construction for the Pacific population in Aotearoa/New Zealand
remains a politically and contextually contested arena that shifts according to
the socio-cultural interactions within the immediate and external environment
of an individual. This study views parents as agents of change and explores
ethnic transmission and cultural identity development through the eyes of
parents raising children of mixed Pacific ethnicities.
This qualitative study employed both Western and Pacific methodologies to
collect and analyse data and used the talanoa method to engage the insights
and experiences of five couples. Social constructionism and Bronfenbrenner’s
(2005) ecological systems theory provided a framework to explain the
dynamics of social interactions and external conditions that influence the
constructs of peoples’ lived realities. This study found that families, peers, and
schools influence interactions that shift and impact the cultural identity
development and resiliency of children with mixed Pacific ethnicities. In
addition to this, societal perceptions, racism, and stereotypes are external
environmental conditions that further impact cultural identity development and
resiliency.
The metaphor of a balancing act illustrates the challenges and strategies
parents use to manage family and cultural expectations as well as the efforts
required to maintain access and opportunities to cultural knowledge, values
and practices. The findings suggest that a culturally responsive education can
work to minimise intolerance, exclusion, and racism experienced by an
individual. Key recommendations include the promotion of identity
development education that serves to empower individuals and parents to
nurture positive identities and resilience in the mixed Pacific generation.
Description
Keywords
Pacific Islanders, Racially mixed children, Ethnic identity, Education, Parents, New Zealand, Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education