Exploring the role of Samoan youth in ‘Tausi Matua’ in Aotearoa New Zealand : a contribution to culturally-diverse elder care practises : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Health Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany campus, New Zealand
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Date
2024
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Massey University
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Abstract
Elders are held in high esteem and hold many roles in Samoan society. They are guardians of faasamoa [the Samoan way], way finders and prayer warriors for their family, village, and wider community. Youth in turn reciprocate values of faasamoa as they Tausi matua [care for elders]. Today Samoan youth living in the diaspora continue to Tausi matua despite challenges which stem from being away from their homelands. In doing so they resiliently bridge the divides between their elders and the Western world, focussed on finding the best care for their elders. This study is part of a wider project funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) entitled ‘Caring for our Pacific Wisdom Bearers,’ and focuses specifically on Samoan youth carers’ experiences of caring for elders. It contributes to the paucity of research exploring relationships between youth and elders, particularly the experiences of youth caring for elders while living as diaspora. Fa’afaletui [a Samoan metaphorical way of searching for wisdom] was undertaken with youth from two Samoan church congregations and revealed Samoan youth caregiving is grounded in faasamoa, which is enacted as Tausi matua. This is a cultural practice and way of being born out of their faasinomaga [essence of identity] with the belief that this results in faamanuiga [blessings] from elders that the youth can never repay. The results revealed Samoan youth as intergenerational carers, highlighting the Samoan proverb: E sui faiga ae tumau faavae [Practises may change, but the foundations remain]. Challenging the perpetuated narratives of elders as “burdens” and youth as absent in care, this research adds to a gap in literature from a youth carer and Pacific diasporic experience. Elders from the Samoan worldview are centred as Wisdom Bearers: beacons of traditional knowledge, care, and love and Samoan youth are present and active in the aiga [family] cycle of care that evolves seia i’u lau tausiga [until your duty of care is fulfilled].