Experiences of a Polynesian

What happens when there’s a battle between the two cultures you’ve been brought up in? In this article I will try to explain the conflicts and difficulties that many Polynesian youth experience today. An exhausting battle that’s been instilled into us from when we first realised that being born “poly” is sometimes just that – the birthright to adhere to “poly” responsibilities and “poly” obligations.

"WESTERN WORLD VS POLYNESIAN WORLD"

From an early age I recall the” importance of education” lecture from my father. With education comes great wealth and great pride. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that however, what happens when that great achievement is accomplished only to be used as a financial gain for people who crave recognition and seek attention? You might be wondering “Yeah, so what? Why not splash out if you’ve got it?” Again, there is nothing wrong but that’s where a lot of Polynesians make the mistake of taking ownership for what they think is rightfully theirs. The fact that they’ve looked after you, fed you, clothed you and nurtured you into good health entitles them to the bread that you bring home, the decisions you make are not entirely yours to make and your next paycheque is already budgeted to accommodate the needs of faint acquaintances who reside in another country.

Polynesian youth may question as to where their income is going however, very rarely will they speak up for the following reasons:

1. (Respect) Refusal to disrespect your parents and that to question them is one of the ultimate betrayals, as there is a long list of them in the Polynesian culture.

2. (Obligation) You feel you have no right to speak because you’re constantly reminded of the many sacrifices that were taken to ensure your good health, schooling etc.

3. (Violence) Risk physical or verbal abuse.

4. (Ownership) You’re their offspring, you’re to do as you’re told and whatever you own they have every right to it.

In saying all this it does NOT mean that ALL Polynesians have been subjected to this. I’m not trying to condemn the elders nor do I think that my opinion deserves great recognition. I’m merely trying to point out that in all of my 27 years of living, there have been so many people I’ve known, so many incidents that I prefer to forget that have involved such people. The results almost always end up in heartbreak. Due to the fact that it runs so deep into our roots it has certainly made an impressive impact on the way I view the Samoan cultural upbringing.

I recall an incident with a relative of mine a couple of years ago, an incident that stemmed into an argument – which brought on the realisation that this whole draining way of life is something that runs deep into our ancestry. This incident sparked enormous outrage within me. I was told that her greatest investment were her children. To be told that people you love dearly were only bred to serve one purpose for something as insignificant as money, left my mind numb and speech altered.

It angers me to have seen this firsthand however I praise God that not all Samoans are like this. I know many fellow poly mates who are quite happy to sit there and endure the hardships while remaining deaf, dumb and blind to their unfair surroundings. They’ve grown accustomed to it and know no other way. Unfortunately for those who do speak up and voice their opinions, they’re immediately seen as disobedient and undisciplined. They’re seen as young and immature, and at once there’s a certain phrase that comes into mind “small things should be seen and not heard”. As harsh as it sounds, it’s the truth. Respect is an enormous aspect in our culture, we should respect our elders even when they’re wrong, for when they’re wrong they’re right and whatever you say cannot alter the fact that because they’re older, it means that they are never wrong. This is something I strongly disagree with. For there are so many of these “elders” I know who are hypocritical and crave the recognition and attention for the sake of power and a spot in the limelight - this they certainly do not deserve. These people scorn and belittle their own for the sake of their image, they refuse to let others transcend into their ultimate and will stop at nothing. They’re pure evil and jealousy is their only way of life. Why do I say such words with heartless negativity? It is because my family and I have been subjected to such despicable ways. I’m not lashing out, gone are the days where I’d come home and have heartbreaking conversations with my parents. We’re better than that, we have our faith and we have each other and once I began to understand this, my world was suddenly uplifted or you could say, I woke up and smelt the hibiscus.

"THE YOUTH OF POLYNESIA TURN TO CRIME"

I realise that everyone has their own faults however, there are certain beliefs in the Samoan culture that conflict with the western culture I’ve been brought up in. Sadly, in many cases because of the confusion and the stubborn attitude of such people who refuse to compromise, their children have grown up confused and as a result, a lot of them have turned to crime. It disheartens me to see that for a race that has so much talent to show the world, the statistics for crime committed by Pacific Islander youth in Australia has risen by 4% within the last year alone. According to Jock Collins, Professor of Economics UTS - New Zealand and Pacific Islanders harbour 1.6 per 1000 of the population’s crime rate in Australia. While this number may appear to be small, compare that amount to the actual population of Polynesians in Australia. Do the math and you’ll realise that it’s depressingly astronomical.

"YOUR KIDS ARE NOT YOUR ASSETS"

Thankfully there are respected members who have already started preaching to samoan communities. My brother recently attended a seminar held by a certain samoan congregation. He gushed with admiration the lecture given by the Pastor. The Pastor stressed to the audience the importance of being aware that their children are NOT to be used as their assets. Finally! I can now begin to see that glimmer of hope I’ve been longing for. The more our people realise the damning implications, the better chance future generations can have for a bright, stress free and less confused livelihood. Bring on the improved standard of living, bring on more academics, but more importantly bring on the peace and harmony our youth so deserve.

I wish to make it clear that I do not regret my samoan heritage. In fact, I feel the exact opposite. I love the way samoans are able to laugh at everything, I love how families stick together no matter the circumstance, I love listening to the myths and legends, I love the beautiful island of Samoa, I love how the youth use slang that can only be interpreted by their own, I love how samoan congregations come together as one, I love samoan music, I love the samoan dance.

I’ve been umming and arring about whether or not to publish this article but thankfully a good friend of mine convinced me to do so. If anyone was offended by anything said in this article let me assure you no harm was meant, that’s the beauty of writing. You’re entitled to your own opinion and if our opinions differ I respect that, just note that when I say “respect” I mean it in the most rightful and truthful meaning of the word.

Jah Bless!