pacific islanders Flashcards
(25 cards)
General background information
- population: 1=hawaiians, 2= samoans, 3=chamorros (guam)
- pls have been influenced by many different cultures
- main areas: melanesia, micronesia, polynesia
In the U.S.,
-the native hawaiian and other pacific islander group has grown
-race alone: 9.3%
-race alone or in combo: 139.5%
-AAPIs comprise 4% of the total U.S. population
-expected to reach 10% of the population by 2050
-unfortunately, some
PIs such as Samoans in the U.S experience abject poverty
cultural customs and courtesies
- hospitality, generosity, and sharing are very important
- attitudes toward life are relaxed
education
- oral learning
- rote memorization; ch are taught to conform, no be individualistic and creative
- things done in groups; not individually
- resources like books are challenging to come by
california educator
- significant numbers of students formatting, fiji, and the solomon islands who struggle
- many – first in their families to attend college
in the fijian village of natawadawadi
- no electricity or running water
- in junior high- boarding school in nadi
- ch swim to school
educational style
- very relaxed
- some guam schools closed because of high teacher abesenteeism
Denise: former student
- teachers came if felt like it
- “what would you like to do today?”
school in
- u.s. –> major adjustment
- high drop out rate of islander students in U.S.
- earning higher degrees - low priority
- ch should go to work ASAP
statistics show
- 10.6% of the U.S. population has a graduate or professional degree
- only 4.3% of pacific islanders have this type of degree
Pacific island family life
- extended families are common
- child care is provided by multiple caretakers
- heavy emphasis on authority and respect
- emphasis on well-being of family, not individual rights
For example, in Samoa
- families look poor to outsiders, but no homelessness – everyone is provided for
- no word for “person” - you’re part of the whole group
Mokuau, M., & Tauili’ili,P
-samoans often take extended family and church more seriously than $$, school and career
some societies
- like chamorros of guam are matriarchal
- physical punishment is common in samoa
- domestic violence may occur in some islander cultures
- work with the local community and churches
Health care and disabilities
- lots of otitis media w/ effusion
- ch may be exposed to mercury from seafood, may experience lower IQ’s, cognitive and linguistic problems
- in samoa, intolerance for disabilities
- chamorros of Guam view a disability as a gift from god
- Hawaii- disabilities have spiritual causes
sickness/disabilities
- may call on faith healers or practitioners of folk medicine
- guam- suruhano or faith healers who are highly respected
- hawaiians- kahuna lapa’au or “medical experts” who use prayers, massage and herbs
- when people rely on faith healers, SLPs may be viewed as unimportant
ASHA leader articles
- in Guam and the virign Islands, shortage of SLPs, esp in hospitals
- many individuals are denied services because of 1) lack of practitioners
2) stigma- special needs
major risk factors
- hypertension, high cholesterol
- almost 30% of APIs have high cholesterol
- tiffany from hawaii - a watermelon 15$
2016 (consumer. healthy.com)
- cancer leading cause of death
- asians americans native hawaiians and pacific islanders are less likely than whites to be diagnosed w/ cancer before it has spread
communication styles
- to not offend, islander will say what they think the listener wants to hear
- ch primary experiences in interacting are with other ch. not adults
- in “talk story” ch listen to elder talk about days of old
research of schieffelin ochs compared american and samoan
- samoan ch expected to accommodate to adults; U.S. adults accommodate to ch
- U.S. mothers speaker “motherese” but samoan mothers don’t simplify their register for younger ch
language considerations
- over 1200 indigenous languages are spoken in the islands
- language is influenced by culture
the apostrophe
-in a word is pronounced as a glottal stop
-for example
~Hawai’i
~Tau’ili’ili
-some ch speak pidgin english/ hawaiian creole and need support in acquiring formal english
Implication for SLPs
- we must fully explain paperwork requiring signatures
- be careful about requesting parents to come to school
- use a collective rather than individual storytelling method
