Pacific Well Being

Filling a significant gap in the cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary literature within the field of Pasifika (Polynesian) and Maori identities and mental health, this volume focuses on bridging mental health related research and practice within the indigenous communities of the South Pacific. Much of the content reflects both differences from and relationships with the dominant Western theories and practices so often unsuccessfully applied with these groups. The contributors represent both experienced researchers and practitioners and address topics such as research examining traditional and emerging Pasifika identities; contemporary research and practice in working with Pasifika youth and adolescents; culturally-appropriate approaches for working with Pasifika adults; and practices in supervision that have been developed by Maori and Pasifika practitioners. Chapters include practice scenarios, research reports, analyses of topical issues, and discussions about the appropriateness of applying Western theory in other cultural contexts. As Pasifika cultures are still primarily oral cultures, the works of several leading Maori and Pasifika poets that give voice to the changing identities and contemporary challenges within Pacific communities are also included.

This book makes space (1) for Pasifika contributions to academic conversations on critical topics and (2) for influencing the conversations to account for, and thus reflect, Pasifika ways and modes. The critical topic that runs through the chapters is well-being, and the contributors were located at the time of writing in Pasifika—Aotearoa, Fiji, Kioa, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu—but there are many more Pasifika voices and concerns than are represented in this work. Nonetheless, the ways in which this work seeks to influence the conversations on well-being reflect the intersectional modes of thinking that native Pasifika Islanders share. The essays are placed into three intersecting clusters: well-being of bodies and (is)lands, well-being of traditions and theologies, and well-being of imaginations and worldviews. The rationale for this arrangement is that the well-being of Pasifika requires attention to the present (bodies and islands), to the past (traditions and theologies), and to the future (imaginations and worldviews). The chapters address Pasifika questions and concerns, and they are placed so that the conversations they spark can take place—free of the traps of Western theories and disciplines—with Pasifika accents and rhythms.

This handbook has been prepared for the guidance of practitioners involved in the policy-making or policy analysis process in the health agencies of Pacific island countries. WHO commissioned this work from two experienced policy practitioners who have had many years of experience in the policy process, both in the field and in academic settings. In this book, they outline concisely the different aspects of the policy development process that are relevant and important for people currently involved in advising and making policy in the Pacific.

This far-reaching volume analyzes the social, cultural, political, and economic factors contributing to mental health issues and shaping treatment options in the Asian and Pacific world. Multiple lenses examine complex experiences and needs in this vast region, identifying not only cultural issues at the individual and collective levels, but also the impacts of colonial history, effects of war and disasters, and the current climate of globalization on mental illness and its care. These concerns are located in the larger context of physical health and its determinants, worldwide goals such as reducing global poverty, and the evolving mental health response to meet rising challenges affecting the diverse populations of the region. Chapters focus on countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia plus Oceania and Australia, describing: · National history of psychiatry and its acceptance. · Present-day mental health practice and services. · Mental/physical health impact of recent social change. · Disparities in accessibility, service delivery, and quality of care. · Collaborations with indigenous and community approaches to healing. · Current mental health resources, the state of policy, and areas for intervention. A welcome addition to the global health literature, Mental Health in Asia and the Pacific brings historical depth and present-day insight to practitioners providing services in this diverse area of the world as well as researchers and policymakers studying the region.

Pacific Identities 1. Supporting the Wellbeing of Pasifika Youth / Siautu Alefaio 2. Affirming Works: A Collective Model of Pasifika Mentoring / Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o 3. Canoe Noses and Coconut Feet: Reading the Samoan Male Body / Tavita T. Maliko 4. Jonah, Arnold, and Me: Reading the Tongan Male Body / Maika Lutui 5. Being 'Afakasi / Tina Berking, Caroline Salumalo Patialofa, Karen Lupe, Seilosa Skipps-Patterson and Margaret Agee Issues in Pacific Spirituality 6. Spiritual Injury: A Samoan Perspective on Spirituality's Impact on Mental Health / David Lui 7. Making Culture God is Driving Our People Crazy!: An Interview With Cabrini 'Ofa Makasiale / Philip Culbertson 8. The Schizophrenic Church / A. Survivor 9. New Zealand-born Samoan Young People, Suicidal Behaviors, and the Positive Impact of Spirituality / To'oa Jemaima Tiatia The Pacific Unconscious 10. The Use of Symbol and Metaphor in Pasifika Counseling / Cabrini 'Ofa Makasiale 11. An Ocean with Many Shores: Indigenous Consciousness and the Thinking Heart / Karen Lupe 12. Hawaiki-Lelei: Journeys to Wellness / Seilosa Skipps-Patterson 13. Using Mea-alofa in a Holistic Model for Pasifika Clients: A Case Study / Fia T. Turner-Tupou 14. Keep Your Doughnuts to Yourself : Using Poetry in Pasifika Professional Practice / Peta Pila Palalagi Pacific Trauma and Healing 15. Colonialism, Acculturation, and Depression among Kanaka Maoli of Hawai'i / Joseph Keawe'aimoku Kaholokula 16. Crisis in Paradise: Family Violence in Samoan Communities / Karanina Siaosi Sumeo 17. Doing Good Work and Finding a Sense of Purpose: The Nature and Treatment of Substance Abuse and Violence among Native Hawaiians / A. Aukahi Austin 18. Pregnancy, Adoption, FASD, and Mental Illness / Suiamai Simi 19. Misplaced Dreams: Tongan Gambling in Auckland / Yvette Guttenbeil-Po'uhila and Sione Tu'itahi Bibliography of Pasifika Mental Health Resources / To'oa Jemaima Tiatia, Margaret Agee and Philip Culbertson.

As a region, the Pacific is developing rapidly. This textbook, the first of its kind, decolonizes the dominant western rhetoric that is evident in Pacific social work and rejuvenates current practice models to enhance evolving Pacific perspectives.