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PAGO PAGO, American Samoa — If “a burden shared is a burden halved,” what is the burden of service?
The study is the first to explore the “cost of services” for Pacific populations.
University of Auckland PhD candidate researcher Asetoa Sam Pilisi says caring for family members is a cultural burden that can come at the expense of our mental health and wellbeing, particularly in Pacific communities.
More than 1,100 people responded to the survey, which asked a culturally contentious question: “Is it selfish to take care of yourself?”
Pilisi said the act of providing “service” to Pacific Islanders often brought cultural gains, but sometimes came at the expense of other aspects of their lives, including personal, physical and mental health.
“Many of us in the Pacific have a collectivist nature. That’s a strength, but maybe there’s an opportunity for us to also think about individual needs.”
“You have to ask the question, how much is too much? What is the actual cost of serving others, because that’s what the culture expects, even if there’s a cost … You can’t give from an empty cup.”
In working with the Pacific Community Steering Committee, Piris was acutely aware of asking a question that went to the heart of Pacific cultural practices.
Some believe he is looking at the lived experiences of Pacific diasporas through a Western lens.
“We’re asking people to stop and look within themselves,” he said, acknowledging that this approach was not in line with the norm among Pacific peoples, who focus on the collective rather than the individual.
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