Caracterización del modelo experimental.

In this section of the identity theme, tama Samoa explore their experience of how they adapt in different situations.

When discussing whether or not they adapted their attitudes and behaviours around others or according to different situations, all twelve tama Samoa acknowledged that they felt it was necessary to adapt their identity when surrounded by different people and places.

Tama Samoa described this – how they need to act and behave when in the classroom and how they interact outside the classroom amongst peers and buddies – in terms of using different faces or switching mind frames in different contexts.

There are three categories in this sub-theme: i) Tama Samoa – the adaptive individual; ii) Tama Samoa – adapting roles and responsibilities; and iii) Tama Samoa – Strategising.

Tama Samoa – the adaptive individual

In this section tama Samoa talk about the experiences of adapting who they are as individuals in order to “fit” the context they are in at the time:

I think I am usually myself in different classes, but it all depends on the boys I am with. If it’s all white boys, like in biology, I keep to myself and try and focus really hard. (Ioane: SS)

When asked why this was, Ioane responded:

I don’t have many friends in biology, so I am not as relaxed around the white boys as I would be if I had my boys in there. (Ioane: SS)

Mataio made similar comment about why he would change face at school; however, his response was more targeted to who the teacher would be in the class:

It depends on which class I have, I would adapt my ways [so] the teacher will be more accepting of me. (Mataio: SS)

When asked how he would describe himself, Mataio commented:

I am enthusiastic, run around, love my rugby, always joking around, and laughing with my mates. (Mataio: SS)

Referring back to this comment made by Mataio, through the process of fa’afaletui of weaving and refining perceptions, Mataio reviewed this response with a comment:

If I went into class being enthusiastic and being a joker, they (teachers) wouldn’t treat me the same, or they would not be too impressed. (Mataio: SS)

These responses show that how tama Samoa chose to present themselves in class depended, in some cases, on who was in the class, both teachers and students. However, it was also noted that tama Samoa responded differently depending on which subject they were sitting in during class time. The quotes provided show in more detail why it is that their attitudes differ depending on the subject being taught, who was in the class, and their ability to adapt.

I am truly myself in PE, because it is practical and we can clown around – not all the time, but most times – plus most of my mates are this class. I find it quite lucky how we can switch, like we can be like serious in serious classes and be ourselves in other classes. (Tataio: SS)

When I asked Tataio why he found it “lucky” that he could switch, his response was:

because it shows how we Samoans can be flexible and how we can walk in both worlds, being Samoan. (Tataio: SS)

Further to this, some tama Samoa explained why they felt they needed to adapt their identities or their attitudes from home to school:

When I leave home I know I come into school with a different mind frame. At home I am annoying and I like to bug my brothers and sister big time, but then I come to school and I am, like, different – not hard out different but I know I am different. (Aneterea: SS)

Aneterea mentioned:

Actually once I get to know new people, I started being myself so it’s probably more of a confidence thing. (Aneterea: SS)

Timoteo talked about adapting his identities and provided his understanding of why he switches mind frames when at school:

I think as you get older you start to understand, like, the reasons and why you come to school…once you become Year 13 it’s over, like you have to step out…you have to start preparing yourself, yeah, and I think when we’re at home we’re, like, more ourselves but then we come to school we are more controlled…you have to be more controlled, you have to learn to be more self-controlled. (Timoteo: SS)

Similar ideas were identified by Iakopo; he too discussed how he would have to use different identities as a way of coping with studies at school:

Only in my early years I would be a different person in class, as I was still getting used to the environment. In the last few years I was able to act the same in class as I would in the playground even though I was around different people. I knew my place and figured out my place in the school and learnt how to cope with the many classes we had. (Iakopo: SS)

Iakopo’s use of the term “cope” indicates that, like other tama Samoa, he understood that he had to find the tools or the skills within himself to support himself while at school. It was therefore noted that tama Samoa, were able to apply themselves in different situations, and be flexible in the various situations tama Samoa were in.

Tama Samoa – adapting roles and responsibilities

During the talanoa with tama Samoa they were asked to talanoa about their perceptions of the roles that they had while in the school environment, and the responsibilities that came with these roles. Eight of the twelve tama Samoa revealed that they were in roles that required them to be a leader; some had been asked and some had volunteered to be in these leadership positions, as shown in Table 6 below.

Table 6: Roles taken by tama Samoa in secondary school.

Responsibility Role Asked Volunteered No. of TS in the role

First XV Captain  

Poly Club Leader  

Snr Cricket Captain  

School Production Lead Part   

Barbershop  

Chess Club Captain  

School captain Deputy Head

boy  

Sports Captain  

Cultural Captain  

Board of Trustees Student rep  

Tama Samoa took the opportunity to talanoa about their experiences of participating various groups:

I have always enjoyed my rugby, so when I made it into the first XV, and was made captain, I was like “man this is a dream come true”. It certainly has been a good year. Also being sports captain. I was a little unsure about that one, but being asked was pretty cool. (Patolomaio: SS)

When I asked Patolomaio how he felt about fulfilling both roles and taking on the responsibilities that went with them he responded:

Both of the roles were similar, especially both had to do with sport. Only pressure I felt making sure our first XV did well on the field. Didn’t quite make it this year, but we played really well. (Patolomaio: SS)

Ioane and Toma talked about how having extra responsibilities at school seemed to make teachers respect them more in their classes. Taking part in extracurricular activity was encouraged by teachers, as explained by Toma:

I enjoyed the class a lot and so when the teacher asked me to audition and I got offered the lead role, that was pretty cool. It really took me out of my comfort zone. (Toma: SS)

Nominated persons were asked about their perceptions of the roles that tama Samoa had while in the school environment and the responsibilities that came with these roles. NPs had a different perspective about this. Toma’s NP stated:

Toma is always involved in a lot of groups, I think he likes it and I think he does a good job in the different groups he joins. (Toma: NP)

Ioane’s NP, however, had a different idea about Ioane joining different groups:

I think it is good to see Ioane active and into extra school curricula. He shows good leadership potential, but it is just making sure that he focuses on his school work and the groups are an extra thing that shouldn’t take over. (Ioane: NP)

When it came to roles and responsibilities that required close interaction with school leadership, Tataio and Iakopo highlighted the importance of having these roles to show younger Pacific boys the importance of such roles, and how it would make other young men look up to them:

In our school, the principal invites you to apply for the positions of head pupils. I received the letter to apply, and decided to go for it. It was quite a daunting process, but I was happy to be given the role. Being in this role is not only for me, but for my family and especially the boys here at school. (Iakopo: SS)

It is a role I take very serious. We do not have a large Pacific population here, so when you have a Pacific Islander get into one of these roles, it’s huge. (Simona-Peteru: SS)

Tama Samoa identified two particular roles that they felt were not very popular amongst other tama Samoa and Pacific students in general. Ioane and Iese talk about why they volunteered for these particular roles:

I took chess out of interest, and found that I really enjoyed it. I got really good at it that I was chosen to be team captain, but I don’t play it anymore. (Ioane: SS)

When I questioned Ioane about his reasons for not playing chess anymore, he responded with:

I think because it is a brain game and none of the boys want to use their brains. (Ioane: F)

Tama Samoa, then, provided a number of different reasons for why they chose or accepted the involvement in extra roles and responsibilities. These reasons included: enjoyment and sense of pride of a role, especially the selection to sports teams such as rugby; and the knowledge that being in a role of responsibility meant being a role model to other Pacific students; and that by being in a role of responsibility, tama Samoa gained respect from teachers and other students.