Serving Samoan Youth in Honolulu: Culture, Religious Education, and Social Adjustment

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1989Pacific Islands StudiesThe purpose of this thesis is twofold. The first part is to examine the immigrant Samoan population of Honolulu in light of Samoan behavioral norms, Samoan Christianity, and the history of Samoan migration to Hawai'i. The second part is to analyze the role of Roman Catholic religious education programs in the social adjustment of immigrant Samoan youth with a view to propose enhancements for those programs based on the insights of the first part of the study. Research consisted of extensive exploration of library materials on the aspects of Samoan culture and history pertinent to the purpose of the thesis; interviews in Samoa and Hawai'i with Samoan families and with people in religious, educational, and social-service organizations which serve Samoan youth; and administration of a lifestyle questionnaire to a sample survey group of Samoan youth in Honolulu. The research revealed much desire on the part of religious educators to improve the effectiveness of their programs in building faith and self-esteem among Samoan young people. It also revealed a general lack of knowledge among the predominantly non-Samoan religious educators about Samoan culture and history and a lack of understanding of the cultural and psychological forces at work in the immigration difficulties that Samoans in Hawai'i endure. The thesis concludes with proposals for the enhancement of Catholic religious education programs in those parishes heavily populated with Samoan youth. The proposals cover the areas of theology and culture, teacher recruitment and training, curriculum development and methodology, and parental involvement in the religious education process