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Consulting with Pacific people: a palangi steps out

Consulting with Pacific people: a palangi steps out Public Health Intelligence, Public Health Directorate, Ministry of Health, New Zealand As manager of the national population survey program for the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, I am responsible for a series of surveys running continuously, both telephone and face-to-face, that measure the health of the population of New Zealand. From time to time this work involves the taking and analysis of blood samples. When I commenced managing this program there were no protocols in place for the collection, storage, use and future access to blood samples gathered in this work. I set out to develop a robust, well-consulted policy that would ensure ethical and appropriate handling of blood sample collection, storage and uses in the future. A significant par t of this work involved consulting with Pacific peoples. I needed to understand the specif ic issues for people of Pacif ic cultures living in New Zealand who might, at some time in the future, be invited to par ticipate in the national population survey program work in general and to provide a blood or urine sample in particular. It was essential to understand and address areas of concern in order to ensure Pacif ic participation in this work. I embarked, therefore, on a series of consultation processes and fono. I decided I needed to talk and to listen to Pacific community leaders, health workers and researchers in order to achieve my aims of producing a protocol that would be accepted and embraced by these communities. Thus began a rather wonderful adventure for this palangi into the world of Pacif ic people living in New Zealand. I may have learned about their views on collection, storage and use of blood samples, but in the end that was really by the way. What I really learned and what will stay 90 AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2004 VOL. 28 NO. 1 Letters with me is how to consult with Pacif ic peoples. This, indeed, was the lesson of value. My f irst step in undertaking what I had entitled the ‘blood samples project’ was to contract a Pacif ic person to lead the processes. It seemed to me entirely appropriate that this work was led (and seen to be led) by a Pacif ic person. Dr ‘Ana Koloto of Auckland was the selected contractor. As I expected, much of the work was managed and facilitated by ‘Ana. However, at her behest I found myself engaged in a number of fono at which I was asked to represent the Ministr y of Health and outline the purpose of the consultation around the blood samples project There is something a little daunting about being the only white face in a room full of Pacif ic people. I felt a reverence and almost an awe as the fonos commenced with singing and introductions. I was keenly aware of both the war mth of these people and their expectation of me, whom they perceived as a person of authority. When I rose to speak I felt a quiet expectation, an eager ness to hear and a willingness to engage. By the time the meeting had ended I was humbled and g rateful. Between the f irst fono and the last I had talked, listened, danced, sang and eaten with a range of Pacif ic people and I am the better person for it. I lear ned many things over the ne xt few weeks. The most important was that I needed to step out of my culture and embrace another if I was to ask of these people their ears and attention. Not being a singer by nature, I was warmed and thrilled by the singing I encountered at the various group meetings. At a Hutt Valley meeting I joined in the singing, wanting to be par t of what was happening. Not being a dancer, I learned that if one is to ask for eng agement, one must be prepared to participate. At Otara I danced and once the awkwardness was over, I loved it. The lesson? To listen. Not just with the eyes and the ears but with the heart. The more meetings I attended the less I spoke, the more I sang, the more I engaged, the more I lear ned. When I need to consult with Pacif ic peoples in the future, I will remember the bloods project and I will remember that in consulting with any group outside your own culture you must listen and learn not just with the eyes and the ears, but with the hear t. And I have learned that there are many things I will never understand, but there are no aspects of this or any group of Pacif ic people that I will be unable to respect. And if that means getting out of my chair and dancing, then I am grateful for the invitation to participate. My thanks to Dr ‘Ana Koloto and all the Pacif ic people with whom both she and I consulted over the course of this project. I thank them for their time, their sharing, their thoughtfulness, their sense of humour and their willingness to share what matters to them with me. The national population health survey program in the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health will now be managed along lines of culturally accepted and widely consulted protocols around the collection, storage and use of blood samples. My thanks to all those people who par ticipated in the consultation processes. Correspondence to: Ms Anne Duncan, Public Health Intelligence, Public Health Directorate, Ministr y of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand. Fax: +64 4 495 4333; e-mail: anne_duncan@moh.govt.nz 2004 VOL. 28 NO . 1 AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health Wiley

Consulting with Pacific people: a palangi steps out

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
1326-0200
eISSN
1753-6405
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-842X.2004.tb00642.x
Publisher site
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Abstract

Public Health Intelligence, Public Health Directorate, Ministry of Health, New Zealand As manager of the national population survey program for the Ministry of Health in New Zealand, I am responsible for a series of surveys running continuously, both telephone and face-to-face, that measure the health of the population of New Zealand. From time to time this work involves the taking and analysis of blood samples. When I commenced managing this program there were no protocols in place for the collection, storage, use and future access to blood samples gathered in this work. I set out to develop a robust, well-consulted policy that would ensure ethical and appropriate handling of blood sample collection, storage and uses in the future. A significant par t of this work involved consulting with Pacific peoples. I needed to understand the specif ic issues for people of Pacif ic cultures living in New Zealand who might, at some time in the future, be invited to par ticipate in the national population survey program work in general and to provide a blood or urine sample in particular. It was essential to understand and address areas of concern in order to ensure Pacif ic participation in this work. I embarked, therefore, on a series of consultation processes and fono. I decided I needed to talk and to listen to Pacific community leaders, health workers and researchers in order to achieve my aims of producing a protocol that would be accepted and embraced by these communities. Thus began a rather wonderful adventure for this palangi into the world of Pacif ic people living in New Zealand. I may have learned about their views on collection, storage and use of blood samples, but in the end that was really by the way. What I really learned and what will stay 90 AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2004 VOL. 28 NO. 1 Letters with me is how to consult with Pacif ic peoples. This, indeed, was the lesson of value. My f irst step in undertaking what I had entitled the ‘blood samples project’ was to contract a Pacif ic person to lead the processes. It seemed to me entirely appropriate that this work was led (and seen to be led) by a Pacif ic person. Dr ‘Ana Koloto of Auckland was the selected contractor. As I expected, much of the work was managed and facilitated by ‘Ana. However, at her behest I found myself engaged in a number of fono at which I was asked to represent the Ministr y of Health and outline the purpose of the consultation around the blood samples project There is something a little daunting about being the only white face in a room full of Pacif ic people. I felt a reverence and almost an awe as the fonos commenced with singing and introductions. I was keenly aware of both the war mth of these people and their expectation of me, whom they perceived as a person of authority. When I rose to speak I felt a quiet expectation, an eager ness to hear and a willingness to engage. By the time the meeting had ended I was humbled and g rateful. Between the f irst fono and the last I had talked, listened, danced, sang and eaten with a range of Pacif ic people and I am the better person for it. I lear ned many things over the ne xt few weeks. The most important was that I needed to step out of my culture and embrace another if I was to ask of these people their ears and attention. Not being a singer by nature, I was warmed and thrilled by the singing I encountered at the various group meetings. At a Hutt Valley meeting I joined in the singing, wanting to be par t of what was happening. Not being a dancer, I learned that if one is to ask for eng agement, one must be prepared to participate. At Otara I danced and once the awkwardness was over, I loved it. The lesson? To listen. Not just with the eyes and the ears but with the heart. The more meetings I attended the less I spoke, the more I sang, the more I engaged, the more I lear ned. When I need to consult with Pacif ic peoples in the future, I will remember the bloods project and I will remember that in consulting with any group outside your own culture you must listen and learn not just with the eyes and the ears, but with the hear t. And I have learned that there are many things I will never understand, but there are no aspects of this or any group of Pacif ic people that I will be unable to respect. And if that means getting out of my chair and dancing, then I am grateful for the invitation to participate. My thanks to Dr ‘Ana Koloto and all the Pacif ic people with whom both she and I consulted over the course of this project. I thank them for their time, their sharing, their thoughtfulness, their sense of humour and their willingness to share what matters to them with me. The national population health survey program in the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health will now be managed along lines of culturally accepted and widely consulted protocols around the collection, storage and use of blood samples. My thanks to all those people who par ticipated in the consultation processes. Correspondence to: Ms Anne Duncan, Public Health Intelligence, Public Health Directorate, Ministr y of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand. Fax: +64 4 495 4333; e-mail: anne_duncan@moh.govt.nz 2004 VOL. 28 NO . 1 AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Journal

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health – Wiley

Published: Feb 1, 2004

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