Abstract
Physiotherapy as a profession was born out of efforts to legitimise therapeutic massage being conducted in Victorian, 19th century England. The profession has since grown to secure a position in most modern health systems as the principal provider of orthodox rehabilitation. In the New Zealand context, Physiotherapists are the third largest registered health profession. Also, within the New Zealand context, Pacific people experience disparate health outcomes in almost every measure and are likely to experience discrimination within the health system. However, little is known about the available guidance for physiotherapists in working with Pacific people in ways that are culturally safe. With the aim of conducting ethnic-specific Pacific research, the purpose of this study was to explore how Samoan cultural knowledge could enhance the theory and practise of physiotherapy. This exploration was guided by two key questions: firstly, “How does understanding Samoan cultural knowledge enhance the engagement between physiotherapists and Samoan families in treatment?”, and secondly, “In New Zealand, how should physiotherapists provide culturally safe physiotherapy for Samoan families?”. In seeking culturally contextual methods and methodologies to investigate the research questions, Talanoa, a Samoan and pan-Pacific method of narrative dialogue and Fa’afaletui, a Samoan methodology for inter-group thematic analysis were utilised. The study participants involved five groups: 1) Samoan physiotherapists residing in New Zealand, 2) Samoan families who had received physiotherapy in New Zealand, 3) Physiotherapists residing in Samoa, 4) Samoan families, traditional healers and health officials with a working knowledge of Physiotherapy residing in Samoa; and 5) a transnational group of Elders with deep knowledge of traditional Samoan culture. The outcomes of this study included the emergence of five key themes: Aiga and Tamāliiaga, Teu le vā, Holistic healthcare, Traditional healing, and Health systems. These themes were synthesised and presented as a theoretical framework named the Fau’olo framework, based upon the Samoan traditional dance known as the taualuga. Drawing from the metaphor of the taualuga, the Fau’olo framework is firmly grounded in the fa’asamoa (the Samoan way) and thus critically advocates for the provision of Physiotherapies with Samoan aiga (families) that are founded upon Indigenous Samoan cultural values, philosophies, and customs.