Examining Cultural Norms: Analysis of Physical Punishment in Pacific

This essay provides an analysis of the article 'A Pacific Perspective on Physical Punishment' by Tino Pereira, which challenges the suitability of physical punishment as a means of disciplining Pacific children. The essay discusses Pereira's personal views, theological influences, and the impact of Christianity on Samoan child-rearing practices. It highlights the author's critique of physical retribution and punishment, emphasizing that such acts are not fundamentally encouraged within Samoan culture but are instead linked to the influence of Protestant missionaries. The essay further touches upon the resolutions to strengthen cultural bonds and traditions by addressing issues related to parenting through church leadership.

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The article, ‘A Pacific Perspective on Physical Punishment’ has explicitly posed
challenges towards the myths that revolve the suitability and adequacy of physical punishment as
an approach of disciplining or chastising the Pacific children. The article has characterized the
personal views and ideas of the author, Tino Pereira. However, it must be noted that the author’s
individualistic opinions and ideologies may not symbolize the mainstream ideologies of Pacific
beliefs, thoughts and practices.
The article speaks about the commands that explicitly reveal the way Bible provides
authority and further commands children to honour and conform to the authoritative power held
by parents. The past record of Pacific and Somoan explores that such theological notions and
beliefs has transformed into tenets of new Pacific ethics from the 1840s. The notion related to the
belief that physical punishment is the ‘norm’ for people belonging to the Pacific region and
further to have brutal characteristics of not been able to control their emotions. However, the
article focused on the child nurturing practices. The child rearing practice during the time when
Christianity earned its independence from New Zealand in 1962, it established and further
conformed to the legitimacy of the Bible (Pereira, 2004). Bible thus has been regarded as the
torchbearer predecessor for several Samoan human communication that incorporated ways of
child nurturing. The ethical conceal of authenticity of the Bible and the uncomplicated force of
power forced on the Samoa’s principle extent had significant impact on the way physical
chastisement has been regarded as an essential tool for nurturing children (Pereira, 2004). The
author however has expressed his personal thoughts and perceptions of the child rearing system
by shedding light on his own experiences of being raised in Somoa. His revelations about his
father’s brutal characteristics towards him had been condemned by a major section of Pacific
community whose emotions were hurt because they perceived Peraira’s life narratives as

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opposing to the beliefs and ideologies of the Pacific and Samoan community and therefore
regarded his revelations as a treat to the Samoan culture (Pereira, 2004). The primary aim of the
author however lied on shedding light on the persistent brutality and violence towards rearing
Samoan children. However, he exposed that acts of physical retribution and punishment cannot
be completely associated with the communitarian practices of the Samoan culture (Pereira,
2004). The article further intended to evaluate that the Samoan community does not
fundamentally encourage in any aggressive act of physical punishment towards children. It has
been associated to the broader range of culture that was established to Samoa in the course of
good missionaries of the Protestant churches in their rapidity to broaden the gospel and further
colonise the region for both the ruler and the nation (Pereira, 2004). The article further focused
on few resolutions in order to strengthen the cultural bonds and traditions. The article further
emphasized parents and single parents who can address the church leadership in order to seek
resolutions to the issues related to parenting.

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Reference
Pereira, F. A. T. (2004). A Pacific perspective on physical punishment. Childrenz Issues:
Journal of the Children's Issues Centre, 8(2), 27.