Proud family members recently watched 23 Spring Hill Corrections Facility prisoners graduate from Corrections' highly successful Pasifika Legends Story Telling programme.
The graduation ceremony was an important opportunity to acknowledge the men's commitment to addressing their offending in front of their families.
The Pacific legends, traditional dances and songs learnt and performed on the programme help the prisoners understand the messages behind the legends and how to apply them in their own lives.
"Many New Zealand-born Pacific prisoners have never been exposed to their cultural identities," says Regional Adviser Pacific Aufa'amulia Asenati Lole-Taylor.
"They are sometimes third generation New Zealanders who haven't been brought up the traditional Pacific way such as fa'a Samoa – Samoan culture and protocols. This can lead to feelings of displacement in situations where they are expected to act in a culturally appropriate manner but aren't sure of how to do that."
Mrs Lole-Taylor says the Pasifika Legends programme helps prisoners to understand and embrace their cultural identities.
Cultural practices are explained through legend, allowing the prisoner to become more receptive to other rules around them.
"This, combined with the prisoner building up his self-esteem on the programme and having a motivated and positive attitude, helps prepare them for other programmes and treatment they might complete before release."
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ISSN 1178-8453