A newly introduced Pasefika oral story-telling programme at Auckland Region Women’s Correctional Facility will encourage prisoners to embrace their culture and communities when they leave prison.
The first of its kind in a New Zealand prison, the eight-week programme was launched this week to teach prisoners how to both tell and listen to stories.
Programme designer Regional Pacific Community Liaison Officer Asenati Lole-Taylor firmly believes that people in traditional Pasefika cultures tell their stories as a way to identify their connection to their wider community.
Asenati likens the story-telling process to a fisherman untangling his nets. He says in Samoa, the literal meaning of the word “story” is “tala”, which implies an attempt by a person to “unfold” or “disentangle” an object in order for it to reach its full length.
“The fisherman steps backwards as he unfolds the net. Similarly, storytellers often step back from an event to give an account of the details,” Asenati says.
“This can help prisoners understand how their offending came about, enabling them to access and deal with distressing feelings.”
Asenati designed the programme in response to Pacific prisoners and staff requesting more Pacific Island programmes to complement the Auckland Region Correctional Facility’s regularly held cultural days.
The programme is available to both remand and sentenced prisoners, and although it is aimed primarily at Pacific prisoners, Asenati says prisoners from other cultures are welcome to participate if there is space on the course.
Northern Region Prison Services Manager Martin Strickland says the programme is a good example of staff and members of the community working together to meet the aims of the Corrections’ Pacific Strategy 2005-2008.
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