Narratives of Wellbeing through an Indigenous Lens: Examining Filipino Youths' Belonging and Connections to Places in Hawaii

Background and Purpose: Climate-based changes remain an urgent concern for Island populations with detrimental effects to bio-psycho-social-spiritual, community wellbeing consistent with Kemp and colleagues’ (2015) response to changing social environments, one of Social Work’s 12 Grand Challenges. Indigenous scholars have begun to address climate-place-based concerns; however, immigrant Islander populations have been ignored. Risks for Filipinos and their children persist as places significantly influence healthy youth development. Filipinos are the second largest Asian and second largest immigrant group nationally. In Hawaii, Filipinos represent the second largest ethnic group. Despite growth, lack of research exists regarding Filipino youths’ wellbeing. This study addresses these gaps. Drawing on Indigenous Worldviews, this qualitative study examines how youth narrate their sense of place, place attachments, ethnic/cultural identity/ies, belonging, connectedness to ancestral (Philippines) and contemporary homelands (Hawai’i), virtual environment(s), and how these places connect to wellbeing. 

Methods: Innovative, triangulated methods were employed. Indigenous Methodologies (IMs), Filipino IMs, community participatory research, and feminist narrative inquiry, Gilligan’s Listening Guide offered critically robust, grounded understanding of youths’ stories. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were facilitated with 12 youth. Over 50% of the sample were females (n=7), ages 15-23 (median was 18), and overwhelming majority born in Hawaii (n=9). A Community Advisory Board facilitated recruitment and assisted with research. Interviews lasted between 45 – 90 minutes, digitally-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and an iterative process used to review transcripts. A team approach to the Listening Guide’s 4-step process guided analysis with meta- and sub-themes identified and verified. The second step generated “I” and “We” Poems, the latter, a new adaptation, revealed respondents’ collective voices.  

Findings: A social ecological framework revealed three overarching themes: 1) Places as sites of wellbeing; 2) People make place; and 3) Spatial connections associated with special places. Filipino youths’ strong ties to places were reflective of Indigenous Worldviews, i.e., reciprocal, interconnectedness, and interdependence between humans and nature. Ocean and beaches served as health promoting environments allowing youth to relieve stress, heal, relax, and re-center. At the community level, youth expressed salient connections with people, social relationships, over place(s). Also, significant were socializing and socialization functions in places (community mentoring, enculturation in homes, and social media connections in virtual places). The following themes emerged at the homeland level: respect, gratitude (utang sa loob) for ancestors and the desire to go/return to the Philippines. Throughout, Filipino cultural values were salient as youth described kapwa (shared identity), ethnic pride, bayanihan(community spirit), and responsibility to give back to ancestors, forward to future generations, and social responsibility to care for the natural environment.  

Conclusion and Implications: Youths’ stories derived from this inter-, transdisciplinary study will contribute to and inform social work: 1) place-research to develop culturally specific measures; 2) practices and community prevention programming, e.g., design, development of culturally grounded Positive Youth Development (PYD) mentoring, outdoor/environmental, place-based health interventions; and 3) policies to meet needs of increasing numbers of Filipinos, other Island-based Indigenous, and immigrant communities with similar experiences.