PASIFIKA WOMEN, BEAUTY and RACE: the Communication of Beauty Ideals and the Experiences of Pasifika Women in Contemporary Society
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PASIFIKA WOMEN, BEAUTY AND RACE: The communication of beauty ideals and the experiences of Pasifika women in contemporary society. Malia Lesina Kelela Latu A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Communication Studies (MCS) at the Auckland University of Technology 2020 SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES Abstract Contemporary notions of beauty embedded in social ideals and values, can have a significant influence on the lived experiences of women. From social class to skin colour and ethnicity, women’s bodies have been largely “defined through a white lens” (p. 65). Poran (2002) and Aduonum (2004) suggest that if women of colour do not voice their concern about unequal representation, they are unlikely to achieve social change. This study recognises a lack of Pasifika representation in the widespread communication of beauty ideals. It seeks to understand the lived experiences of Pasifika women in relation to ideas of beauty, gender and race, drawing comparison with previous studies that have considered hegemonic “whiteness” (Amigo, Bravo, Secail, Lefebure & Burrell, 2016; Osuri, 2008) and resistant black culture through concepts such as Critical Race Theory and intersectionality. To achieve this research objective, this study applies the Pasifika methodology of Talanoa and the method of thematic analysis to both gather and analyse primary data from 12 Pasifika women. Inspired by Kona- helu Thaman’s (1999, cited in Fuka-lino, 2015) development of the Kakala Framework, this study also utilises the metaphor of the Kakala to interpret the process and outcomes of this research. Key findings identified several core tenets central to the experiences of the participants: Mass media and social media both influence formative experiences and an understanding of race, class and gender, which often perpetuates inequality in the pursuit of self-acceptance, social acceptance and concern for their peers. However, in the Pasifika context, personal relationships between friends and family contribute significantly to the perception of beauty ideals that account for the Pasifika traditions of the home, community and church. This study is significant in relation to the wider experiences of women of colour, because it prioritises the voices of Pasifika women who are rarely identified in existing research. In doing so, it highlights the inadequacies and potential consequences of communicated beauty ideals, challenging the value that is placed upon Pasifika women in contemporary society. Attestation of Authorship I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person (except where explicitly defined in the acknowledgements), nor material which to a substantial extent has been submitted for the award of any other degree or diploma of a university or other institution of higher learning. Malia Lesina Kelela Latu 24th January 2020 Acknowledgements Malo e Lelei ~ This thesis would not have been possible without the help of several individuals that I wish to extend my sincerest gratitude to - Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the Pasifika women who extended their time to be a part of this study. Your contributions have made this study more meaningful in that your stories and personal experiences have helped shape my own perceptions of beauty and for that, thank you. Secondly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Colin McKay and Alex Woodley of the Geraldine Lopdell Memorial Trust. Thank you for your support and acknowledging the work of young Pasifika women such as myself. I cannot express enough, how honoured and grateful I am to be the first recipient of an award that celebrates the hard work of your late mother. Thirdly, I am highly indebted and thoroughly grateful to my Primary Supervisor, Dr Rufus McEwan for your time, commitment and on-going support. Thank you for the weekly commitments, the emotional and academic support and for always being available when I needed your help. Your support and guidance is truly appreciated. I also wish to extend my acknowledgement to Associate Professor Vijay Devadas, for your constant feedback and words of encouragement. Thank you for always making yourself available even with your busy schedule. I would also like to acknowledge Jessie Hsu of the School of Communications postgraduate department who made sure I had the resources and support I needed. To my friends and colleagues, in particular to Fale Tumanu, Sharon Samuel, Joe Lolo and the Front Office department of Holiday Inn Auckland Airport. This study would not have made possible without your support and understanding in negotiating my working hours; and for always being responsive to unforeseen circumstances related to this study. To my family, my sincerest gratitude for your understanding and support during my commitment to this study. In particular, I wish to express my gratitude to my parents Kalino Latu and Patelesia Latu. Thank you for your love, prayers, teachings and always allowing me to prioritise my studies and encouraging me to reach my highest potential. To my amazing siblings – Alpha Latu, Petelo Latu, Nicholas Latu, Angelica Latu and Sisi Latu. Thank you for taking responsibility for some of my duties and obligations as the eldest, at times when I was not able to fulfil those duties due to the challenges of postgraduate study. To my loving partner Peter Latu, thank you for your unconditional support and for always being a positive light in my gloomy days. Your words of encouragement do not go unheeded. Finally, this thesis is dedicated to my beloved niece Nalani ‘Elisiva Lesina Latu†, for you were the motivation behind completing this study. You will always be my sweetest memory. To your parents, Nicholas and Dayna you are forever in my heart. List of Tables & Figures Figure 1: Images of Angela Yvonne Davis taken at the Police station and placed on Top Ten Most Wanted list (Rosenthal, 2017)…………………………………………………….. Pg. 32 Table 1: Participants Sample……………………………………………………………. Pg. 46 Table of Contents Abstract Attestation of Authorship Acknowledgements List of Tables & Figures Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background – Encountering beauty ideals .......................................................................... 2 1.2 Research Aims & Objectives ............................................................................................... 4 1.3 Chapter Outlines .................................................................................................................. 6 2. Literature Review ........................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 The origins of “beauty” ........................................................................................................ 9 2.2 Race, Gender and Class in relation to beauty ..................................................................... 11 2.3 Whiteness, normality and hegemonic ideology .................................................................. 16 2.4 “Black is beautiful” ............................................................................................................ 21 2.5 Pasifika women, post-colonialism and beauty ................................................................... 25 2.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 28 3. Research Methodology and Study Design .................................................................................. 31 3.1 Ko e Talanoa mo hono Kakala (The talking of Talanoa & Kakala) .................................. 31 3.2 Kakala mo hono talanga (The talking of Kakala) ............................................................... 33 3.3 Stage 1: Teu (The preparation stage) ................................................................................. 34 3.3.1 Justification ........................................................................................................ 36 3.3.2 Ethics .................................................................................................................. 36 3.3.3 Procedure ............................................................................................................ 37 3.3.4 Participants ......................................................................................................... 38 3.4 Stage 2: Toli (Kakala mo hono Paki – Collection) ............................................................ 39 3.4.1 Talanoa’i e toli (Talking of the data collection) ................................................. 39 3.5 Stage 3: Tui (Data Analysis) .............................................................................................. 44 3.6 Stage 4: Luva e Kakala (Presentation of findings) ............................................................. 46 3.7 Challenges .......................................................................................................................... 46 3. 8 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 47 4. Findings ........................................................................................................................................