Intergenerational transmission of communication : a Tongan perspective

Abstract

Positive youth development requires good information to improve outcomes for service provision and delivery. This article discusses Tongan concepts that are central to effective intergenerational communication between parents, caregivers, people and at-risk Tongan youth. The concepts fevahevahe’aki (sharing), fakafekau’aki (connecting) and tauhi vā (looking after relationships) emerged out of qualitative research exploring communication with at-risk youth in South Auckland, New Zealand. These concepts are fundamental to reviving what, once normal practice, has become slowly diluted by globalisation. It is argued that communication is culturally constructed and that it is important to consider the cultural interplay of how communication is perceived, practised and understood in order to contribute positively to the development of young people.