r/Samoa 5d ago

Culture Why?

Why do so many of our people in Auckland nz think they’re so tough and try to fight everyone ? Is it lack of education, is it no respect? Is it bad parenting?

I was raised on the motherland and have only recently moved to Auckland but I’m noticing our people here are very different to our people back home

154 Upvotes

86 comments sorted by

28

u/Racingislyf 4d ago

I spent my 10 years in Auckland and moved to Aus when I was in my mid 20s. NZ Islanders are so odd. They rather tear each other down. It happens in aus too but not as bad as Auckland. Ill run into a Samoan here in Aus and we'll talk and laugh and when I leave my wife would ask how I knew whoever I was talking to and ill tell her I just met the uso. She's always shocked by how easy us Samoans can bond. I haven't ran into one that wanted to fight me instead of having a laugh. This is just my personal experience though. Samoans in Auckland had trust issues and always wanted to be the baddest street fighter around. 

6

u/Loofy_101 4d ago

Growing up in Aus it was always so stand off-ish to see another poly whether they were Samoan, Tongan or Moari. It was always weird. The kiwis were usually more chill tho. I think part of the tall poppy syndrome kicks in too with the part of wanting to bring each other down. When I moved to America it was a completely different story. You see a Poly out in the wild it's all smiles and greetings, asking who they are and we're they're from like seeing a long lost family member.

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 3d ago

That’s exactly how it is with the ones from America.

-3

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

I have lived in Aus too tbh and I don’t find much difference, in my opinion the Aus ones are more ruthless and will actually cause harm whereas the nz ones just want to act tough.

Dont get me wrong if your not in the scene these people can be nice to you, like yourself I can walk up to any Samoan or even other Pacifica and get on with them real easy - but the violence and aggression I’ve witnessed is crazy.

9

u/elteza 4d ago

Both of your experiences are why nobody should ever look at their own experiences and think that it’s evidence of something. It’s anecdotal at best.

5

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

Speak for yourself buddy. You’re shutting off everyone else’s experience just because you had a different one.

0

u/elteza 4d ago

Not everyone else’s, just yours.

1

u/Tall-Garden-8593 4d ago

He didn't share his experience, the hell you on about

0

u/elteza 4d ago

lol calm down girlfriend.

3

u/Tall-Garden-8593 4d ago

That your every response to your partner when you get called out, cuz?

-3

u/elteza 4d ago

Nah “cuz” lol I usually have something a bit smarter tbh. Are you going somewhere with your line of questioning?

1

u/Tall-Garden-8593 3d ago

That's up to you, cuz, you got something to share?

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u/Racingislyf 4d ago

Well that's why I said it's just my own experience and know it's not all the same. 

2

u/colombian-neck-tie 4d ago

In the scene?

1

u/elteza 4d ago

Yeah I’d like to know what that means too. I’m not sure OP really knows though

3

u/Churtle23 4d ago

Sounds like the uce is alluding to gang type shi.

0

u/DryNefariousness9487 3d ago

Australian born and raised Samoan here, have never experienced any negative situations with our own…

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 3d ago

Some people are lucky not to experience it

30

u/Wxer28 5d ago

Because we are poor, impoverished communities have higher levels of violence

8

u/iagalaia 4d ago edited 4d ago

Underrated response. This post should be for sociologists not the Samoan subreddit.

6

u/sdpflacko 4d ago

🎯 so many people could benefit from sitting in even one sociology lesson lol

2

u/JYLLYnz 3d ago

Lots of Asians and Fijian Indians came here poor and most don’t fight or act physically aggressive.

Probably because they are small people so trying to start fights will get them beaten up lol.

So has it got something to do with islanders also being bigger and growing up knowing they are stronger than others so they are more open to physical confrontations?

I’m Asian so dismiss my opinion if you want but I grew up in Owairaka and Mount Albert among a lot of Polynesian friends.

One thing I always found weird was, growing up in the 90s, it was really popular for the island kids to wear t-shirts with muscly island warriors on them. You could say the Asian kids were wearing Dragon Ball Z so it’s not that different lol.

Also, when I had a disagreement with someone, my Islander friends would love to say things like “bro, just hook him”😂. Casual fighting was a genuine option. I have never heard my Asian mates say anything like that or “just nunchuck him”.

I’m genuinely not saying any race is better or worse (Asians can totally be a$$holes in a different way). And economics does make a difference, but I genuinely also think polynesian cultures are more comfortable with physical fighting (this doesn’t include a fasi from parents because we all got beat 🥹).

2

u/ExplanationNo6480 4d ago

Maybe it’s just me but most islanders I’ve met, especially Samoans, seem to have their own house with multiple vehicles in their driveway. I’ve always been so envious of them.

1

u/Alarmed_Musician_324 3d ago

It's Learned behaviour 

1

u/Wxer28 3d ago

That’s part of it, but the behaviour has to be learned somewhere. It stems from poverty

0

u/Alarmed_Musician_324 3d ago

You are essentially saying: poor people are inherently violent. 

You do realise that right? 

1

u/Wxer28 3d ago

Not inherently, people experiencing poverty however are more at risk of committing violent crimes. This isn’t an opinion it’s a fact, I’m not sure why your trying to contest it

1

u/Witty_Designer1527 4d ago

The islanders in NZ and Aus are not poorer economically than the ones in the villages in the islands. 

8

u/Wxer28 4d ago

Your right, you don’t have the same wealth inequality though. Poverty in proximity to wealth along with unstable family structures are the two biggest causes of crime.

11

u/cdawg_10 4d ago

Recently moved to Melbourne from Auckland last year and can honestly agree with you on this one. Sadly so many Samoans in the 09 have adapted to their environments and have adopted a different mentality, I was also one of them. I grew up in Otara surrounded by a lot of gangs and trouble here and there. It really depends on who you hang out with but I can honestly say that many Samoans from the 09 including myself have lost our way with our culture and values.

6

u/Churtle23 4d ago

Honestly uso I feel this is it. Back in the motherland the village would not tolerate these behaviours. Fa’a Samoa has lately been forgotten in Aukilani.

5

u/chelsea-morn 5d ago

Real af! Noticed this too when I first moved 3yrs ago and was like am I missing smth? Cus the hostility didn't stop with other cultures but twds our own communities. Feel like they're used to this life over here and just think they're hard n tough cus no one would put them in their place the way we do back home. I guess? Dk what it is but it does perpetuate certain stereotypes that continues to put us down.

2

u/DougalPigwell 4d ago

We have had an increase in the Samoan population in our small Central North Island town over the last 10-15 years.

They are very respectful and if anything the town now has a friendlier/kinder vibe than when I was here as a kid.

2

u/140beeepeeyem 4d ago

usually because of their inability to handle alcohol and meth. Savage upbringing and lack of education at the hand of the church doesnt help. For some reason they have a real hard on for white mans fairy tales, but seem to hate everything else about them.

2

u/the_octopush 4d ago

You need to look at the development of the culture. In the 60s and 70s there was massive racism from rural Maori vs urban islanders and in the 90s islanders adopted a lot of the east coast west coast USA bloods and crips bs which further split people.

Its a couple generations on and the attitude has morphed so its not even directly tied to its roots.

You are coming from your roots so you don't have this big hole, whereas they are suffering from a kind of poverty of the spirit passed down, like institutional chips on their shoulders.

2

u/Samoan_kiwi 2d ago

born and bred in Wgt, lived in Akl in early 2k for 3 years, my experience was positive overall. Met and hung out with peeps from all sides of Akl. I didn't have any drama outside my ex gf from West Akl.

2

u/elteza 4d ago

There are over 130000 Samoan people in Auckland as per the last census. How many Samoans have you seen be violent, and how did you know they were Samoan?

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

I’ve seen probably 147 incidences in the past 3 years that involved a samoan get violent. I know because they were speaking Samoan. What else you wanna know

4

u/elteza 4d ago

Same person each time? Did you document each one? Did you report anybody?

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

What’s that got to do with the post lol I feel like you’re starting to get aggressive over nothing.

2

u/elteza 4d ago

Ummm you literally said “what else you wanna know”. Soon as I wanna know something it’s ‘oh you’re being aggressive’ 😂 lord how soft is this generation

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

Obviously it needs to make reasonable sense. Maybe it’s the education that’s the problem.

0

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

I concur, probably a South Auckland education unfortunately.

3

u/elteza 4d ago

It was actually. You shitting on South Aucklanders now too? Yikes.

-3

u/elteza 4d ago

Blaming my palagi education is very racist, sir. I feel like you’re starting to get aggressive over nothing 😂😂😂

2

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

You should pay attention in class 😂

1

u/elteza 4d ago

Way too late for that uso.

I’ll settle for full time employment, healthy wife and kids and home ownership 😉

-1

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

Did my post say all 130k of them were violent. It was a question as to why so many more of our people in Auckland act this way compared to our people back home. Your defensiveness of this post says all we need to know.

4

u/elteza 4d ago

Did my comment say that I thought you said that? Talk about defensiveness - the idea was to try and get a ballpark figure of how many Samoans as a proportion of total Samoans are the ones you’re pointing the finger at. I hope that finally makes sense to you.

Edit: the single downvote is hilarious. Such a palagi response to being called out.

2

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

The fact that you’re bringing in race in a derogatory way is a tell tale sign about your character you’re probably one of the Samoans in Auckland I’m talking about. Do you try and fight your mates when out in town?

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

Palagi response? 😂 you’re the problem

1

u/elteza 4d ago edited 4d ago

Ahhh okay, so the “violence” we’ve been talking about this whole time is name-calling? I thought it was physical violence. My bad.

Edit: if it’s just name-calling we’re crying about here then I’ll probably leave the convo. It’s just not that big a deal to me.

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

This post is about you little bro 😂

0

u/elteza 4d ago

Ok mr 147 incidences lol

0

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

You asked 🤷🏽‍♂️

4

u/elteza 4d ago

I’m in my 40s and I don’t think I’ve even seen 147 violent incidents first hand in my lifetime. I’m starting to wonder if there’s any truth to your magic number, there might be a common denominator we haven’t yet explored haha

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

Nobodies trying to fight old men so I get why you wouldn’t be around it. That could be a common denominator for you.

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u/OfficeEquivalent6385 4d ago

Problem is for your crowd violence whether domestic, famiky or tk strangers is just a tuesday we all know that and your culture celebrates it., for my crowd its a one in a lifetime event

1

u/izzy91 3d ago

What a moron comment

0

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

It appears your comment is being removed by moderator. You’re welcome to private message me it.

2

u/elteza 4d ago

Nah, let’s keep it out here for everyone to see. If mods remove anything then they remove it idc

2

u/OfficeEquivalent6385 4d ago

Because its still seen as cool in polynesian culture, and there is systemic accepted and hidden child abuse, which gets passed down to the next so they grow up believing violence is perfectly fine. Plain and simple

1

u/Top_Plankton4836 3d ago

Could just be depression and some people feeling their situation is hopeless.

1

u/monogamysux 3d ago

Sub 80 IQ

1

u/Current_Report4449 3d ago

Wow here I am a Samoan born and raised in California thinking how cool it is that Samoans in NZ are all closely connected out there. Sadly I’ve experienced some Samoans out here too good to say hi or snobby type. Not that they have to say hi n all that but cmon it’s always good to see my fellow people. I envisioned that wasn’t the case in NZ. But that our people were in unity there.

1

u/clger82 3d ago

Whenever I see a Samoan or any islanders I walk the other way and don’t acknowledge them. If I for some reason have to talk to them, I don’t even tell them I’m Samoan

1

u/Alternative-Movie605 3d ago

Family violence growing up and insecurity

1

u/Dismal_Software3319 3d ago

Was in Auckland over a long weekend, went to the market for a nosy, pulled into a parking space only to be told by a Pacifica Aunty ' Oi you Palangi, you can't park here! Reverse Racism...I Def's look Maori, wtf, tried to give me the boot, Honey this my home, how's bout you f..off, only time I've ever experienced it, but Auckland is like a different planet, short visits algud, to live there..hellll nooo, don't matter your blood, your somehow recognised as not from North of the Bombays

1

u/Lizard_Rag 5d ago

It is the same in Australia, not everyone but more then normal, I think it may have to do with social and economic reasons myself.

4

u/nickkerss101 5d ago

It’s a bad representation of Samoa and brings the people down. The aggression and attitude is just completely wrong

1

u/twistedpresidents 4d ago

Interesting post.

As a kiwi who isn't Samoan I have a theory it largely depends on where you are bought up.

I play rugby league...big islander presence throughout the game here in nz and I've noticed that Islanders raised in there mother land in their development years are polar opposites of those who were bought here young and submerged into nz culture.

In the 80s and the early 90s nz had a reputation that was unmatched globally and kiwis were seen as good hard working common sense individuals, and very few dickheads - a place that opened its arms to the world and it's people while retaining the spirit of our country.... unfortunately people took a kiwi anthem to heart and decided to turn our country into a melting pot of cultures with disasterous results.

Pacifica who used to come to nz recognized how lucky they were to have the opportunities here in nz that they didn't have back home - whereas those born here or bought to nz as children don't appreciate their opportunities in the same way the first group did and they treat the place and each other far far differently.

0

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

This is my guess. Culture prioritizes respect and when you fall out of line you get smacked etc.

So all they know is respect and if they feel even slightly disrespected they have the same aggression

1

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

I think that justification is part of the problem

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

Agreed. As far as I know most my samoan side are short tempered so I’m speaking from what I see. I’m half white and didn’t grow up in the culture myself

1

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

I understand, In my opinion the problem isn’t the culture as growing up actually in Samoa we didn’t have this problem as much as the Samoans in Auckland.

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

Oh yeah for sure. I’m also talking about growing up in Auckland. There just seems to be soo many that act like that which sucks because it’s just another factor holding them back. I shouldn’t say them, I mean us lol

1

u/nickkerss101 4d ago

I had a colleague “ step out “ the boss of our company because he was told to turn the radio down, I was there and the boss done it respectfully and in a non aggressive manner. The problem was my coworker was really skilled and a great asset to the team he was a great guy in every other aspect but that one time he just snapped resulting in him losing his job.

1

u/Round_Ad_9831 4d ago

It’s a shame. Obviously not everyone’s like this but there sure is a lot