Abstract:
The self-perceptions and experiences of men who are 'afakasi, or half-caste, were explored as part of a qualitative project undertaken by a palagi/Pasifika research team. For most of the eight men who took part, the focus group discussions for this project provided their first opportunity to talk with others about their experiences of being 'afakasi. Themes that emerged included the influence of formative experiences within their families, including an early awareness of difference; the significance of language and languaging; the quantification of blood in discourses regarding ethnic identity; connectedness and belonging; the influence of multiple contexts; identity confusion; and creating metaphors to stabilise identity as 'afakasi men move between worlds.