Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
Volume 6, Issue 2, 1991, Pages 173-192

Pacific Island migrants in the United States: Some implications for aging services (Article)

Barker J.C.*
  • a Medical Anthropology Program University of California - San Francisco, 1350-7th Avenue, San Francisco, 94143, CA, United States

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, the United States has become a focus for Pacific Island migration. A demographic profile of migrants (according to the latest available figures, those from the 1980 Census) is presented along with reasons for migration. This is followed by an account of the typical social organization of a Samoan migrant community. Clashes that sometimes arise between core Samoan and American values are explored. Ethnic identity is shown to be both a strength and a stressor in Samoan migrant adaptation. Complex but ever-changing links between the migrant population and home island residents are investigated. Implications for service delivery to an aging population of Pacific Islanders are discussed. © 1991 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Author Keywords

Migration demography Samoan Ethnicity Fijian social organization Tongan Adaptation

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0009953562&doi=10.1007%2fBF00056755&partnerID=40&md5=b8f8dfb4c88770d4d6605190a6f490d8
DOI: 10.1007/BF00056755
ISSN: 01693816
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English