Elders nurture culture
and friendship
Enjoying a meal, attending workshops, sharing stories and even finding love – these are just some of the many benefits members of a Pasifika and Māori elders’ group have experienced.
Run by Village Connect, a Pasifika Holistic Health hub, the group supports community elders, particularly those living alone at home in the Logan area.
“Some of our elders became widows due to the death of their spouses so we got together to support them,” says community connector for elders, Lulu Tupai.
The group asked if they could continue to meet regularly for support, and the Encore group was formed.
“The elders love to come together to find social connection and take part in activities, including cultural arts and crafts. They also have legal and health information sessions and enjoy eating refreshments and going on excursions to the park or beach or bowling,” she adds.
Now with 40 members, the group has split into the 3G and Encore groups, meeting once a week to enjoy different outings such as picnics, sightseeing, workshops, games and meals.
One of the group members, Punipuao Umutaua, joined through connections at Hosanna Logan City church, becoming a leader with her husband in 2016.
The 71-year-old originally came to Australia in 1981 from Samoa. With her husband since passing, the group has continued to provide her with valuable connections.
“Community is very important to me,” Punipuao says. “It is important as it is a way of meeting and connecting with new people from different backgrounds and cultures and with different beliefs.
“The group is also a great place to help in accessing different government and community support, resourcing and information as well as learning how to communicate to others.”
A book of celebration
Punipuao helped compile stories from the group members for a special book, ‘Thy Will Be Done’, to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary in August 2024.
Twenty elders shared their migration journey to Australia and what they went through in pursuit of better opportunities for their families.
The book project was supported through national mental health funding to help elders celebrate their culture and connect with the community.
It has since helped raise awareness about the group with the local Pasifika and Māori community and highlighted the contribution of their elders.
The book has led to younger generations having a better understanding of the hardships and trials their elders faced, and has become a useful tool to teach them about cultural values and traditions.
Punipuao says it was an opportunity for the elders to tell stories about their journeys from their home countries to Australia, and to highlight the importance of their faith.
“Personally, the book has opened my eyes into how other people lived before the book and how similar everyone’s upbringings were growing up in the islands as well as the cultural similarities.
“The most important thing I learned from the book was the life of the elders and the difficulties they faced while moving away from home. The book brought me joy, seeing the stories of the elders being published. It has motivated me to further my writing and write another book.”
Punipuao says the group has become incredibly important, not only to herself, but also to the other members.
“It became one of the most needed places to get together, make friends and participate in activities, and became a homely place that gave me, as well as the elders, a space to get away from being at home.
“It’s paved opportunities of friendship, building each other up, having fun, and reminiscing about our memories in the islands as well as being a lifeline for the elders in our community. The group has been a great source of spiritual, social, emotional, physical and mental support.”
She believes it provides a space for the members to speak their mind about the issues they face, as well as discussing the ups and the downs of growing old and their cultural journeys.
There’s even been an opportunity for members to find love, with the group celebrating the wedding of two of its members.
A boost for social wellness
Lulu says the group is very important for social wellness and connection for the Pasifika and Māori community.
"They enjoy it, and they are also informed about topics they are interested in and learn new skills. They have a good feed, enjoy the time connecting and singing – they don’t want to go home, it’s their ‘me’ time away from home.
“It keeps them engaged, keeps them alive, and supports their mental health and wellbeing as they connect with other elders and learn from different cultures about their crafts and language and values. They have someone to share stories with.”
Village Connect is keen to support the establishment of other elder groups in and outside the Logan area. “We see the need to have such groups support our elders to flourish and live fulfilled lives,” Lulu says.
The health hub also provides resources to support elders in the community, including around aged care, exercise, healthy eating, navigating Centrelink and legal issues such as setting up a will.
