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For God and Country, attachments to the town
Brought up in a household where every spare cent/dollar/mattress was sent back to Tonga to help either the family, town, school, church (whichever organisation) it is sometimes bewildering (confusing) how little the Australian community seems to care about their immediate community. (At least the impression of their care seems proportionately lower, and more so taking into consideration their increased wealth.)
Dare Obasanjo (Re: He Bought Houses for the Whole Village) takes up the conversation from Joshua Allen's post entitled He Bought Houses for the Whole Village.
Dare highlights two important items that also goes towards understanding the differences in views that can cause confusion.
Community Heritage. In Tonga, and most of Pasifika(?), the community has a heritage that dates many generations, and in this manner has a much greater influence on personal behaviour (good or bad) than the Western "norm." (good or bad)
Hierarchy of Needs. In Tonga, and much of Pasifika(?), whole communities are bordered between Maslow's hierarchy of needs at between Level 1 and Level 4 (#1: Physiological (biological needs) #2 Safety, #3 Love/belonging, #4 Status (esteem)) and thus a little physical assistance can actually make community wide differences.
There seems to be a significant, visible difference between communities at the four lower levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, than a society at the 5th upper level.
Dare's enlightening observation is helping me understand myself and the different communities I'm living, working with. Possibly this should be prescribed to a lot of the Do Gooders(tm) out there ?
Conversely ?
There seems to be a greater level of nationalism, emphasis/care for the broader community (outside ones immediate surroundings and for people/communities well outside one's sphere of influence/existence.)
As I understand Tongans, we're only truely nationalistic when it is to contrast/combat another national. Whereas we seem to identify much closer to our inner community (township, school.) Of the Australians I grew up with, they would identify themselves closer to their 'nationality' than with their township. The Ethnic Australians identified with their ethnicity whilst in Australia but with their Australianess whilst back in their other home country.
Just boiling down to the world being a truelly complex kaleidoscope to enjoy.
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