Men take gang life to Samoa

Young Samoan gang members sent back to their home country from New Zealand by their families in a bid to straighten them out are instead starting gangs there.

A total of 25 stories were collected from young men aged 16 to 24 who were affiliated with the Bloods gang in new research by Dr Gisa Moses Faleolo, a professor at Massey University’s School of Social Work.

The men lived in different suburbs in South Auckland and were sent to Samoa after misbehaving.

Of those, five young men and their families spoke at length with Faleolo.

Out of the five highlighted — all of whom were sent back to New Zealand again — only one is on the verge of turning his life around, having enrolled himself in a hospitality and tourism course. The rest are unemployed and are under strict curfew.

The youths had simply transferred their bad behaviour to their new life in Samoa — fighting, setting up subgangs in villages and selling dope.

“While the parents hope their extended families back home can persuade their child to relinquish gang values, culture and activities and reconnect with more traditional Samoan values, culture and language, it often doesn’t happen,” Faleolo said.

“They also created gangs that replicated New Zealand ethnic minority gangs to build a reputation for themselves for protection and to allow them to continue the activities they were involved in here.”

One of the young men said his life in Samoa almost replicated his life back home; with alcohol-fuelled fights with rival gang members leading to his being arrested.

In the motherland, instead of fights with rival gangs, he was involved in brawls with rival schools and stall owners at the market in Apia.

Another young man transferred his knowledge of selling marijuana to his new home and went on to recruit village boys to form their own gang.

Faleolo said there could still be a solution when sending misbehaving youth back; including setting up dedicated mentoring teams within villages and working with local matai.