Tongans are taught early on in elementary school and in family settings about their traditions and cultures. As a kid I was fascinated with the stories of my ancestor’s courage to sail the Pacific Ocean in canoes without the use of a modern compass. William Mariner once commented on some of his experiences while he was in the Islands that the captain would often scoop up seawater and tasted it so that he can make a determination as to how far they still have to go to the next island. How did our Tongan ancestors know where to go without the compass? Later, it was revealed that they also used the stars at night as means of navigation. Some profess that the seawater near the land tasted differently than those further away from the island. Whatever the truth might be, I believe that it is not as important as the “substance” that made our ancestors to sail the open waters of the Pacific Ocean without a man made compass. They had the courage, the will and the faith that they have in their ability to navigate the open waters, by following the stars that will lead them to their destination without fear of being lost.
That was then! Now we live not in an island but in a great nation of plenty and opportunities, the land of the free and home of the braves. In this land of plenty we must overcome certain “fears” to efficiently function in our community and navigate the health care systems. In the mist of all of these “fears” there seems to be a certain type of fear that perpetuate in the Tongan communities across this great nation. What kind of fear you ask? Tongans are fearless people and are not afraid of anything. Well I must tell you that they are a lot of Tongan people in the communities (here and abroad) that are so afraid of going to see a doctor or a dentist unless they are really in a health crisis, which is often too late to help them out. Even then, some still refuse to go and see a doctor because they “…are too old (>65) and will soon die…” Why is that? What causes some of them not to go and seek medical help? After talking to some of the Tongan people in the communities across this nation, I have identified several causes of the “fear of doctors” and by no means the list is exhausted.
The first problem seems to go back to the horror stories of how some of the doctors at home (both native & foreign) wrongly operated in some of the patients in the past which causes headache and sometimes death. The horror that happened to either a relative or a friend is perhaps being told too often that it seems to stay fresh in their minds as if it was just a few days ago. This is perhaps one of the reasons why some people do not see doctors as healers but someone who inflict pain and discomfort. This problem can be overcome by leaving the horror stories in the past and set up an appointment for regular check ups. Regular visits to your primary physician can avoid some of the pitfalls of “silent killer” diseases. The sooner you go and see your doctor the better off you will be in the future.
The second problem existing in the communities is the language barrier. We come to America to live and speak like Americans. That does not mean that we should abandon our cultures and traditions that had sustained our ancestors for over thousand of years. We must learn to speak English and if you do not speak English at all please ask a family member, a relative or somebody who does to accompany you to the doctor’s office. Having somebody there that you know will make you feel comfortable and will help you aware of what is going to be done and why.
The last problem which is perhaps the least of all the fears of why some of the older generation do not want to see their doctor’s for their ailments is the medical insurance. Most people find medical coverage in the Medicaid or other federally medical insurance program which help them to cover all or majority of their medical expenses. This problem can be overcome if those who can effectively communicate in English seek out the federal program to which he or she is qualified to have and fill up the necessary forms so that they can be covered. I believe that the younger generation has an obligation to help out the older generation to seek out medical help before it is too late.
Though we do not have to navigate the Pacific Ocean like our ancestors, we still need to have their type of courage, their strong will and their faith to navigate the ocean of opportunities and plenty in this great nation in seeking of a better health. To borrow a line from the movie The Ten Commandments, “…the sick make few (bricks) and the dead make none (no bricks).” The only thing to fear is the result of not going to see your doctor sooner rather than later! Let us start this new year with vigor and determination to be healthier than last year.
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