Conceptualising disability from a Samoan epistemological and cultural reference frame

This research is concerned with the changing conceptualisations of disability in Samoa. The research also investigates fundamental cultural belief systems and contemporary ideologies that affect people with disability in Samoan society. Samoan policy reform within the area of disability has provided an alternate paradigm for society to view disability. Stakeholder groups have largely embraced recent policy reforms, endorsing a social disability model. However, due to a history of missionary involvement, colonisation and traditional cultural ideologies Samoa already has several conceptualisations of disability that challenge the philosophy of a social disability model.