A Samoan funeral director based in South Auckland, Ese Tatupu is calling upon Pacific islanders for a change in cultural customs and traditions which continues to leave them buried in financial debts.

Mr. Tatupu who has been in the funeral industry in New Zealand for over 20 years. He stressed on his understanding of the families' struggles in having to pay for their loved ones' funerals as he is aware of the expectations and monetary struggles of Pasifika families.

“In our community, nobody wants to talk about death. It’s not until someone dies that everybody panics,” he told New Zealand Herald.

“In other cultures, it’s easy to talk about it - and they talk about it and plan it.”

He emphasized that families should take it upon themselves to adapt or change cultural customs or traditional protocols that can leave families struggling financially or deep in debt.

In Samoan custom, for example, extended families are expected to bring monetary gifts as well as other items including fine mats, boxes of corned beef, and boxes of chicken and beef.

Tatupu also added that it took his own mother’s funeral to open his eyes to the need for change.

“I don’t know if we can ever get away from it. You’ve got the corned beef and boxes of chicken and there’s a small percentage of families who access their KiwiSave," he said.

“In our culture, the extended family comes together and they chip in. Families are very supportive and are giving.

“We weren’t brought up to understand what insurance can do for us or our lives. It’s not actually that much - all you’re doing is investing in yourself or your family in case something happens.”

Tatupu said Pacific families in New Zealand should start conversations about death and look into pre-paid funeral plans that many funeral homes under the Funeral Directors Association of NZ have available.

Tatupu is a father of 10 and he gives his own family as an example that when his time comes, everything is sorted which is something that gives him peace, he says.

“I just want my family to be safe.”