(Un)conditional hospitality: The host experience of the Polynesian community in Auckland

There is an increased attention to the visiting friends and relatives phenomenon for destinations, yet the hosting experience is still neglected. One group of prolific hosts comprises the Polynesian families in Auckland, New Zealand, who are the focus of this study. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven Pacifica people in Auckland to understand the experiences associated with hosting family from the Islands. Hosting relatives from the Pacific Islands is embedded in the cultural responsibilities of belonging to the Polynesian community and diaspora. The findings highlight the more unconditional nature of Polynesian hospitality with its emphasis on cultural connectedness, generativity and reciprocity as part of social capital formation. The contribution of providing hospitality through hosting deserves more attention for its integral role in social life. There are also obligatory aspects of reciprocity, inconveniences and responsibilities within Polynesian hospitality adding strain to an already vulnerable and marginalized population in New Zealand. More debate is needed about the sustainability of this notion of unconditional or obligated hospitality within modern society.