In this chapter, I focus on my own identity as a researcher working with a local Sāmoan community in Southeast Queensland. I describe how this identity was challenged when a local government agency referred to me, a White Australian, as an insider. I draw lessons from a journey in which I came to think of myself as an adopted insider.

The author focuses on his own identity as a researcher working with a local Sāmoan community in Southeast Queensland. He describes how this identity was challenged when a local government agency referred to one's, a White Australian, as an insider. When one considers the circumstances of the Sāmoan diaspora in Australia, prospects for many are bleak. Community Elders from several Pacific Islander groups have voiced concerns at local public forums, where they warn of growing levels of homelessness and the increasing representation of Pacific Island youth within the youth justice and detention system. Queensland Health reported that the Sāmoan-born population in Queensland has poorer health outcomes and higher mortality rates than the general population. This government department identified significant health issues such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and reported that conditions associated with diabetes complications were seven to eight times more prevalent for those with Sāmoan heritage.