Intergenerational Trauma and Disaster Response: Tamil Diaspora Mothers and Daughters in New Zealand’s Disaster Management Initiatives

<p><strong>Abstract This thesis explores how Sri Lankan Tamil mothers and daughters living in Aotearoa New Zealand understand disaster preparedness, and how these perspectives are shaped by bicultural identity and intergenerational trauma. While preparedness is often framed as a technical or individual responsibility, this study positions it as a culturally embedded practice, influenced by memory and gendered roles within diaspora families.</strong></p><p>The research was guided by critical realism and narrative theory, which together allowed for an exploration of both the underlying structures shaping preparedness and the meanings participants attached to their lived experiences. The study included eight participants. Semi-structured narrative interviews were conducted with Sri Lankan Tamil mothers and daughters, recruited through targeted and snowball sampling within the Wellington Tamil Society. Interviews were held in participants’ homes, conducted in Tamil or English according to preference, and transcribed and translated by the researcher. This insider–outsider positionality, as a Tamil woman born in New Zealand, shaped the dynamics of trust, disclosure, and interpretation throughout the research process. Reflexivity and ethical vigilance were maintained through supervision, cultural sensitivity, and self-care practices, acknowledging the emotional weight of intergenerational trauma narratives.</p><p>Reflexive thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes. First, the negotiation of bicultural identity illustrated how daughters balanced cultural expectations at home with New Zealand norms, often resulting in hybrid identities that informed their approach to preparedness. Second, intergenerational trauma was transmitted emotionally but not practically, creating what this study identifies as a “trauma narrative gap” where daughters inherited vigilance without explicit strategies. Third, preparedness was shaped by community, language, and gender, with mothers framing readiness through lived survival and spirituality, while daughters acted as cultural and linguistic brokers within their families.</p><p>The findings contribute to theories of identity development, trauma transmission, and disaster preparedness, while also highlighting the structural disconnect between New Zealand’s individualised preparedness frameworks and collectivist Tamil orientations. The study concludes that disaster strategies must be trauma-informed, culturally grounded, linguistically accessible, and responsive to gendered experiences. Such approaches would bridge institutional gaps and strengthen resilience by leveraging the existing trust and collective capacities of migrant and refugee communities.</p>