In the 1970s, Sully Paea was a member of one of Otara's first gangs, Stormtroopers. He says the search for identity and purpose is a major driver for Pasifika youth to join a gang.
"We’re looking for identity, we’re looking for ourselves, who am I, why am I here, what’s my purpose? and for us Pasifika we’re born in the islands came here and connected up with a completely different culture and in the midst of all that we’re trying to find ourselves."
