Culture Change and Impact of
Globalization
Maori culture has had a significant
impact on modern
Of course, European and global
influences have also had a significant, and sometimes devastating, impact on
the Maori. British captain James Cook first came ashore in 1769, and British,
American, and Australian settlers, hunters, and missionaries began arriving in
the 1790's. Many Maori tribes traded with the Europeans (whom they call Pakeha),
exchanging kumara, timber, furs, and flax for muskets. Muskets were one of the
many new technologies introduced by the Pakeha to the
Maori, with dramatically tragic effects. The Treaty of Waitangi (discussed
further below) was signed in 1840 and officially made
Changes and threats to the language
Like most New Zealanders, the Maori
today generally speak English. The Maori language is still in use, however, and
is one of the official languages of
Treaty of Waitangi and land claims
On February 6, 1840, five hundred ariki and
representatives of the British Crown signed the Treaty of Waitangi. In theory
it gave the British the right to govern and colonize
The 1960’s and 1970’s were a period
of mass protests by Maori people, demanding reclamation of land and more
control over their own lives. A bill establishing the Waitangi Tribunal, with
the purpose of investigating grievances filed by Maori regarding breaches of
the Treaty, was passed in 1975. The Tribunal first began hearing cases in 1977,
and in 1985 the jurisdiction of the Tribunal was extended back to the date the
Treaty of Waitangi was signed. The Tribunal can only make recommendations, can
only do so for public land, and does not have any binding powers; the final
authority to decide points of law rests with the courts. Still, the Waitangi
Tribunal has resulted in a significant number of reparations in the form of
money, fishery rights, land, and apologies by the Crown.
Economic and technological changes
Colonialism and globalization have
made it almost impossible for the Maori to follow traditional subsistence
patterns. Introduced species have almost wiped out the native kiwi and other
native animal and plant life, and the partitioning of has generally favored the
Pakeha. Today the Maori are largely integrated into
the industrialized economy of
The introduction of European
technology and materials has had a significant change on the Maori cultural
arts. Today poi balls are made of
plastic and yarn instead of flax, and Maori songs are frequently accompanied by
a guitar in addition to traditional instruments. The Maori also use steel
instruments for carving, and modern Western tattoo technology is used instead
of the more painful traditional methods, usually on other parts of the body such
as the arms and legs. A few Maori today get traditional facial ta moko, but most
will paint their faces with temporary "tattoos" in traditional
designs for special occasions. The Maori have also taken advantage of
post-industrial technology to bring attention to their cause. The Maori
Independence Movement has its own website, and so do several other Maori
organizations advocating “Tino Rangatiranga.”
Recent movies such as Whale Rider (2002; Te Kaieke Tohora
in Maori) and Once Were Warriors
(1994) have brought the Maori into the spotlight. Whale Rider, based on the book by Witi Ihimaera, deals with rural Maori in modern times struggling
to maintain their cultural identity. It won several awards at the New Zealand
Film and TV Awards, and the young star Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for
an Oscar for Best Actress. Once Were
Warrior, also based on a book, deals with many of the social problems faced
by the urban Maori, and won several Australian and
Urbanization and social problems
Prior to about 1940, the vast
majority of Maori lived in rural areas; more and more Maori moved to the cities
during Second World War. Between 1991 and 1996 there was a considerable
movement of Maori from urban areas back to small rural areas, in large part to
the higher cost of living and high unemployment rates of Maori in the cities.
Still, today about 83 percent of Maori live in urban areas, where maintaining a
traditional way of life is increasingly difficult. Te Puni
Kokiri reports that urbanization "has fractured
the traditional relationship of individual Maori to whanau, hapu, tribal lore, land, and
ancestry." Urban Maori are less likely than rural Maori to know their iwi affiliation
and are also less likely to be fluent in Te Reo. This is particularly true of
those whose families have lived in urban areas for multiple generations.
Persistent health inequalities are
likely due in part to socioeconomic factors; Maori are more likely than
non-Maori to not be able to afford to eat properly. The Maori are more likely
than non-Maori to experience high levels of stress, and to drink heavily or
smoke cigarettes. Obesity and diabetes are of particular concern, especially
because Polynesian peoples have genes which make diabetes more damaging.
Average Maori life expectancy is improving for both sexes, but is still
significantly lower than that of the non-Maori population. There are also
persistent gaps in education between Maori and non-Maori, although there are programs
in place which encourage Maori students to pursue higher levels of education,
particularly in the field of social work.
Social scientists believe that
unemployment, poverty, racial discrimination, and drug and alcohol abuse
contribute to the overrepresentation of Maori in domestic violence statistics.
The proliferation of
Since the 1960’s, Maori have set up
urban marae open to anyone of Maori ancestry or the
adopted children of Maori, regardless of tribal affiliation. Urban Maori
leaders believe that the traditional tribal approach is inadequate, since many
urban Maori have little or no relationship with their iwi of origin and in many cases
may not even know their tribal affiliation. Thus urban Maori authorities have
sought government recognition as iwi in their own right. The National Urban Maori Authority
was formed in 2003 to be a political voice for Maori living in the cities, and
“Urban Maori” has become an identity by itself for many Maori whose original iwi affiliations
were lost throughout the generations.
Religious changes
Thanks to the work of early
missionaries, most Maori have converted to Christianity, especially the
Anglican Church. However, even among Maori Christians, traditional Maori
beliefs are heavily integrated into their understanding of Christian teachings
and continue to permeate their world view. Mana in particular is an oft-used
term, although sometimes in slightly different terms than its original meaning,
and karakia
today can refer to either traditional chants or to Christian prayers. During
the filming of the movie Whale Rider,
Maori locals participating in the film performed special chants to ward off the
bad energy they feared would befall them as the young actress playing the main
character performed tasks traditionally reserved for men, such as using a taiaha. In 2002
the Ngati Hau had a dispute
with Transit New
Kingitanga and modern politics
Kingitanga, the Maori royal movement, began in the 1850's in response
to the Maori rapidly losing their land to the British government and colonists.
The Maori believed that the only way for to deal with the Crown on equal
footing would be if they had a monarchy of their own. Potatau
Te Wherowhero was selected by a meeting of various ariki in April 1857
and was crowned the first Maori king in 1858. The first (and so far only) Maori
Queen Dame Te Atairangikahu reigned from 1966 until
2006. Her son Tuheitia Paki was chosen to succeed her
and is the current Maori King. Maori royal leaders do not have an official
governing role in
Since 1867
