Tangata Whenua Thoughts on Contemporary Identity in New Zealand

1
Tangata WhenuaThoughts on Contemporary Identity
in New Zealand

• Te AhukaramuCharles Royal

2
Traditional Concepts

• Traditional concepts trapped in a contemporary
  Maori paradigm
• Our contemporary need to construct a Maori
  identity has dominated the way we look at
  traditional concepts.
• For example, tangata whenua is often used today
  to denote what it means to be Maori.
• Traditionally, tangata whenua was concerned with
  what it means to be human.

3
Problems with the Maori/Pakeha Paradigm 1

• What do we mean by Maori today?
• As a word, Maori is being used to stand for
  people who are racially Maori but who are
  becoming increasingly diverse in worldview,
  values and behaviours.
• What do we mean by Maori research Maori
  philosophy, Maori science etc.?
• Sometimes something is called Maori simply
  because it is different to Pakeha.

4
Problems with the Maori/Pakeha Paradigm 2

• The term Pakeha has never been universally
  accepted by Pakeha in the same way that Maori
  has been accepted by Maori.
• Hence, if Maori is decreasing in meaning and
  Pakeha has never been universally accepted, how
  can we continue to maintain these words as the
  dominant identity paradigm in New Zealand?

5
Some Thoughts

• As a researcher in traditional Maori knowledge, I
  am interested in understanding and expressing the
  great deal of wisdom that exists in the
  traditional Maori worldview and knowledge.
• How can we give voice to the incredible richness
  of culture, heritage, wisdom, experience of iwi
  and hapu life in a modern setting?

6
Some Thoughts

• The need for new language, terms (overcoming
  older and unhelpful orthodoxies)
• Overcoming the antagonistic Maori/Pakeha paradigm
  by looking to the child of the relationship.
  (This does not mean assimilation but the birth of
  something entirely new, something we havent seen
  before.)
• Strengthening iwi, hapu communities by evolving
  them
• Evolution of a new knowledge and worldview based
  upon traditional concepts and appropriate to the
  modern world
• Need to evolve a new style of national discourse
  on identity, one which demonstrates a national
  maturity with respect to diversity

7
Tangata Whenua

• A true intimate of ones landscape
• Knowledgeable of earth and sky, river, bush etc.
• Ritualised relationship
• Rebuilding a more harmonious relationship with
  the earth
• Not too many of us are living in this way
• A New Zealand indigeneity