BICULTURALISM in New Zealand Defining Cultural identity Maia Maori development centre PRESENTER: Nina Pelling

Objectives What is biculturalism? What are the issues of biculturalism in Aotearoa NZ ? Outline the debate between biculturalism and multiculturalism

Biculturalism? Biculturalism implies the existence of two distinct cultural groups, usually of unequal status and power, within a society united by one economic and political structure. Bicultural individuals identify with core elements of their own culture as well as the dominant culture. Bicultural individuals successfully integrate themselves into aspects of both cultures, values, and belief systems.

Why did biculturalism come about? Recognition of tangata whenua status of Aotearoa NZ Set up to remedy the total disregard of TW rights by successive governments Came to light because of what was happening internationally to indigenous rights around the world Response to a growing Maori political assertiveness during the 1970s and 1980s

Historical context Biculturalism became a philosophical framework for policy development across the public sector. Challenged the we are all one people and we all live in racial harmony in NZ ideologies Biculturalism is a way of talking with the Crown and helps mediate between assimilation and self determination which had been the main competing paradigms in Maori relations since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi There is no doubt that in the 1980s when biculturalism became especially influential there was a definite space for alternatives to a broad public policy which did not adequately reflect Maori concerns. 2. Which the state where rarely neutral and which were instrumental tools of the politics of subordination

Historical policies that have been applied to Maori since 1840 Appeasement Expurgation Assimilation Termination Domestication Integration Cultural difference Multiculturalism Biculturalism Self Determination

Biculturalism and the Treaty of Waitangi Toi te kupu, Toi te mana, Toi te whenua The language lives, the mana is great, the nation is strengthened. Maori signed the Treaty not to surrender their authority but to secure it. Both parties for their own reasons were looking for an aliance to take them forward. So what does partnership mean? What does it mean to Maori and pakeha in 2014. When do we see it in practice. The term partnership is usually set aside for institutional relationships and therefore puts institutions ahead of people which means that in these partnerships the institutional focus can leave people out of the picture which is why political partnerships cannot offer whanau or the people on the ground living day to day lives, the full potential they need to prosper in todays world.

partnership MAORI Treaty obligations were more about the future than the past and in this context right relationships were fundamentally important. Redressing and restoring the mana of te tiriti has been the task of the Waitangi Tribunal and the claims settlement process Planning a future that takes into account the diversity of peoples we have now in NZ is a task for both Partners Maori and Pakeha and both will have to step up to the challenge. As it is clear that a great deal of work is required in terms of shifts in attitude and behaviours if our relationships between Maori and other New Zealanders are to reach its full potential and be truely effective. How successful have we been to uphold the Treaty Partnership Mason Durie 1998

social norms, power, resources, How are you implicated? BI Two: Maori & Pakeha social norms, power, resources, decision making CULTURAL the act of being ISM

Is Biculturalism good for NZ Biculturalism in New Zealand means to many people, giving particular prominence to two main cultures and traditions: Māori culture and the English-speaking Pākehā culture. It stresses the unique position of Māori as the country's indigenous people and as signatories to the Treaty of Waitangi, and also the role of European culture - stemming from the British Crown with whom the Treaty was made (Te Iho) Show utube of Rob Ruha

Bicultural interface Common ground KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE HIGH Pakeha Maori The higher the knowledge the greater the overlap across cultures. Urban Maori have been constantly engaged in negotiating between two frames of reference without consciously knowing it from day to day. Moving between two worlds in very ambiguous and contractory ways depending on the moment, the experience and the realities that we draw on. In some ways this is transformative being in a contested space such as the interface raises ones consciousness. Being a bicultural student in educational institutions, You have already negotiated the cultural interface on multiple levels and understand the limitations of agency. But it is still hard work, because you can see the tensions and the weaknesses of an argument from both sides. If we struggle to know our position then it may mean that students feel they have to leave their Maori hat/side at the door in order to succeed. They can also Lose motivation because there is nothing if very little in the curriculum that acknowledges who they are. There may be negative expectations placed on them Pressures to negotiate the institutional culture with the social constraints of their culture So how do Maori students/ indigenous students work two knowledge systems together to achieve better practice or new knowledge. There are things we are still trying to work out. That is why the cultural interface is important place to be. LOW LOW Bicultural interface (Nakata, M 2008)

Te Noho Kotahitanga – The Partnership document at Unitec At unitec we have a bicultural document drawn up by Maori and Pakeha staff that offer ethical guidelines in their relationship with each other and the knowledge they deliver. While over the years this document has been over looked it provides the principles to engage at the cultural interface.

Biculturalism and education I do not want to play down the fact that the universities have produced some of our most strident activists and a number of dissenting voices. In fact the universities are often the place where Maori students can first begin to learn Maori language and history. Also, there do exist within the universities (too few) radical educators who are concerned with creating strategies of resistance, liberation struggles and strategies for ‘decolonising minds (Smith,C.W. 1994 cited Pihama 2001:47). Pakeha institutions has its foundations deeply embedded in Western philosophical traditions. The complexities of what that means for Maori require discussion

Biculturalism vs multiculturalism issue of a continuing inability to work with difference? (Trinh Minh-ha 1999) Multiculturalism has been used in many western context to set marginalised people against each other so to avoid the specific issues of each group. Homongenisation of diverse cultural people Biculturalism often challenged by multiculturalism. If we talk about difference than we are not talking about bi or multi. Both concepts are being devalued and misappropriated. It distracts from the real issues and the different sets of questions cultural people have and they have to be dealt with. As it is multiculturalism contributes to the divide and conquer senario. On whose terms and who controls the terms. On one hand we have this hegemony that supports people to dilute the issues of cultural difference by arguing there are many cultures involved and not just two. On the other hand there are other people who push for biculturalism in order to prevent the dismissal of the cause. Rather than trying to homogenise marginalised people the challenge is how to deal with the difficulties and complexities of difference. Not just the difference between cultures but the difference that questions a whole system of truth and representation.

The discourse on multiculturalism Multiculturalism masks prejudice. It can reinforce perceptions of Maori as a disadvantaged ethnic minority, yet no different from any other group who is located outside the cultural mainstream (O’ Sullivan,D 2007) In NZ multiculturalism serves as a means to avoid or deny the urgency of the Maori struggle for tino rangatiratanga (self –determination) It can

Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae

Social implications of Unitec’s marae The marae is a place for people gather . At Unitec, the marae is also a place to learn and acknowledge diversity amongst people The marae is a place to celebrate cultural identity The marae creates space to be Maori The marae strengthens students and staff

Biculturalism

Youtube E to Matou Matua arr. Philippa Jones | Bellissimo, Whangaparaoa College