Bicultural

In Tau Mai Te Reo – The Māori language in education strategy 2013-2017 it states “Māori language cannot be secured by the efforts of one party alone. It depends on the ability of both sides to cooperate, participate and contribute”. In order for  Māori to be taught in schools it must be in conjunction with English, but as we know the meanings become blurred and contain less spiritual significance due to the translation differences. This is what many people see as losing what it means to be Māori or having the idea of being a ‘real Māori’.

Biculturalism in this course has been explained as a superficial exploitation of Maori culture which is only needed when proving cultural representation but does not reveal the realities. Start a speech with Kia Ora and don’t forget to end with a Maori song or even a haka to prove where you’re from. Our exoticism is put on display as a cultural representation of the nation. The idea that Maori is a performance and not politically influential.

Although we are able to obviously see the Pakeha vs Māori disputes not many understand the culture crisis within many Maori sub-tribes. Languages and protocol are not as easy as one size fits all, we are many but every individual is not necessarily needed to fit New Zealand’s image. Māori I know have learnt the language only to find that it is the wrong dialect that elders do not understand because the pronunciation usually holds a different meaning.

This proof of  Māori-ness is also needed in any form of land ownership and even scholarships. Certain tribes are still in disagreement over whose family gets the biggest piece of the pie that they forget who the main dispute is with and much of what ‘belongs to Māori’ is lost. Māori is still a lost language and is still decreasing but we are so caught up in our new bicultural greed that we forget what we need to hold close. WE as Māori are losing that spiritual connection that our ancestors once fought for.