Maori Culture essays

Maori Culture essays In recent decades, Maori people have come a long way toward reclaiming the status and land that used to be theirs when they first settled New Zealand, several centuries before the influx of Europeans. Today, the Maori people comprise about 15 per cent of the population of Aotearoa, and the nation is in many respects bi-cultural. In the traditional Maori social structure, clearly defined roles for males and females exist and male-dominated structure is emphasized. Status was always awarded to a man and characteristics of manhood were rewarded. The division of work was also gendered. Men did the fishing and hunting while women were responsible for the food processing and cooking (Salmond, 2004). However, todays Maori women begin to assume active roles in Aotearoa. Mana Wahine, translated as power of women, is about the power of Maori women to resist challenge change or transform spaces within system of domination (Class notes, 2004). The status of women, Mana Wahine, is pivotal to spi ritual, physical, emotional and cultural well-being for whanau, hapu, iwi and for Maori society in any context. Nowadays Mana Wahine plays a significant role in development of New Zealands women. In this essay, I will discuss the huge differences between Maori women and Pakeha women (non-Maori women) in different sectors such as education, decolonization/indigenization, impact of Treaty of Waitangi and employment. Those differences are increasingly attracting attention of New Zealands society and gender issues are taken seriously ,for development of Maori women is very important for the whole development of New Zealand. Whats more, the practice of development takes these differences into account. Effective development strategy supports Maori economic and social development including development of Maori women. In addition, Maori women need to improve their capacity unceasingly not only for themselves but also for Maori revival an...