After a year long hiatus
I moved back into education. I enrolled in a MA. I study the effects of colonisation on the Peoples of the Pacific.
Here are some thoughts....
One of the more difficult things in moving to Australia so far has been around the issues of "cultural identity". It seems to me that the process/ess of culturally identifying a group as indigenous New Zealanders, as Maori, is easier to do. By this I mean that, although there are tribal differences, in whakapapa (geneaology), myths, legends, beliefs, geographically - these are slight. Whilst it is important to undestand that Maori are by no means a homogenous culture there are elements of the pan-tribal. The Maori language is the same in the North Island as the South Island. The beliefs and mythology around how the world came into being are the same across all tribes.
I understand the difference (correct me if I am wrong or not understanding things properly) between Aboriginal diaspora groups (do I say Nation groups?) to be vastly different. The languages are in many situations completely different as are beliefs, mythologies and other custom stuctures. I am finding it difficult to understand how to place yourself with this structure or the process around the identifying of somebody as Aboriginal when there is so much difference between groups.
I do however, understand that, in both situations the identifying term, whether 'Aborignal' or 'Maori', has been imposed on what I will call a "peer group" - that meaning a set of individuals who share similar common characteristics and are therefore recognised by others (in this case the coloniser) as a distinct social collectivity. This was most useful to those who where seeking to gain control over a relationship. Nowdays, there has been what some recognise as a 'reclaimation' over these cuturally identifying terms, terms which were initially used imposed upon them.
This is certinly the case with Maori and, I suspect with Aboriginal. A problem I have here is, do both groups acknowledge this imposition - or should there be a continuation of adaption of imposed structures to a material or temporal advantage of members in this group?
Here are some thoughts....
One of the more difficult things in moving to Australia so far has been around the issues of "cultural identity". It seems to me that the process/ess of culturally identifying a group as indigenous New Zealanders, as Maori, is easier to do. By this I mean that, although there are tribal differences, in whakapapa (geneaology), myths, legends, beliefs, geographically - these are slight. Whilst it is important to undestand that Maori are by no means a homogenous culture there are elements of the pan-tribal. The Maori language is the same in the North Island as the South Island. The beliefs and mythology around how the world came into being are the same across all tribes.
I understand the difference (correct me if I am wrong or not understanding things properly) between Aboriginal diaspora groups (do I say Nation groups?) to be vastly different. The languages are in many situations completely different as are beliefs, mythologies and other custom stuctures. I am finding it difficult to understand how to place yourself with this structure or the process around the identifying of somebody as Aboriginal when there is so much difference between groups.
I do however, understand that, in both situations the identifying term, whether 'Aborignal' or 'Maori', has been imposed on what I will call a "peer group" - that meaning a set of individuals who share similar common characteristics and are therefore recognised by others (in this case the coloniser) as a distinct social collectivity. This was most useful to those who where seeking to gain control over a relationship. Nowdays, there has been what some recognise as a 'reclaimation' over these cuturally identifying terms, terms which were initially used imposed upon them.
This is certinly the case with Maori and, I suspect with Aboriginal. A problem I have here is, do both groups acknowledge this imposition - or should there be a continuation of adaption of imposed structures to a material or temporal advantage of members in this group?
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