tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post876415877727468667..comments2023-12-21T23:44:40.324+13:00Comments on Maui Street: It's time to talk about colour: why we have to reject labels like 'white Maori'Morgan Godferyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16151402259122819244noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-46415060596572850692013-11-23T17:50:54.328+13:002013-11-23T17:50:54.328+13:00Its funny because we have the same situation in Ca...Its funny because we have the same situation in Canada with us Natives. I look white for sure. Born and raised in the reserve with my family, cousins and it was the biggest insult kids could throw at me when they were mad: "You f^inff white man". Even when we have the same grandparents? Oh well. Colour and racism will always be there. Funny because some dark skinned Indians have no clue as to where they are from, but are seen as more "indian" because of colour? I think you're identity gets really tested from all sides, your people and society.<br />Ojibwe Confessionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10434882024674242926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-91924357295925305582013-11-18T14:07:51.136+13:002013-11-18T14:07:51.136+13:00Yes - this is a thorny issue that will continue to...Yes - this is a thorny issue that will continue to grow as the Māori population increases. I have always been quite conscious of my fair skin colour and have often been taunted by both Māori and non-Māori. Quite frankly it gets quite tiresome but I carry on making my contribution to Māori society. I can't change my skin colour, so some other people just need to change their attitudes.Samsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-65735943698701417862013-11-18T08:35:51.161+13:002013-11-18T08:35:51.161+13:00Thanks for your comment, Myra :)Thanks for your comment, Myra :)Morgan Godferyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151402259122819244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-52179600095826514002013-11-18T08:34:49.437+13:002013-11-18T08:34:49.437+13:00You're absolutely right - it does cut both way...You're absolutely right - it does cut both ways. We, as Maori, rightfully make a big deal about colourism in other communities, but it's alive in our own community too. It's an issue we have to deal with now. Morgan Godferyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151402259122819244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-37468988894243422712013-11-18T06:10:17.326+13:002013-11-18T06:10:17.326+13:00So glad you added the comment. 'Colourism'...So glad you added the comment. 'Colourism' and other -isms are alive and well amongst our own - something I struggled with. I started to blog about it but couldn't bring myself to publish because that struggle has had a major impact on me and its very personal...not being accepted by the group of people you desperately want to identify yourself with because of your rich whakapapa, but because you appear fair-skinned or perhaps aren't into kapahaka for example, you are not accepted - that can take its toll on a young person. Change is good and it is happening slowly - we talk about institutional racism w police etc...but we also need to talk more about these -isms that are reinforced/perpetuated by our own people in high places / at the marae etc. Kia ora Morgan.Waimārama Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01740473840885646491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-39697412912583868772013-11-17T22:37:43.941+13:002013-11-17T22:37:43.941+13:00Tena koe Mokena
The colour issue cuts both ways. ...Tena koe Mokena<br />The colour issue cuts both ways. Prejudice from main stream society if you are too dark. Prejudice from Maori and Pakeha if you are very fair. Both sides see the fair one as a wannabe, and don't take them seriously. Two of my five children are very fair, but having been brought up as Maori in a Maori community don't think anything of their colour until they are are away from home and are dealing with strangers. Then the rejection starts. Rakauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14020165241698106600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8687643215117543088.post-54497939975827163942013-11-16T11:10:14.291+13:002013-11-16T11:10:14.291+13:00I should add that many Maori have absorbed the ass...I should add that many Maori have absorbed the assumptions society makes about colour. When a person who is outwardly white claims their Maori whakapapa, sometimes other Maori find that hard to believe, untrue or think that "that person can only have a little bit of Maori whakapapa" and so on. But whakapapa doesn't distinguish in degrees. If you have a Maori ancestor, that's enough to claim Maori whakapapa. There doesn't have to be, for example, an unbroken line. There are a lot of horror stories of Maori who are outwardly white, but claim their identity as Maori, who struggle for full acceptance in either Maori or Pakeha society. That's why I emphasis that the change has to start with us. Morgan Godferyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151402259122819244noreply@blogger.com