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How have Māori shaped New Zealand's cultural identity?

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Thanks for the A2A. New Zealand is in the unique position where the colonising power (Britain) decided to trade and then sign a treaty with the indigenous people that they found, rather than massacre them. read more

Aotearoa New Zealand does not have a homogenised identity. It is officially bicultural (Maori and non-Maori) but there are of course many other ethnic groups which have strong cultural identity. For example various Pacific Island ethnicities have emigrated here in the last 50 years. Currently large numbers of Asian, especially Chinese are moving here. read more

Today Māori make up 14% of our population and their history, language and traditions are central to New Zealand’s identity. As a visitor to New Zealand, you can experience Māori culture by visiting a marae with an organised tour, watching a carving or weaving demonstration or learning about fascinating myths and legends from passionate Māori guides. read more

Air New Zealand’s increasing use of te reo, the Māori language, springs to mind. While casually introduced, it belies a much sterner “behind the scenes” challenge to normalise Māori language and culture within our national carrier. read more

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