Urban Māori
 Students attending an electrical pre-apprentice class at theAuckland Technical Institutein 1966 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Auckland,Wellington,Christchurch,Hamilton,Tauranga,Dunedin,Palmerston North | |
| Languages | |
| English,Māori |
Urban MāoriareMāori peopleliving in urban areas outside therohe(traditional tribal lands) of theiriwi(tribe) orhapū(sub-tribe). The2013 New Zealand censusshowed that 84% of Māori in New Zealand lived in urban areas, 25% lived inAuckland,[1]and most others lived in other metropolitan centres likeWellingtonandChristchurch.Many Māori continued to associate with theiriwiand theirrohe,but more than 15% did not know their tribal affiliation.[1]
Urban Māori associations includeNgāti Ākaranain Auckland,Ngāti Ponekein Wellington, andNgāti RānanainLondon.
History[edit]
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Māori population of New Zealand predominantly lived in rural communities away from large urban centres.[2]This began to change duringWorld War II,when theManpower Act 1944was used to encourage young Māori men and women who were ineligible to join the military to work in urban factories.[2]Many soldiers who returned after the war also decided to settle in the urban centres of New Zealand,[2]and people were enticed to cities at the prospect of finding work.[1]Prior to World War II, approximately 10% of the Māori population lived in an urban setting.[2]By 1951, this figure had increased to 19%, and five years later to 24%.[2]The urban population grew even further to 62% of Māori by the mid-1960s, and nearly 80% by 1986.[1]
During the 1960s, theDepartment of Māori Affairsofficially encouraged the urbanisation of Māori, often finding work and accommodation for families interested in moving to the city.[2][1]In the 1950s, Māori populations concentrated around wharves, factories and transportation infrastructure. In Auckland, this meant inner suburbs such asFreemans Bay,PonsonbyandHerne Bay,where housing was poor and decaying.[2]To counter overcrowding in the central suburbs, large scale government-led housing projects were undertaken in the suburbs ofŌtara,MāngereandTe Atatū,while similar projects were undertaken inWellington,atPorirua,theHutt ValleyandWainuiomata.[2]
Urbanisation caused a range of social structure changes for Māori, as many were now isolated fromwhānauand traditional lands. The pressures of capitalism and Western society made many Māori dedicate their time to jobs involving permanent employments, spending little time for subsistence gardening, which was more commonly undertaken in rural communities.[2]Whānau (extended family) began to have less importance over the corenuclear family,and over time the significance of whānau changed in an urban context, with many families meeting at the homes ofkaumātuaandkuiafor special occasions, such as times of celebration and bereavement.[2]Many families struggled in the new urban environment with fewer extended family resources to assist them, which factored into issues such ashomelessnessand the development ofgangsin New Zealand.[1]
Voluntary associations, such as churches, Māori cultural clubs and theMāori Women's Welfare Leaguetook on a much more important role in the lives of Urban Māori.[2]Activities that had previously been undertaken at marae, such as birth andtangiwere increasingly held at peoples' private residences, or at community halls, especially those associated with Urban Māori associations such asNgāti Ākaranain Auckland andNgāti Ponekein Wellington.[2]By the 1970s, associations with political groups such asNgā Tamatoahad become important to the lives of many Urban Māori,[1]and in the 1980s urban Māori authorities such as Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust (West Auckland), the Manukau Urban Māori Authority (South Auckland), Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa Trust (Hamilton), Te Rūnanganui o te Ūpoko o Te Ika (Wellington), and Te Rūnanga o Ngā Maata Waka (Christchurch) were established to foster economic, social and community development in urban areas.[1]
During the 1950s, Urban Māori andPākehāpopulations in cities tended to live discrete lives separate from one another, often only interacting for employment, religion andrugby.[2]During the initial period of urbanisation, many Pākehā were mistrustful of Urban Māori, believing that city life was inappropriate for Māori, and felt that social problems would arise due to the differing social and cultural norms of the cities.[1]These attitudes decreased over time, and Urban Māori and Pākehā begun to live less separate lives from each other.[1]
By the 1960s, a new generation of children were being born: Māori who were raised in an urban context, and who could claim affiliations to a wide number ofiwi,due to many marriages occurring between people immigrating from different areas of the country.[1]Many people who grew up in urban environments felt a lack of connection to theiriwiand traditional lands, and had little interaction with kaumātua and kuia to impart heritage and traditions.[1]Many third and fourth-generation Urban Māori do not know their tribal affiliations, or have little contact with their iwi.[1]Many rurally located marae make active efforts to reconnect with Urban Māori and those living outside of their traditionalrohe,who are often referred to astaura here(bound ropes).[1]
Urban marae[edit]
During the early 20th century, figures such asTe Puea Hērangi,Āpirana Ngatawere proponents for re-establishingmaraea symbol of Māori identity and mana, including urban marae serve populations who lived away from their traditional lands.[3][4]A need for marae located in cities was felt due to community halls being inappropriate places to holdtangihanga.[2]
In 1963, the Māori communities atMāngereandOnehungawere greatly affected by theBrynderwyn bus accident.The community struggled to host thetangihangathat they needed to hold for the members of their community, which became an impetus for the creation of theTe Puea Memorial Marae,the first urban marae in Auckland, which opened in 1965.[5][2]
Over time, three types of marae were found in the cities of New Zealand. The first type were traditional marae which had become engulfed by the suburban development of cities, the secondhapū-based marae to serve a specific extended family community, and the third being pan-tribal marae, which were built to serve the local Māori community regardless ofwhakapapa.[2][1]Pan-tribal includeHoani Waititi MaraeatOratiainWest Auckland,Ngā Hau e Whā Marae atPukekohe,and Ngā Hau e Whā Marae inChristchurch.[2]Urban marae have also been established at educational facilities, such as secondary schools, universities and Polytechnics.[1]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcdefghijklmnopMeredith, Paul (17 February 2015)."Urban Māori - Urbanisation".Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.Ministry for Culture and Heritage.Retrieved1 March2021.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqWalker, Ranginui(2004).Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou - Struggle Without End(2nd ed.). Auckland, New Zealand:Penguin Books.pp. 197–201.ISBN9780143019459.
- ^Lee-Morgan, Jenny; Hoskins, Rau; Te Nana, Rihi; Rua, Mohi; Knox, Wayne (30 June 2019).A Report of the Manaaki Tāngata Programme at Te Puea Memorial Marae (Second Edition)(PDF)(Report). Te Puea Memorial Marae, Ngā Wai a Te Tūī Māori and Indigenous Research.ISBN978-0-473-48540-5.Retrieved13 December2021.
- ^Walker, Ranginui(2004).Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou - Struggle Without End(2nd ed.). Auckland, New Zealand:Penguin Books.pp. 187–189.ISBN9780143019459.
- ^Hoete, Blaine; Kaiawe, Tina (2015). "Richards Whaanau Koorero: Irene Roberts".Te Puea Memorial Marae 1965-2015(2nd ed.). Te Puea Memorial Marae. pp. 59–63.