Weekly Blog post 11

Both Ani Mikare's "Māori women: Caught in the contradictions of a colonised reality" and Naomi Simmonds' "Mana wahine: Decolonising politics" discuss some of the concepts that underpin the differences between a Māori and a Western approach to gender, explain what these are using the readings to support your discussion: (183 words)

Mana Wahine is often translated to Maori feminism however it is much more complex than that, Mana translates to power and wahine translates to women but Naomi Simmonds explains that it is much deeper and more complex than this, to understand it fully one must comprehend the culture and history behind Maori, not just women. The meaning of Mana Wahine is dependant on the individual woman and her stage in life. Defining mana wahine by western standards would not fully capsulate the idea of it to a Maori woman.  In recent years the government has acknowledged Maori views but has focused mainly on men and almost neglected Maori women. Women were often treated solely as property in the past as their fathers gave them away to be the property of their husbands, and to some extent, women are still seen as property. White women do have similarities to Maori women under the rules of patriarchal western society but white women must also understand the privilege they have as  Annie Mikaere states “this commonality of interest should not, however, disguise the differences in experience”.

Works Cited:

• Mikaere, Annie. " Maori Women: Caught in the Contradictions of a colonised reality".Te Piringa - Faculty of Law, vol. 2, 2014, pp. 1-9
• Simmonds, Naomi. "Mana wahine: Decolonising politics". Women's Studies Journal, vol. 25, no. 2, 2011, pp. 11-25. 

Weekly Blog post 10

Outline some of the issues and considerations regarding appropriation in the context of art and design using Engles Swarzpauls "Dislocating Wiremu and Rau: The wild man in virtual worlds" to support your discussion: (225 words) 

The concept of the ‘wild man’ as mentioned in Engels Swarzpaul's “Dislocating William and Rau” has existed for a long Time. The character Rau in The Mark of Kri fits this image of a wild man as he is designed with strong muscles and a small head implying he is physical rather than intelligent. Despite that Rau has been said to not be Maori by the Lead Designer, he still has striking characteristics that link him to Maori culture making him controversial. Rau sports a Maori name but also face tattoos like  Maori moko and wields a taiaha (spear), a Maori weapon. This can be extremely problematic to the representation of Maori as not only have the game designers used pieces of Kaupapa Maori but they have done no research into understanding the mātauranga Maori behind these traditions. Kushla Parekowhai reworked the image of William Shakespeare, a symbol of intelligence and by adding the moko to him she made a statement fighting the stereotype that Maori cannot be intellectual or intelligent. The difference between these two examples is who created them as Kushla is Maori and the creators of The Mark of Kri are not. Other cultures cannot understand Maori traditions without extensive research and should not exploit them for profit without a clear understanding of its significance, “Appropriation produces privilege, privilege legitimises appropriation” (Engels Swarzpaul, Tina. "Dislocating William and Rau: The Wild Man in Virtual Worlds". AUT University, pp. 5).

Works Cited:

• Engels Swarzpaul, Tina. "Dislocating William and Rau: The Wild Man in Virtual Worlds". AUT University, pp. 1-12.

Weekly Blog post 9

Using John Rutherford's interview with Homi K. Bhabha to support your discussion, provide a definition of hybridity and discuss the relationship between this and identity: (215 words)

Hybridity in it’s simplest definition is mixture, the mixture of racial theory. Hybridity is not a new, cultural or historical phenomenon, it has been a feature of all civilisations since the creation of civilisations. Identity is the psychological qualities that make a person. This can also be determined by self identity or group identity. I would describe the relationship between identity and hybridity by first stating that there is hybridity in all identities this is in the sense that every identity is a mixture of different factors, ranging from social class, sexual orientation, religion, interests, views, to ethics. 

Identity, however is different to identification, identification is the process of identifying. Whereas identity is a natural state of person or group.

Because the difference in culture and ‘national population’ is an ever-changing state, we can never truly recognise a stable narrative of cultural difference. This is, how Bhabha states, “ever more visibly constructed from a range of different sorts of interests.” Bringing us back to the previous point, identity is the mixture of different contributing factors, social class, sexual orientation etc. Therefore, due to the ever-changing and constant evolution of the human, cultural changes will continually be affected by these social contradictions and movements deemed suitable by whatever society dictates at any given time. 

Works cited:

• Rutherford, Jonathan. Identity: community, culture, difference. The Third Space: Interview with Homi Bhabha, Lawrence & Wishart, 1990, pp. 207-221.

Draft a plan for your essay structure including a skeleton draft for your introduction, this will include a clear thesis statement that responds to the question you choose and clearly outline in full sentences the 3 key points you will need to consider in order to unpack this:

Introduction:

Thesis Statement:

New Zealand's dominant pakeha culture is responsible for problematic representations of the marginalised Maori culture, however there are also representations of Maori by Maori themselves.

Three key points:

I will show this using Melanie Wall's "Stereotypical constructions of Maori in the Media" with analytical breakdowns of three of the four stereotypical representations. These are: 'Maori as the Comic other' (Munter, Outrageous Fortune) and 'Maori as the radical political activist' (Paikea, Whale Rider film), both of which are representations of Maori culture by the dominant New Zealand culture. My final point will be 'The quintessential Maori' (Ricky Baker, Hunt for the Wilderpeople 2016). 

I will back up my ideas by discussing use of costume design for each of my character examples.

Weekly Blog post 8

In response to Melanie Wall's "Stereotypical constructions of Māori in the media" find a contemporary example of a stereotypical representation of Māori and discuss it in relation to Wall's analysis. Compare this with a second example of the representation of Māori by Māori. Include images (with MLA captions) of your examples: (200 words)

[Promotional image of Munter for Outrageous Fortune], 2006-2010,  Photograph, Outrageous Fortune website,  South Pacific Pictures Ltd,  http://www.outrageousfortune.co.nz/photos/wallpapers/munter-2/comment-page-1/











From Wall’s “Stereotypical constructions of Māori in the media” I began to think of modern characters in film and television that embody the different stereotypes of Māori in media. An example of Melanie Wall’s concept of ‘Maori as the comedic other’ could be Outrageous Fortune’s Munter. Not only is his name Munter, a New Zealand slang term referring to someone who uses recreational drugs or alcohol and is lessened by them, but he is also kept as a simple and one-dimensional character for multiple seasons. He remains a stereotype with his outstanding characteristics being his funny laughter, simpleness and his association with the typical ‘westside’ persona, further enforced by the “Westside Forever” tattoo on his forearms. A contrasting character that fits the ‘Quintessential Maori’ stereotype is Paikea from Witi Ihimaera’s Whale Rider. She is free-spirited with a love of nature and a kind heart. She fits this stereotype portrayal of Maori by Maori by the depth of her character and the way the Maori stereotype is not focussed on the ‘warrior’ persona but instead a loving and gentle person. She still has the fierceness of a Maori warrior but it is seen in a warmer, more feminine way

"Whale Rider". Directed by Niki Caro, performance by Keisha Castle-Hughes, Columbia TriStar, 2002.

Works Cited:

• Wall, Melanie. "Stereotypical Constructions of the Māori 'Race' in the Media". New Zealand Geographer, vol. 53, no. 2, October 1997, pp. 40-45.

List the readings you have found related to the question your have chosen:

• Anae, Melani. "All Power to the People- Overstayers, Dawn Raids, and the Polynesian Panthers". Tangata o le Moana, Eds. Mallon, S., Māhina-Tuai, K. and Salesa, D. Te Papa Press, 2012, pp. 221-239.
• Panoho, Rangihiroa. "Maori: At the Centre, On the Margins". Headlands: Thinking Through New Zealand Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Limited, 1992, pp. 122-134.
• Taouma, Lisa. "Gauguin is Dead... There is No Paradise". Journal of Intercultural Studies, vol. 25, no. 1, Carfax Publishing, 2004, pp. 35-46.
• Wall, Melanie. "Stereotypical Constructions of the Māori 'Race' in the Media". New Zealand Geographer, vol. 53, no. 2, October 1997, pp. 40-45.

Choose one of these that you think will be a key reading and write 2 or 3 sentences identifying how this text will be useful for your essay:

This week's reading for the blog task above is so far the best suited for my chosen essay question. It discusses different representations of Maori in the media through the use of four different stereotypes and the key differences between the dominant culture's representations compared to representations of Maori by Maori. This fits the discussion of the marginalised New Zealand culture and how it is represented as this particular reading is focused on Maori culture's representation specifically.

Works Cited:

• Wall, Melanie. "Stereotypical Constructions of the Māori 'Race' in the Media". New Zealand Geographer, vol. 53, no. 2, October 1997, pp. 40-45.

Weekly Blog post 7

Outline some of the considerations regarding Pacific identities using Hau'ofa's "The ocean in us" and Wendt's "Towards a new Oceania" to support your discussion: (227 words)

In reading Wendt's “Towards a new Oceania” I became aware of a few things we must consider when discussing Pacific identities. Wendt discusses that the pre-papalagi culture wasn’t perfect and needed to be developed to move forward in society. Part 2: Some questions and possible answers (cited source 1, page 11.) really resonated with me on this topic and the idea that who is to say what is ‘traditional culture’ in its purest. I also believe that when considering pacific identities it is important to consider the large impact the colonizers and other cultures had in creating a diverse Oceania as there are no societies that have never come into contact with another culture by this point in modern society. Combining these pre-papalagi cultures and ‘foreign’ cultures is the best way to move forward and create a new Oceania that understands the good and bad from these previous cultures and moves forward to combine all the best aspects making a modern and ever-changing, diverse culture. Personally I do not wish to refer to Hau’ofa's “The ocean in us” as I believe it was too idealistic and due to it being written so close to the turn of the century it relies on the idea that in the next century someone else will come and create this new culture as opposed to discussing how this new culture could be crafted.

Select one term or phrase from either reading that is new to you and provide a critical definition: (21 words)

Aitu: Samoan or Polynesian word for malicious spirits or ghosts. Can also refer to demons, calamity, or general bad and evil. (found in cited source 1, page 10).

Cited Sources:

• Wendt, Albert.  "Towards a new Oceania".  Readings in Pacific literature, Ed. Paul Sharrad, New Literatures Research Centre University of Wollongong, 1976, pp. 9-19.
• Hau’ofa, Epeli. "The ocean in us". The Contemporary Pacific, vol. 10, no. 2, 1998, pp. 392-410.

Weekly Blog post 6 - Final Blog Post

B: Select one of the images provided, unpack it by analysing the image and discussing this with regard to the social/political/historical context that produced it. Consider the significance of what this means in the context of art and design: (503 words)

Ngati Tuwharetoa. Hinemihi.1880. (Restored 2002, Clandon Park).


Hinimihi was created as not only a traditional meeting house but also for entertainment purposes in the early stages of New Zealand tourism in 1881 near the famous pink and white terraces. She was later sold to Lord Onslow, the governor general of the time who relocated her to Clandon Park in London where today she stills goes back to her routes as a tourist attraction. I personally believe that while Hinemihi's integrity as a traditional meeting house has not been lost through her relocation as she is accepted as a lot of māori people in England's local marae, the way she has been located can be related back to the idea of decolonization (the process of restoring indigenous identity) (cited source 2) in an almost opposite way as decolonization is about the idea of restoring the indigenous identity back to an area, the way this relates to Hinemihi is more about her being accepted as still a traditional marae to many people means her own indigenous identity is not lost by her relocation. 

I feel like after reading Taonga works and intellectual property (cited source 3) the way that Hinemihi is kept in England is almost exploiting the way she is a taonga work (anything considered to be of value including socially or culturally valuable objects, resources, phenomenon, ideas and techniques) which reminded me of Te Hau ki Tūranga the ancestral house held at Te Papa museum and the conflict discussed in this reading over whether or not the fact that it is a taonga word is respected by it being on display in the museum. 

The context of Hinemihi, I believe to be quite important to consider when discussing its significance. The story of how it ended up in Clandon Park almost 20,000 kilometers away from where it was built. She was sold after the volcanic eruption of Mount Tarawera and was relocated to The United Kingdom only 11 years after being built. Though Hinemihi was used as a traditional meeting house this was not her soul purpose as she was also built as a venue to entertain visitors. If the average traditional meeting house had been sold and relocated to England and go on to be used as a tourist destination this would be highly insensitive to the culture from which it has come from, but this is not the case for Hinemihi as its involvement in the tourism business has been apparent since it was built.

According to Decolonising Conservation (cited source 4), Hinemihi is one of very few traditional māori meeting houses outside of New Zealand. Another curious piece of information I discovered whilst reading this article was that many people visiting Clandon Park will be totally unaware of the significance of Hinemihi and her cultural significance, as there is no signage detailing any kind of history of the building or educating visitors of her meaning and significance. This really undermines the cultural integrity of Hinemihi and almost puts her in the same category as many traditionally styled buildings used for aesthetic rather than respecting their taonga.

Cited Sources:

• Engels-Schwarzpaul, A.-Chr. and  Wikitera, Keri-Anne. "Interstices: A Journal of Architecture and Related Arts". Take me away ... In search of original dwelling.  On Adam's House in the Pacific, Vol. 10. Enigma, Auckland, New Zealand. 2009, pp. 42-54.

• "Accomplices Not Allies: Abolishing the Ally Industrial Complex". An Indigenous Perspective and Provocation. Version 2, Indigenous Action Media, 2014, pp. 1-10.

• Waitangi Tribunal. "Ko Aotearoa Tēnei: A Report into Claims Concerning New Zealand Law and Policy Affecting Māori Culture and Identity". Chapter 1: Taonga works and intellectual property, Volume 1, Legislation Direct, Wellington, New Zealand, 2011, pp. 29-59.

• Sully, Dean and Gallop, Alan and DeLong Lawlor, Julie and Lithgow, Kate and Burrows, Karl and Raymond, Rosanna and Schuster, James and Last, Kathryn and Pombo Cardoso, Isabel. "Decolonising Conservation: Caring for Maori Meeting houses outside New Zealand". Part 4: Hinemihi, Left Coast Press Inc, 2007, pp. 127-217

Weekly Blog post 5

A: Respond to Engles-Swartzpaul and Wikitera's "Take me away ... In search of original dwelling". Explain the overall aim of this reading: (99  words)

Overall this reading discusses the different ways ‘paradise’ or ‘authentic origin’ were employed for each of the different houses discussed. Some of these houses even became what was described as a “requisite of the commercialization and commodification of the exotic others” (cited source 1 pp. 45). I believe the aim of this reading was to show the many different ways Europeans have displaced these once, culturally authentic houses and exploited them for the sake of tourism. This has resulted in the loss of the authenticity of their origins and meant that some of these houses now have next to no connection to their origin.

Cited sources:

• Engels-Schwarzpaul, A.-Chr. and  Wikitera, Keri-Anne. "Interstices: A journal of Architecture and Related Arts". Take me away ... In search of original dwelling.  On Adam's House in the Pacific, Vol. 10. Enigma, Auckland, New Zealand. 2009, pp. 42-54.