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)
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.
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