Untitled

Te Ao Hou, September 1967, Page 58

New Zealand Maori Council, Maori Women's Welfare League, Federation of Maori Students, Maori University Gradutes' Association) have been formed and moulded over the last 100 years, and thus additional classes of leaders have arisen to cater for Maori needs. However, this study brings forth quite clearly that effective leadership in Maori society is dependent upon both ascribed (tribal or kinship) status and achieved (feeling of Maoriness, personality, job, education, money) status. In the adaptation of Maori society to modern life the Maori associations have become more specialised and the leadership roles of both men and women, young and old, have been restructured. The public will find the book a mine of information; Maori readers will have the opportunity of looking at themselves and their associations in new light; some scholars will find leads for further research. Maha's material might not provide all the answers on Maori associations and their leadership roles, but one thing is made clear, and that is that modern Maori society and culture is a dynamic force in New Zealand—it has always been this way since the coming of the Pakeha. For both Maori and Pakeha alike the book should help to get rid of some prejudices concerning some Maori associations. It is a pity that the ‘National Council of Tribal Executives’ was not identified for today's readers by its modern title—the ‘New Zealand Maori Council’, and that captions for the photographs on the frontispiece and on Plate 9 were not checked carefully. Also, in line 5 of Sir Apirana Ngata's autograph on page 153, ‘matenga’ should be ‘mahuna’. I agree with Maha's argument that the existence of Maori institutions or associations and the role played by Maori leaders in them (or other organisations) is evidence for a dual framework of organisation which exists in the wider New Zealand society, with Maori traditionalist society as a sub-system of New Zealand society; and that this duality is reinforced by differences in sentiments, attitudes and beliefs. In brief, Dr Winiata's book should teach all New Zealanders that though a common loyalty to the British Crown is unquestioned, cultural differences (cultural dualism in a sense) between Pakeha and Maori are a reality. In learning to live with these differences, let us think of the Swiss people, who accept three official languages, and whose diverse ethnic groups live together in harmony and equality.