THE STATUS OF MAORI WOMEN by MARY PENFOLD A talk given by Mrs Penfold at the Maori Young Leaders' Conference in Auckland.

THE ADVENT OF THE PAKEHA At first the pakehas came in ones and twos—the missionary and the trader, the speculator, the deserter and the settler. As European immigrants became more numerous the inevitable tension of culture-contact set in—a tension that continues in various forms even today. Whether this tension was eased or overcome or whether it continued to chafe within the community very often depended on the Maori women. When an early settler, trader or missionary took a Maori woman as his wife, assistant, pupil or housemaid, she became the mediator between him and the Maori people with whom he wished to deal. She would explain him to them and vice versa. Of course, men and boys also served in this capacity, but it was the women who passed on the knowledge acquired—in English language and customs, in pakeha methods of housekeeping, and so on, together with the teachings and attitudes of Christianity—to the next generation through her close contact with her children. It appears from stories and written accounts of the early period of European settlement that the new teachings and modes of life appealed more to the Maori women than to their menfolk. Thus they found it easier to adapt themselves to their role in the changing world and as they changed they were able to assist others to adapt themselves and thus their status in this new environment was enhanced.

ADJUSTING TO MODERN LIFE Similarly it seems that Maori women are in many cases adjusting themselves to the demands of this modern age more readily than their menfolk. Maori women can often break through racial prejudice on a personal basis by joining women's groups such as Women's Institutes, Parent-Teacher Associations and even simply over a cup of afternoon tea with pakeha neighbours—easier than men can in their work or in business. Perhaps modern housing with all its amenities and the cares and responsibilities they bring are more attractive for women than the men's lot of daily, regular (and monotonous) working for a living. In more recent times, the payment of Family Benefit direct to the mother has meant a great deal: it has increased her purchasing power and consequently her prestige and self confidence, it has relieved her of financial worries for her family in times of hardship or unemployment; in the more backward families it has brought a measure of independence from her dominating and perhaps unemployed and errant husband. Perhaps these observations are not confined to Maori women—perhaps women in general are more adaptable than the men.

EDUCATION A small number of Maori men were already scaling the academic heights over fifty years ago. Similarly today, men are aiming for and achieving greater success in the universities than the Maori women. This is probably quite normal and one would expect men to outnumber of the women among university graduates elsewhere. However, in other aspects of education it is often the girls that make better progress. In primary schools at Form I and II level the girls frequently show greater interest and make better progress than the boys. This is so, not only in the 3 R's, but also in the social and general affairs of the school. In schools that award a Dux cup each year, the best pupil is more often a girl than a boy. I know of one school where in six years no boy's name appears on the trophy. It may be that girls at this stage are more receptive than boys; it may be that the requirements of school have more attraction for the girls (neatness, quietness, doing your best work, con-