FNDS014 Report: Comparing NZ Cultures - Dominant vs. Minority

This report provides a detailed comparative analysis of the European and Maori cultures in New Zealand, fulfilling the requirements of an Intercultural Studies assignment. The paper begins with an introduction to the cultural landscape of New Zealand, highlighting its diverse population and the dominance of the European ethnic group. The report then delves into two key differences between the European and Maori cultures, focusing on disparities in authority and power, as well as differences in health, housing, and justice. The analysis provides supporting evidence for each difference, demonstrating the historical and societal factors contributing to these disparities. Furthermore, the report explores two significant similarities between the two cultures, examining cultural adaptation and borrowing, and population projections. The paper concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the dominance of European culture in New Zealand society. References are provided to support the arguments made throughout the report.

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INTERCULTURAL STUDIES
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INTERCULTURAL STUDIES
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
The 2 differences between European ethnic group and indigenous Maori.....................................3
The differences in terms of authority and power.........................................................................3
The differences in terms of health, housing and justice...............................................................4
The 2 similarities between the European ethnic group and indigenous Maori................................5
The similarities in terms of cultural adaptation and borrowing...................................................5
Similarities in terms of Population projections............................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
The main purpose of this paper is to compare between a minority and a dominant culture
in New Zealand. This paper helps in creating awareness about the cultures of New Zealand. It
also helps in breaking down barriers as well as overcoming stereotypes. NZ is a small country by
international standards. Its total population is approximately 4.3 million. The population of New
Zealand is diverse and this is the reason why is being regarded as the home of people from
different ethnic backgrounds. According to the recent census, the majority of NZ’s population is
of European ethnic group (74%), with the indigenous Maori representing the largest minority
group (14.9%). Approximately ¾ of the NZ population is identified with European ethnicity. The
first part of this paper discusses the two major similarities between the minority and the
dominant ethnicity in New Zealand. Finally, the second part describes the differences that exist
between the dominant and minority ethnicity within the Country.
The 2 differences between European ethnic group and indigenous Maori
The differences in terms of authority and power
One of the main differences is that European culture dominates most of the political and
economic sphere of New Zealand. The minorities are mostly powerless since they lack economic
resources, numbers and political influence. The European decided to take the controlling power
on NZ in the year 1840s. When we consider the political rights of European and Maori, it is true
that Maori Women and Men did have the constitutional right of voting (Oudenhoven and Benet
2015 p.72). The only problem is that Maori did not get similar state benefits as compared to the
European counterparts. In terms of economic, individuals from European ethnic group have
higher chances of getting a white collar and professional occupations whereas individuals from

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Maori groups have higher chances of working in unskilled and blue-collar occupations for
example trade workers and assemblers and plant and machine operators.
Supporting evidence
The European had full control of many parts of New Zealand as from the year 1840s.
This is when the first colonial parliament obtains more substantial authority and power, and the
European government was not ready for a portion that authority and power with Maori (Holmes
2018 p.26). The European therefore excluded the Maori from participation in political decisions
making at a national level.
Maori and European employees usually had different skills and qualifications and often
performed different types of job. This is the main reason why European ethnic group is being
employed in white collar and professional occupations and individuals from Maori group are
attached in unskilled and blue-collar occupations such as Machine Operators.
The differences in terms of health, housing, and justice
Most of the minority groups in NZ such as Maori reside in low-grade housing compared
to European (the majority). This is because of them having lower income, a higher rate of
unemployment and fewer educational qualifications. There is also the possibility of social
barriers mostly in their local housing markets. The rate of crime is also high in Minority ethnic
groups (Maori) as compared to majority ethnic groups represented by the European. It is true that
Maori are overrepresented in the system of criminal justice in New Zealand. Lastly, there is also
poor health among Maori as compared to the European Counterparts (Ward et al. 2018 p.105).
Supporting evidence
Maori resides in low-grade housing because their homes were crowded as compared to
the European homes. Research indicated that almost 24 percent of Maori households had more

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families residing in them. The rate of crime is high in minority groups such as Maori because of
other different factors that negatively affect the general population such as poor living condition,
lack of adequate education and high rates of Unemployment. In terms of health, substandard
housing and overcrowding often contribute to poorer health problems among Maori people. The
minorities had higher chances of being admitted to hospital because of the overcrowding as
compared to other majority groups. Maori had higher rates of obesity as compared to European
(Smith 2016 p.224).
The 2 similarities between the European ethnic group and indigenous Maori
The similarities in terms of cultural adaptation and borrowing
This is the act of borrowing ideas from European and Maori and then adapting the ideas
in their own culture. This has been taking place between the dominant and minority ethnic
groups in New Zealand. Cultural borrowing is rapid across the Maori and European ethnic group.
Cultural adaptation describes how ideas are nationalized and packaged to meet the taste of the
local for example to meet the taste of both European and Maori (Spoonley 2015 p.65).
Supporting evidence
Since the coming of Europeans, there has been continuing adoption of Culture between
Maori and European ethnic group. For example, Maori adopted most of the Pakeha culture. This
aspect of interaction has been happening since the 1830s. Most of the Maori were transformed
into Christianity and this enabled them to learn how to write and read (Leyerzapf and Abma
2017 p.125). This process of sharing knowledge and ideas enabled Maori to have access to the
similar education system as that of the Pakeha in the 19th century. Likewise, the traditional
chants of Maori were also put to European tunes, European metal tools and design adopted by
Carvers, changing their style as well as British Cloth and Fabrics, for example blanketing

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adopted to create the new dress. European tools and specifically weapons were often decorated
with the traditional tool of the Maori.
Similarities in terms of Population projections
There is a constant natural increase in birth rate among the youthful populations of the
European and Maori ethnic groups. There has been an increase in population in all the groups
with the European recording the highest number of people in the Country.
Supporting evidence
Recent research on immigration levels estimated that there will be a continuous increase
in the numbers of the European and Maori people in NZ in the future after the year 2019. Maori,
14.9 percent of the total population in the year 2013, is estimated to be 19.5 percent by 2038. The
European community is also expected to increase in the future (Croucher et al. 2018 p.65).
Conclusion
This paper strongly confirmed that the European culture dominates the New Zealand
society. The European dominated NZ because they have a higher level of population and they
also owned enough resources. All these factors enabled the European to have full control of
authority and power as compared to other minority groups such as Maori.

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References
Croucher, S.M., Kelly, S., Condon, S.M., Campbell, E., Galy-Badenas, F., Rahmani, D., Zeng,
C. and Nshom, E., 2018. A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between cultural adaptation
and argumentativeness. International Journal of Conflict Management, 29(1), pp.91-108.
Holmes, J., 2018. Negotiating the culture order in New Zealand workplaces. Language in
Society, 47(1), pp.33-56.
Leyerzapf, H. and Abma, T., 2017. Cultural minority students’ experiences with intercultural
competency in medical education. Medical education, 51(5), pp.521-530.
Smith, P.K., 2016. ‘New Zealand passport holder’versus ‘New Zealander’? The marginalization
of ethnic minorities in the news–A New Zealand case study. Journalism, 17(6), pp.694-710.
Spoonley, P., 2015. New diversity, old anxieties in New Zealand: The complex identity politics
and engagement of a settler society. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 38(4), pp.650-661.
van Oudenhoven, J.P. and Benet-Martínez, V., 2015. In search of a cultural home: From
acculturation to frame-switching and intercultural competencies. International Journal of
Intercultural Relations, 46, pp.47-54.
Ward, C., Gale, J., Staerklé, C. and Stuart, J., 2018. Immigration and multiculturalism in context:
A framework for psychological research. Journal of Social Issues, 74(4), pp.833-855.