Key Themes in Iwi/Māori History since the 19th Century


In other writings, I have described three key themes in iwi/Māori history since the 19th century as follows:
  • A Journey of Survival – the response of iwi/Māori communities to the ravages of colonisation in the quest to meet the basic necessities of life
  • The Quest for Social Justice – the quest by iwi/Māori communities for justice, for the alleviation of grievances, to achieve an empowered position in society
  • The Desire for Cultural Revitalisation – the desire for the knowledge and culture of one’s forebears to be continuously alive in succeeding generations, the active response to language and culture loss

To these three themes I have added the following:
  • The Realisation of Creative Potential – iwi/Māori communities beginning to create anew based upon what we have rather than what we have lost or suffered, the move to explicit creativity and opportunity

Iwi/Māori communities have always been creative including through the period of colonisation. Sometimes the responses have been ingenious (such as aspects of pā construction to counter cannon fire). However, this is creativity occurring under pressure and/or as a reaction to negative circumstances. The Realisation of Creative Potential is explicit creativity - following this long period reacting to colonisation – based upon what we have, what we are capable of doing, who we are. This creativity motivated from within, from our own centre, rather than through pressures from without.  

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