Te Whariki Tuakiri (the identity mat): Māori elite athletes and the expression of ethno-cultural identity in global sport

Abstract

Māori (indigenous people of New Zealand) athletes who participate in elite-level sport are a very diverse social group, many of whom function adaptively in the high echelons of sport in Aotearoa New Zealand society and on the world stage. This article proposes one major question: how do Māori athletes weave their Māori identity publicly and privately in a global sporting context? Utilizing an amalgamation of Kaupapa Māori theory,1 critical race theory and narrative inquiry approaches exposes a negotiation of ethno-cultural identities in both public and private ways. The narratives of Māori elite athletes identify how they experience ethno-cultural identity through the implementation of tikanga Māori2 and Matauranga Māori (Māori knowledge and cultural practices) and how these practices impact on their identities as Māori, athletes, New Zealanders and a team in the public domain of the Olympic and/or Commonwealth Games. The private rituals and personal explorations of ethno-cultural identity by Māori athletes in elite-level sport were also revealed. Both the public and private expressions of Māori identity were described and explained through a Māori concept referred to as mauri (individual life force), and the elements of ethno-cultural identity were visually represented as Te Whariki Tuakiri or the identity mat. The use of culturally appropriate concepts and metaphors provides a more in-depth and sensitive picture of what influences ethno-cultural identity for Māori athletes in elite-level sport in a way that will benefit Māori athletes and their ethno-cultural communities in general.

Notes

^1. A research paradigm and methdology that positions Māori epistemology at the fore.

^2. A word that describes the correct Māori procedures and conventions as a general guide in Māori traditional customs.

^3. The term ‘culture’ is inferred in this article as Matauranga Māori (Māori knowledge). Hence, the cultural advisors were considered experts in the areas of both tikanga Māori (described above) and Matauranga Māori. However, it must be noted that for the Olympic and Commonwealth teams it was important that the integration of both Māori and New Zealand culture be included.

^4. The Honourable Pita Sharples is Minister of Māori Affairs and was the opening speaker at the New Zealand Olympic Committees launch of the utilization of Māori cultural knowledge for the 2012 London Games. This address along with all of his speeches can be found at the following weblink: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/pita-sharples/speech.

^5. The late Māori Queen as anointed within the Māori monarchy system.

^6. Name given to the ceremonial cloak worn by the New Zealand flag bearers at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. It is translated as the ‘Southern Cross’ constellation.

^7. The name of the organization that gifted the precious greenstone to the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

^8. Treasured gift/prized possession that came in the form of a greenstone pendant and worn by the Olympic athletes as a necklace.

^9. A rock made entirely of greenstone aptly named the Mauri stone.

^10. Refer to the following brief media articles: ‘Māori Leader Says There's Too Much Haka Goin’ On', http://www.tawakilagi.com/2011/09/21/Māori-leader-says-theres-too-much-haka-goin-on/ (accessed May 28, 2013); ‘Powhiri “Grotesque”’, http://www.3news.co.nz/Powhiri-grotesque–Danish-politician/tabid/1607/articleID/293475/Default.aspx (accessed May 28, 2013).

^11.Jackson and Hokowhitu, ‘Sport, Tribes, and Technology’; Hokowhitu, ‘Rugby and tino rangatiratanga’; and Hokowhitu and Scherer, ‘Māori All Blacks’.

^12.Bruce, Falcous and Thorpe, ‘Mass Media and Sport’; Edwards, ‘Sport and Identity’.

^13. See Te Awekotuku, He tikanga whakaaro; Durie, Whaiora: Māori Health Development; and Barlow, Tikanga Whakaaro.

^14. For a deeper comprehension of the historical account of Kupe, refer to: Whetu, ‘Te haerenga mai o Kupe i Hawaiki’, http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_2_1893/Volume_2%2C_No.3%2C_September_1893/Te_haerenga_mai_o_Kupe_i_Hawaiki%2C_na_Te_Whetu%2C_communicated_by_Mr_Elsdon_Best%2C_p_147-151/p1?action = null (accessed June 7, 2013).

^15.Mutu, ‘Constitutional Intentions’, 16

^16. Refer to ‘The Constitution Conversation: He kaupapa nui te kaupapa ture’, http://www.ourconstitution.org.nz/Treaty-of-Waitangi (accessed May 28, 2013).

^17. There are three major principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi). First, the treaty principle of partnership suggests an equitable sharing of power and that one party does not speak on behalf of the other. In regard to sport, Māori should not have their decisions pre-empted or determined by those who perhaps do not know what is best. Hence, Māori should have a role in sport development and implementation. Second, participation is defined as the principle that promotes Māori autonomy and decision-making in all areas of society including sport. Specifically for sport it infers the mutual benefit and enrichment for Māori and non-Māori to engage in Māori sport aspirations and understanding. Lastly, protection involves the safety of Māori interests, estates, assets and well-being. For instance, the government has a duty and responsibility to ensure that Māori are entitled to the same standard and access to sport as other New Zealanders. It also entails the security of intangible assets such as te reo me ngā tikanga, Māori language and customs.

^18. Editorial, Southern Cross,1844, cited in Ballara, Proud to be White? 86.

^19.Hokowhitu, ‘Physical Beings’, 194.

^20. Ibid.

^21.Durie, Mauri Ora; Pere, ‘Oho mauri’.

^22.Edwards, Hokia ki ngā maunga kia purea koe e ngā hau o Tawhirimatea.

^23. Ibid., 2.

^24.Palmer, Māori – Girls; Hokowhitu, ‘Physical Beings’; and McCreanor et al., ‘Māori Sport and Māori in Sport’ Hokowhitu, ‘Tackling Māori Masculinity: A Colonial Genealogy of Savagery and Sport’.

^25. Pere, ‘Oho mauri’, 58.

^26.Spoonley, Racism and Ethnicity.

^27. , Ngā tai matatu; Te Mana te Kawanatanga.

^28. In Mead, Tikanga Māori, 369, the term turangawaewae is translated as ‘a place for the feet to stand’. In a spiritual sense, it refers to an individual's link to their whenua (land), i.e. home, 369;

^29. Massey University researchers formulated a quantitative measure (questionnaire) to explore the diverse realities of Māori. Although other ideas are examined, e.g. health status, specific categories were created referred to as ‘identity markers’. From these seven markers, four profiles were constructed. A ‘secure identity’ indicated a high score rating of four out of six of the seven identity markers; ‘positive identity’ indicated a medium/moderate response to three out of six identity markers; ‘notional identity’ includes participants who scored low on four of the six identity markers described above; and lastly a ‘compromised identity’ represented participants that chose not to self-identify as Māori irrespective of participation and access to Māori institutions and society. Refer to Durie et al., ‘Te Hoe Nuku Roa Framework’.

^30. Ibid.

^31.Stevenson, ‘Te Hoe Nuku Roa’, 43.

^32. Ibid.

^33.Smith, Development of Kaupapa Māori, 100.

^34. Ibid.

^35.Smith, ‘Interview: Kaupapa Māori’, 10.

^36. Ibid, 11.

^37.Penetito, Sociology of Māori Education, 104.

^38. Ibid

^39.Barlow, Tikanga Whakaaro, 83.

^40. Royal, ‘Oral and Indigenous Thought’, 48.

^41. Ibid.

^42.Clandinin and Rosiek, ‘Mapping a Landscape’, 35.

^43. Ibid.

^44.Ashforth and Mael, ‘Social Identity Theory’; Tajfel and Turner, ‘Social Identity Theory’.

^45.Tuteo et al., ‘Gathering Oral Histories’, 89–100.

^46. The concept ‘he kanohi kitea’ (the face that is seen) also referred to as kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) was first provided by Te Awekotuku, He tikanga whakaaro, that refers specifically to ‘face to face’ contact, the preferred method of contact when collecting the experiences of Māori research participants.

^47.Best, Games and Pastimes.

^48.Barlow, Tikanga Whakaaro, 83.

^49. Ibid.

^50.Durie and Hermansson, ‘Counselling Māori People’, 114.

^51. A formal greeting protocol between two people that involves the pressing of noses.