Multiculturalism and Biculturalism in New Zealand Promises and

Multiculturalism and Biculturalism in New Zealand: Promises and Regrets Assoc. Prof. James H. Liu Centre for Applied Cross Cultural Research School of Psychology Victoria University of Wellington

Historical Basis for Biculturalism in NZ • History can be mobilized to provide an “essence” for a people so they can orient themselves through time as a distinct group with its own values, beliefs, and traditions (Liu & Hilton, 2005). • Stories of struggle and strife are the core elements of historical narratives across cultures. Social (group) identity is not given so much as earned. It's value is realized in the currency of respect from others.

10 MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY ACCORDING TO GENERAL SAMPLE OF MAORI AND PAKEHA/EUROPEANS

How well have Maori and Pakeha/Europeans honoured the Treaty of Waitangi? Student Sample General Sample

A second narrative for NZ history • However, there is another aspect of NZ’s history that is shared among Maori and Pakeha: a focus on the link to the mother country of Great Britain, and Western values of equality and freedom. • The history of Western or Anglo civilization provides an alternative system of historical legitimacy for NZ. So while there is agreement about the content of events in NZ’s history, there is disagreement about its meaning and relevance for current political issues.

Some Support for Biculturalism in Principle (4. 89/1 -7) • Maori language should be taught in all New Zealand schools • The New Zealand national anthem should be sung in both Maori and English. • New Zealand should be known and seen as a bicultural society, reflecting an equal partnership between Maori and Pakeha. • If New Zealand were to change to a republic, then the Treaty of Waitangi should be used as a foundation for our constitution. • New Zealand should embrace it’s cultural diversity.

More Support for Liberal Democratic principle of Equality & Opposition to Resource Specific Biculturalism (5. 73) • We are all New Zealanders, and no one ethnic group should get special privileges. • It is racist to give one ethnic group special privileges, even if they are a minority • I feel that although Maori have had it rough in past years, they should still be treated the same as everyone else. • No one group should be given privileges on the basis of ethnic or racial background • I find the idea of giving priority or special privileges to one group appalling, minority or otherwise

Is this racist (motivated by prejudice)?

At the symbolic level, Maori and Pakeha are BOTH part of the national identity

Recognizing Diversity within either a Bicultural or Liberal Democratic frame • The meaning of self-identification as Pakeha, NZ European, and Kiwi/Nzer • Maori identities as fixed, forced, and fluid • Bicultural and liberal democratic narratives configure or lend meaning to a shared history of events. They are enduring and intersecting points of view on the fabric of NZ society. • Neither fundamentally addresses the needs of “New Settlers” more than the other

Visioning the Future Liberalism Biculturalism Asians PI Asians Pakeha Maori NZ Europeans “unmarked” Pakeha Maori Pacific Islanders

New narrative strands can strengthen the weave of the whole societal fabric • Celebrating diversity involves recognizing the value of the smaller strands in our group narratives. • Sometimes, smaller strands can strengthen the warp and the weft of the entire fabric by providing new perspectives. • Diversity means empowering communities to give voice to their concerns, and devolving authority from the state to these communities so they can be agents of change.

A New Voice from NZ Chinese (Steven Young, Vice -President NZCA, June 28, 2007) • “The members of the NZCA and its branches are, by and large, members of the long-established Chinese community who have been here… since the late 1880 s or earlier…” • “As a previously marginalised community in what was a monocultural NZ society, we understand share the concerns of the Maori community… We support Maori people in their struggle for redress for the injustices of the past. And we accept their right to be recognised as the original people of this land. . . ” • “It is said that the Crown represents all non-Maori NZers. This is accepted where the subject matter is redress of past injustices. However where the debate on the Treaty concerns the future of NZ there is a legitimate role for all groups, including the “ethnic sector” to contribute… It is important that we be allowed a more active role in the national conversation, particularly where the Treaty intersects with NZ’s multi-cultural future. It is in the interests of everyone to keep working in a process that advances social justice and equity. ”

Core Issues in Biculturalism and Multiculturalism: Justice and Fairness • Egalitarianism • Partnership (non-assimilable difference) • Equity (implementation issues; the best we can do may be to improve procedural justice) • Inclusiveness (are Asians and Pacific islanders more included under Biculturalism or under Liberalism? ) In terms of cultural values, both are more collectivist than individualist, but Asians value work similarly to Protestants

Identity Conflict as Adaptation Outcome among Chinese Aged 16 -26 in NZ (Lin, 2006)

Perceived Problems for Asian and Western International Students at VUW

Positive & Negative Feelings for Asian and Western Internationals

Finding Social Support difficult for Asian Internationals over time

Social integration easier for Western internationals

Fairness as a core value for both biculturalism and multiculturalism? • Bicultural issues grounded in historical relationship between Maori and Pakeha and the legacy of both colonization and shared practices. A fight between family. • Multicultural issues are a more recent product of change in immigration policies in 1987. Asian people are not imbedded within the collective consciousness of NZ, so they tend to couch their needs in terms of discourses of inclusion rather than entitlement or redress (e. g. poll tax debate)

The Necessity for Multiculturalism in the context of an Historically Bicultural Society • NZ is demographically multicultural, formally bicultural, and with few exceptions, institutionally monocultural. • Attitudes and policies towards Asians primarily dictated by instrumental, or financial concerns. • Relative dearth of social policy to maintain heritage language/culture, or to help new migrants settle into a culture at best indifferent to their origins. Requires community-based expertise. • A greater role for Maori as tangata whenua and hosts?

Empowering Communities: A Common Agenda? • Identifying communities as agents of change and providing them with resources to provide guidance and care to members • Devolution of authority from state institutions to more informal communitybased NGOs based on past performance. This will not come without struggle. • Multiculturalism and Biculturalism both require more than just symbolism, more than festivals and cultural performances.

References • Kirkwood, S. , Liu, J. H. , & Weatherall, A. (2006). Challenging the standard story of indigenous rights in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 15, 493 -505. • Liu, J. H. , & Hilton, D. (2005). How the past weighs on the present: Social representations of history and their role in identity politics. British Journal of Social Psychology, 44, 537556. • Liu, J. H. , Mc. Creanor, T. , Mc. Intosh, T. , & Teaiwa, T. (2005)(eds). New Zealand identities: Departures and Destinations. Wellington, NZ: Victoria University Press. • Liu, J. H. , Wilson, M. W. , Mc. Clure, J. , Higgins, T. R. (1999). Social identity and the perception of history: Cultural representations of Aotearoa/New Zealand. European Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 1021 -1047. • Sibley, C. G. , & Liu, J. H. (2007). New Zealand=bicultural? Implicit and explicit associations between ethnicity and nationality in the New Zealand context. In press, European Journal of Social Psychology. • Sibley, C. G. , Liu, J. H. , & Kirkwood, S. (2006). Toward a social representations theory of attitude change: The effect of message framing on general and specific attitudes toward equality and entitlement. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 35(1), 3 -13. • Sibley, C. G. & Liu, J. H. (2004). Attitudes towards biculturalism in New Zealand: Social dominance orientation and Pakeha attitudes towards the general principles and resourcespecific aspects of bicultural policy. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 33, 88 -99.