Arts & Social Sciences
Te Kura Kete Aronui

Abstract

Black, Rosanne M. (1997). Beyond the pale: An exploration of Pakeha cultural awareness.

The purpose of this research was to explore how Pakeha, as a dominant colonial people, develop perceptions of their own culture and ethnicity. To provide a broad context of Pakeha culture, a number of cultural markers were also explored. Seven in-depth interviews were carried out. Five women and two men, all of whom were currently active in working with and educating people about racism and the Treaty of Waitangi were interviewed. The analysis and methodology of the research was underpinned by a qualitative, evaluation research framework.

Material from the seven interviews was reported under a series of themes that emerged. All the participants called themselves Pakeha and spoke of what the label meant to them. Firstly Pakeha was the name Māori gave to the early settlers who came to Aotearoa. Subsequently Pakeha was used in the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 to refer to the people represented by the Crown. Therefore under the Treaty all non-Māori people in Aotearoa are Pakeha. Secondly, Pakeha was used in a cultural and ethnic sense to mean the people of British and Northern European descent who now live in Aotearoa. This is the most commonly understood use of the label, but is by no means universally accepted. The third meaning associated with Pakeha is political. Pakeha is claimed as a unique and indigenous label for the non-Māori settler of Aotearoa. It is a clear statement of belonging to Aotearoa and further implies an acceptance of Māori as a separate cultural entity.

The complexity and fluidity of culture was reflected in participants wide ranging exploration of cultural markers. A lack of differentiation between what was seen as the 'New Zealand' or national culture and 'Pakeha' culture lent support to the notion that Pakeha, as the dominant cultural group, tended to see their culture as the 'national culture'.