THE ADVENT OF THE PAKEHA

At first the pakehas came in ones and twos—the missionary and the trader, the speculator, the deserter and the settler. As European immigrants became more numerous the inevitable tension of culture-contact set in—a tension that continues in various forms even today. Whether this tension was eased or overcome or whether it continued to chafe within the community very often depended on the Maori women. When an early settler, trader or missionary took a Maori woman as his wife, assistant, pupil or housemaid, she became the mediator between him and the Maori people with whom he wished to deal. She would explain him to them and vice versa. Of course, men and boys also served in this capacity, but it was the women who passed on the knowledge acquired—in English language and customs, in pakeha methods of housekeeping, and so on, together with the teachings and attitudes of Christianity—to the next generation through her close contact with her children.

It appears from stories and written accounts of the early period of European settlement that the new teachings and modes of life appealed more to the Maori women than to their menfolk. Thus they found it easier to adapt themselves to their role in the changing world and as they changed they were able to assist others to adapt themselves and thus their status in this new environment was enhanced.

ADJUSTING TO MODERN LIFE

Similarly it seems that Maori women are in many cases adjusting themselves to the demands of this modern age more readily than their menfolk.

Maori women can often break through racial prejudice on a personal basis by joining women's groups such as Women's Institutes, Parent-Teacher Associations and even simply over a cup of afternoon tea with pakeha neighbours—easier than men can in their work or in business.

Perhaps modern housing with all its amenities and the cares and responsibilities they bring are more attractive for women than the men's lot of daily, regular (and monotonous) working for a living.

In more recent times, the payment of Family Benefit direct to the mother has meant a great deal: it has increased her purchasing power and consequently her prestige and self confidence, it has relieved her of financial worries for her family in times of hardship or unemployment; in the more backward families it has brought a measure of independence from her dominating and perhaps unemployed and errant husband.

Perhaps these observations are not confined to Maori women—perhaps women in general are more adaptable than the men.

EDUCATION

A small number of Maori men were already scaling the academic heights over fifty years ago. Similarly today, men are aiming for and achieving greater success in the universities than the Maori women. This is probably quite normal and one would expect men to outnumber of the women among university graduates elsewhere.

However, in other aspects of education it is often the girls that make better progress. In primary schools at Form I and II level the girls frequently show greater interest and make better progress than the boys. This is so, not only in the 3 R's, but also in the social and general affairs of the school. In schools that award a Dux cup each year, the best pupil is more often a girl than a boy. I know of one school where in six years no boy's name appears on the trophy.

It may be that girls at this stage are more receptive than boys; it may be that the requirements of school have more attraction for the girls (neatness, quietness, doing your best work, con-

sideration for younger pupils and so on), while the boys need to assert themselves in boisterous behaviour and even in occasional resistance to the teacher's guidance and authority. Whatever the reasons may be, teachers have noticed that it is easier to persuade Maori girls to go through post-primary school and on to a career.

In recent years this feature was noted in the Training Colleges. Inspectors remarked that numbers of promising Maori girls were joining the teaching profession and they wished to see similar numbers of capable Maori boys. When we remember that numbers of these same Maori girls are being absorbed into nursing, dental nursing, commercial positions and other highly skilled careers, it does appear that Maori girls are entering the professions in greater strength than their brothers.

These remarks have not been heard so frequently this last year or so and it may be that the trend has been reversed. I would hope so, for I feel that the future of Maoris in the various professions must depend largely on our menfolk.

FAMILY AFFAIRS

As always, it is the home and the family life that depend most heavily upon us and a Maori woman's strength of character, her personality and her faults are usually reflected in her family, her home and its surroundings.

It is difficult for the ordinary observer to gain a picture of Maori women and their home affairs against the background of this modern world. Social workers, welfare officers, district nurses and others have better opportunity to observe and compare than I have had.

I am sure that in this matter as in most things we will always have diversity; there will always be some houses spotless and others dirty, some families bright and healthy and some ragged and neglected. This would apply to people in general and not particularly to Maoris.

Also it is obvious that bad reports spread faster and further than good ones. In a timber milling village with modern housing throughout, no special mention was made of three Maori families whose homes and surroundings maintained a very high standard. However, a year or so later a fourth Maori family moved in. They belonged to the other extreme—their wild children overran the village and a heap of empties grew rapidly in their untidy back yard. Pakeha people in the village, some of them no better, were quick to remark on the “dirty Maori”, “What else can you expect…”

We must of course work to raise these standards but we must expect that some will fall behind the rest and we should remember that this is true in other sections and other communities.

The general standard would appear to compare very well and this fact is a credit to the modern Maori women that they cope so well in a domestic environment that is so far removed from that of the generation before. Home furnishing and upkeep, budgeting to make ends meet, managing the Family Benefit and the buying-on-instalment plans, caring for the children and keeping up with the ever-increasing complexity of modern life—all these are tasks that we take in our stride—or most of us do, anyhow.

Probably the greatest achievement of Maori women is reflected in the steeply rising standards of health among our people. If at first you credit his great improvement to the developments of modern medicine and the extended medical services now available, you should remember that the application of these services and their ultimate success generally depends on the mothers.

No longer are the doctor and the district nurse regarded as kehuas to be evaded. No longer do children jump out school windows to escape from having injections.

Furthermore, I understand for the first time the Maori death rate was lower than the pakeha rate in New Zealand, Although this figure is greatly influenced by the extreme youth of the Maori people and considerable Maori health problems remain to be solved, it is a measure of the suc-

cess of Maori women in health and home and family matters.

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY WORK

Maoris have always preferred group work and team efforts to the situation where an individual toils on alone.

However, the participation of Maori women in group and committee work was brought to the fore and intensified by the setting up of the Maori Women's Welfare League some ten years ago.

The League, with its Dominion Executive, its National Conference held each year and its branches extending from Cape Reinga to the Bluff has opened new horizons to Maori women every-where. It expands their interest from the home into the community and from the community on spread organisation and had the opportunity to South East Asia. Already four or five Maori women have attended conferences of this wideis affiliated to the Pan-Pacific Association of National Conference. Then in turn the League to the national scene when delegates attend the meet and exchange views with women of China and Japan, Australia, India and Ceylon, Samoa and other countries of the Pacific area. League enables us to meet up with similar organisations of pakeha women through National Council of Women.

The League stresses the importance of the home, the child, health and education. It has indicated our responsibilities at the community, national and international levels. Thus the League provides a platform on which modern Moari women can accept the challenge of their responsibilities and grapple with the problems of today. At the same time it has its social side which fosters Maoritanga in its own special way.

On the other hand this organisation has been criticised (sometimes justly so) for the limited activity of some of its branches and the apathy of many of its members. Even where this is true the League is justified in having opened the door upon new scenes of this new world.

Even before the establishment of the League, our women took part in Komiti maraes and the established groups such as Women's Institutes, Women's Division and Church Guilds. The Komiti Maraes were purely local in interest and the established groups attracted only limited numbers of Maori women.

Maoris in general are notably reluctant to participate in groups with predominantly pakeha membership. This is a failing of the modern Maori which must be overcome if we are to play our part fully in the future. Numerous groups, school committees and local body will accept Maori members but expect them to come forward of their own accord. This is particularly so as the Maori population increases in Auckland and other centres. We cannot always expect that places will be reserved for Maoris on these committees—we must overcome our reluctances play our part to the full and earn our rightful place.

POLITICAL

The same thing could be said of the political field, where Maoris have done little of real importance for some years.

In 1949 Mrs Iriaka Ratana became the first woman elected to Parliament—a position she still holds today with a certain grace and dignity.

However, Maori women have held the right to vote for 65 years, but have made no contribution in politics to compare with their sisters in the less developed countries of the world.

In India, for instance, the franchise was granted only eleven years ago, and yet Indian women have already featured in the diplomatic field and in the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Someone suggested that the greatest efforts are made only in times of emergency and that men of genius arise from persecution (the Jews are cited as one example and the American Negroes another). Certainly our greatest Maori leaders arose from the great hardships of the 19th Century.

While I do not anticipate a worsening of conditions in the future, I do hope that Maori leaders and Maori women particularly will move into this area and fulfil the great hopes that are held out for us here.