A question of colour?

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Kelly

I guess some people are becoming more sensitive about it than others. I'm Maori, and frankly it doesn't bother me whether I'm called black or brown. It does bother me if they get the ethnicity wrong. Some white Aussies have been offended that I call myself black they would rather I refer myself as brown. I laugh but I'm cool with it. I feel society have become rather sensitive or to anal with being politically correct. I have been called a TI, Indonesian, Pacific Islander, Hawaiian and an Abo, some I laughed, one I was offended. but too like I said it's up to the individual. I have a honky kiwi mate, and he is offended if he is called a pakeha, so yeah.

psychologist_4u

They ARE brown ! and they don't call Europeans 'white', they call us Pakeha,

mareeclara

Maori talk about themselves mainly as maori ( culture) rather than by the colour of skin......there is a name they call euopeans/white,which is pakeha, but quite a few people ( europeans) do not like being referred to as pakeha ( mainly because people feel the orgins of the name has negative conitations).
I think this is why nz is not as racist as some other countries......i found it a bit concenring when i was teaching in england and a girl who physcally assualted me, made a claim that I was racist! I was horrified to be honest. In reality I was actually excited about meeting other cultures. Its feels like its a bit more of a mixing pot here.

Grant M

If I am described as white, it refers accurately to my European origins and is not offensive. To describe a Maori as black is to lump him with people who share none of his ancestry or culture, based only on skin colour. That is a denial of the status of Maori as a people.

2~Cute-as-pie~2

Because there is a diffrence between being 'black' and dark tanned.

â˜…â˜†Wabbyâœ¿â€

Because their skin colour is a different shade than what people would consider 'black'. I've never heard a Maori or a Pacific person refer to themselves as any colour to be honest. To them it's not about what colour skin they have it's about their culture and where their Whakapapa have come from. I think the second half of your question is far too large to answer. If you want an answer to that, I suggest asking in the 'Society and Culture' section, but be prepared for some rude answers.

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Pagrus

Because Lion Red Beer is Brown

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