letter from New Zealand
February 6 is a significant day in the New Zealand calendar; a nationwide public holiday that sees demonstrations that sometimes result in violence.
February 6, 1840, was the fateful day when the British Crown and many Maori chiefs (but not all) signed the Treaty of Waitangi. In essence it is New Zealand’s founding document; the chiefs were agreeing to give the British Crown rights to certain lands, but it was by no means an agreement to give up all their lands.
Almost two centuries on, why is there all the acrimony? It really boils down to how the Treaty was implemented, or not implemented, and the fact that the Crown reneged on many areas that they had agreed to uphold. Land was subsequently often bought cheaply and some chiefs sold their people’s land without consulting them.
The New Zealand Government has recognised the failures of the Crown in implementing the treaty and initiatives are in place to try to bring restitution, but swathes of the disputed land that has been sold and resold multiple times now include vast parts of Auckland and other cities, meaning it cannot be restored in its entirety without massive economic, social and political implications. The result: injustices that can never fully be dealt with, and thus pain and hurt that runs deep. As a result, New Zealand has sought to implement a type of positive discrimination to ensure that Maori culture is honoured and respected by every New Zealander, and to ensure it is acknowledged as part of their heritage whether they are Pakeha (i.e. Non-Maori) or Maori.
This is a good desire and as Christians we want all people made in God’s image to be honoured and respected. The danger for Christians is that in order to promote and accept Maori culture there is a move towards accepting all aspects of the culture including its pre-Christian spirituality.
Many Maori did in fact become Christians through the work of missionaries before and after the 1840 treaty was signed, and the impact of the gospel on ending inter-tribal warfare and cycles of revenge was huge. Today there are many committed Maori followers of Jesus. However there is a danger that, in an effort to embrace Maori culture, Christians can be in danger of becoming syncretistic in their spiritual practices.
One example is repeating Karakia (prayers) without knowing their meaning. This is a common way to begin business and school meetings. There are many great Christian Karakia, but when schools are teaching untranslated prayers to children it is difficult for them to determine whether the words are about worshipping the rivers and the mountains, or the God who made them.
A failure to participate in these practices can be seen as offensive to the people of the land. Much wisdom is needed for Christians in New Zealand to honour the God-given Maori culture, and also remain true to His revelation.
Full picture caption: A marae (pronounced ma-rye) is a communal, ceremonial and sacred ground that serves religious and social gatherings. Source: iStock
