Article Indigenous Culture and Society: Creating Space for Indigenous Māori Cultural and Linguistic Development within a Discriminatory Post-colonial Society

The colonial relationship between Māori and Pākehā cultures has often resulted in the deprioritisation of mātauranga Māori (including te reo Māori) from both Māori and Pākehā (NZ Europeans). Interviews with 19 Māori language learners explored how Māori and Pākehā relationships developed in a post/neo-colonial society where Pākehā cultural norms govern public domains. Participants explained how it was possible to prioritise Māori knowledge and language in a society that is discrimina-tory towards Māori. Predominant ways in which Māori were protected from discrimination towards their own language, culture and people were through creating spaces where Māori language and customs were normalised. For some participants, the unequal relationship between Pākehā and Māori was highlighted as a result of their increased engage-ment with Māori culture and communities. Finally, results indicated that Māori often needed to take on the responsibility of educating Pākehā about preconceived ideas that they held towards their culture. Address correspondence concerning this article to Awanui Te Huia