Why the fuck are we still arguing that colourism isn’t real? We’re still pretending that colour prejudice only exists under the eyes of pākehā oppressors. As a community, Māori need to think about the intensity of our anger, and if it’s being channelled correctly. There’s a difficult kōrero that needs to be had about the treatment and mistreatment of dark-skin māori and also white māori. I’m certainly not the one to have it, but I can start the kōrero so it can fall into the right hands, and not the white hands.
I’m going to have to give you some context here though. As a white-presenting Māori, I’m familiar with the privileges and the benefits that come with being white. And that’s my cross to bear. I don’t have to struggle-city with feeling unsafe and judged by employees as I walk into reputable establishments. I don’t have to worry that the police will arrest me just for being the colour I was given from the jump. But, there’s another side we need to discuss.
The side being inner-race relations and the abhorrent issue we have as Māori’s, against other Māoris. There’s an issue with being a palatable māori and being a hood-māori. I’ll let you in on a situation. I was at an event and overheard a Wāhine Pākehā use the term “Hoodrat Māoris” (pronounced murrays) in reference to some of my mates dancing to some music. Having a kanikani means being reduced to a term with such hateful, negative connotations. But why do I get offended when she uses it, but when I hear whiter Māori saying it, do I let it go? Why are we so flippant with the blatant colourism?
Now before I have you all up in arms about “another white man” taking space from māori (which I’d like to remind you, I’m not), I want to acknowledge the importance of those around me that do face the adversities of being POC. I’m not complaining because I’m white. I’m complaining because I’m white AND māori. There’s this apparent difference between being māori because you look it and being māori because you are māori. So because I’m the latter, it’s important to use this space to elevate the kōrero surrounding colourism and how that directly affects brown people in Aotearoa. I decided to reach out to my Aunty Murie and talk about the elephant in the room. Don’t get it twisted, this isn’t a formal interview but rather an informal conversation I decided to record and transcribe. Enjoy.
Aunty, why is there such an issue with not being brown enough?
It’s not so much about not being brown enough that should be worried about, but more about being too brown. It’s hard to be dark skinned and respected these days. You have to be light enough to pass but dark enough to speak the reo. What the fuck is that about?
Can you explain what you mean by too brown?
You saw Once Were Warriors right? Well there you go. All people see are angry māori’s who hit their kids and drink piss. That’s what the world wants us to be. We as people have spent years trying to fight against a system that wants to hate us. Pākehā sit there and throw stones upon us as people because they watched one movie once that showed them Māōri people. It’s all shit aye.
But does the judgement exist in Māori communities?
You know how the ika rots from the top? Well there’s your answer. I can’t speak for everyone but I can say that in my experience there’s heaps of judgement from Māori about Māōri.
Are you guilty of colour judgement?
More than anyone I know.
While a small excerpt from my kōrero with my aunty, it’s an insight into how the kōrero takes place, and some of the shared opinions that we may or may not have. I’m guilty of it too. There’s been people who’ve had distant links to being Māori but I’ve discounted them, even though I’m the first to say “Kāore te blood quantum e kare”. Why the fuck are we like this? It’s hard because I don’t want to speak on all experiences and I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I did want to illuminate such a difficult topic that most of us don’t want to discuss.
This is just an opinion of one Māori man, and one of many. There’s so much more that can be said about colourism as a topic, with so many broader people that could chime in and kōrero about the effects they’ve encountered, which I highly suggest you do. As indigenous peoples, we have a duty to ourselves and to those around us to be kind and respectful. By ignoring that, we’re playing into the game set by the oppressor. We’re allowing those with power to win in an effort to pit us against each other. Don’t allow yourself to become subject to inter-māori turmoil.
