Sexist-defined gender roles vs roles that protect and enhance mauri

For some reason the conversations about the intersections of gender-roles and te ao Māori haven’t quite sit right with me. As if there were elements and nuance missing — from the kōrero I’ve been part of anyway. Wāhine (not) speaking on the pae is usually a hot topic, but a whole range of questions are being asked of/by our irawhiti-irakē-irahuri whānau who don’t subscribe to the gender-binaries which pose thought-provoking pātai of our institutions, tikanga, roles and how we do things. Kātahi hoki te wānanga!

Disclaimer: 1. he wānanga tēnei. this is a thought exercise. it’s Hana sharing a perspective on this kaupapa and inviting you to join — it is not a take or judgement on what you, your whānau, hapū, iwi, marae, paepae or any others should/shouldn’t be doing. With that, whakahī (inhale), whakahā (exhale).

2. Keep the title in mind; “sexist-defined gender roles vs roles that protect and enhance mauri”. And keep aware of your own internal narrative/prejudices that arises as you read; sit with them, interrogate them a little, find out where they come from etc. Ok, hoake tātou.

— — —

Everything in te ao Māori is about whakapapa.

Preserving, protecting, and advancing it.

Therefore the greatest affront on someone, their iwi or hapū would be to end their tātai whakapapa (genealogical lines of descent), absolutely. So when different roles and duties are performed by wāhine and tāne, this is the core reason.

Let’s return to the marae scenario to add to the ongoing debate for who should or shouldn’t, can or can’t do what.

When wāhine perform the karanga, it is a direct connection to the first call of the world - the roar that bursts out from deep in our bones as we bring tamariki into te ao mārama, during childbirth. Wāhine with their ability to not only create life but birth it into te ao hurihuri then also end the life cycle, with Hinenuitepō, call te ao wairua into the ceremony in a way no other component can (eg. karakia, tauparapara, whaikōrero etc.).

Is the karanga a sexist-defined gender role?

Or one to protect and enhance mauri?

Also consider the mana that wāhine have in leading the waiata after whaikōrero… not only a kīnaki for what’s been said, but also an endorsement. So, no-waiata sends a clear message as to whether that kaikōrero + what they have shared is reflective of their people’s views, or not. We’re more PC these days — so this rarely happens but again, think of original purpose for wāhine leading karanga and waiata and most importantly - why.

Onto the next topic, whaikōrero.

Typically performed by tāne and not just any tāne, by the way - but those who know what they’re up to. Tāne who have been identified and selected to speak on behalf of their people. Tāne who have the competency, knowledge and expertise — and overall, the mandate of their collective to speak on their behalf. Side note, I bet someone’s coming to mind who you know doesn’t fit these descriptors but has spoken on the pae at a hui.. Regardless, if we’re focusing on why tāne performed this role,

it's for protection.

Mākutu cast during whaikōrero directly to wāhine could affect her ability to conceive or bear children - thus ending that line of whakapapa, unequivocally.

So is whaikōrero on the marae a “sexist-defined gender role”? Or is it a role to protect and enhance mauri? Related to this is wāhine sitting behind tāne on the pae…(The state of paepae and competency of speakers is another topic for another post).

Another role beyond the marae, is where tāne were primary caregivers for tamariki by the time pēpi reached ~18 months old - a stark contrast to the sexist-defined gender roles of nurturing tamariki in our society today… isn’t that interesting?! How come this role isn’t contested in the same way as roles on the marae? Hmm…

Anyway, it’s obvious we don’t live the same lives our tupuna once did. Generally, we don’t karakia every time we enter and exit a new space or before every single item of food enters our mouths… sometimes kaikōrero on the pae stand without the endorsement of their people, or even speak in English. The world we live in has changed, hence why tikanga have changed (as they should; [tika-nga > ngā-tika] o te wā, the rights/rites of the time). Ideally, for us to best facilitate our connection to atua (taiao), to tupuna, to each other, to the kaupapa at hand and to ourselves; in order to protect, preserve and advance whakapapa.*

Understanding the whakapapa effect, the why at the core of tikanga, and of the roles we fulfil gives us grounding to interrogate them and unpack whether or not they are still relevant, still enhance and protect or if they instead cause harm and diminish. We must continue to ask why. Why do we do what we do? Not just in our daily lives but especially when it comes to roles in te ao Māori that can so easily be influenced by colonial perspectives and beliefs.

We cannot let colonial views dictate our cultural expression or meaning.

With that in mind, are roles for tāne and wāhine in te ao Māori “sexist-defined gender roles” or “roles that protect and enhance mauri” — or are they something else entirely? Is the distinction necessary or relevant in our world today? Can exceptions be made in special circumstances? If you present one way but identify another or don’t identify any which way… is there room for you in te ao Māori??

Kātahi rā ko ngā wānanga whakahirahira. Everything in te ao Māori is about whakapapa. Preserving, protecting, and advancing it. Let this knowing guide our wānanga. As we interrogate, as we ask questions and reinforce why we do what we do.

I say ‘we’ because whakapapa isn’t about you/me the individual. Rather how we fit in context and in relation to everything and everyone else.

“All phenomena are related, interconnecting and interconnected.

This relatedness is both expressed in whakapapa and reinforced by it.”

- Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal

This means we can’t have the internal wānanga by ourselves and decide what’s what, ko mutu. But we must seek to understand, have courageous conversations, confront colonial influences on our tikanga so we can be grounded and affirmed in our why. So that it may keep us safe and aligned, on our way to Hawaiki hou.

Tēnā kotou i pānui mai, i ruku mai ki tēnei puna wānanga.

Nei āku mihi,

Hana.

Special mention: the title is adapted from my nanny Bell Hooks’ pukapuka, All About Love - New Visions. A loving, big mihi to this kuia and her mahi.

*Advancing whakapapa doesn’t just mean to procreate and have more uri. It could relate to advancing kaupapa for our taiao or people; serving the collectives we belong to; being awesome aunties and uncles; expanding our bodies of wānanga and mātauranga to name a few. It means contributing to getting us to the next Hawaiki hou.