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Publication

Maori demography in Aotearoa New Zealand: Fifty Years on

Abstract
Writing in the Journal of the Polynesian Society fifty years ago, budding demographer Ian Pool asked: “When is a Maori a ‘Maori’”? His assertion that cultural self-identification was the only credible way to define Māori collectively in official statistics was in stark contrast to the prevailing institutional practice of defining Māori by ‘degree of blood.’ In this article I use key insights from Ian’s paper to reflect on contemporary practices of demography, focusing specifically on the construction of Māori as a discrete population for demographic research, and the use of Māori ethnic identification as an independent variable. I conclude with some thoughts on how official statistics might be changed to better reflect the aspirations and needs of Māori in a post-settlement context.
Type
Journal Article
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Kukutai, T. (2011). Maori demography in Aotearoa New Zealand: Fifty Years on. New Zealand Population Review, 37, 45-64.
Date
2011
Publisher
Population Association of New Zealand
Degree
Supervisors
Rights
This article has been published in the journal: New Zealand Population Review. © 2011 Population Association of New Zealand. Used with permission.