Daddio #24 I was in a church last week where most of those things were done, ha ha! And those people (all pakeha) didn't see them as 'war dance' moves. Have you ever explored the lyrics of a haka to work out what it is really about???

#23 John,Slapping the body,rolling the eyes,stamping the feet and poking the tongue out are all war dance moves---as I'm sure you know.

Daddio #22 There are haka for welcome, haka for farewells, haka for challenge, haka for reconciliation, haka for fun and haka for ceremony. Haka are seldom "war dance". The Ka mate haka is a celebration of life and of cheating death. Hardly "crap".

The recent national secondary schools kapa haka competition was an amazing event with young kiwis from every ethnic background taking part. Haka are something we NZers can justifiably be very proud of - even those of us who are pakeha.

I watched the Haka go from a half acted little dance tacked on to the front of a Rugby game to now become the cut and paste culture Kiwis feel they need to show the world we are one---what crap---I cannot number the ammount of foreigners that have asked me if we do the Haka to everything---it's way to over used and makes us look culturely deprived----it's a war dance for Petes sake---no culture should ever use any such thing as the corner stone of Nationhood---Grow up New Zealand---we have obligations to the peace of the world, not to show the world our love of conflict.

@ Rangi 17 - heck of a lot of big words there bro. if hone did re-phrase his question like you suggest, then we wouldn't be here having this debate. you gotta realise cuzzy that most of the idiot drama queens that jump on the media-sensationalised spoon-fed bandwagon are just that, idiot drama queens. and unfortunately, for bros like yourself who've obviously read a book or two, you're speaking from the perspective of a minority group. the majority are dumb soap-op watching sheep... so if you want uptake, dumb down the words and ham up the drama. headings like "racist <insert colour> mo-fos" should get the ball rolling

tickedyboo #18

"the truth is that much of maori culture is bad i.e. the family violence, booze and drugs, crime, dole bludging etc."

You, sir, are a moron, if you believe these are the result of Maori culture.

If you stepped back and actually used your brain, it is pretty easy to see the linkages between low income socio-economic groups and your aforementioned conditions. It just so happens that Maori are overrepresented in these groups, which is a direct result of societal failings - and also by design (see: pepperpotting, two-tiered education system...). Don't believe me? Look at indigenous cultures all around the world - Aboriginal, Native American, Inuit, Tlingkit, Hawaiian, Ainu... Is it coincidence that all these first nations groups share those afflictions? Or is it repeated failings of the Society they live in?

Fyodor Dostoyevsky once wrote "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons" - thus we see that your ailments are the failings of a society, not of a subgroup thereof.

Now I can imagine your response will ring to the sound of "Maori not taking responsibility, victim mentality..." or some such, and to that I pose to you - why is Society not taking responsibility? So the middle and upper classes can point their fingers and say "there are the bad guys"?

Let's hear the outraged responses... game on

tickedyboo #18 Te Reo is of value because it is unique in the same way that native flora and fauna are of value - particularly those that are endangered. Add to that the place Te Reo has in shaping our identity and we are talking about a national treasure. No, you don't have to learn it. It is not forced on anyone in NZ. It is only english that is and has been forced on people.

John McDonald #15

I do not think it is a loss to not speak Maori. We should be taught a useful language in schools, one that can be used worldwide. What is the point in learning maori?

It is not lazy to be uninterested in a culture that is shoved down our throats, when the truth is that much of maori culture is bad i.e. the family violence, booze and drugs, crime, dole bludging etc.

I admit to being racist against the type of people listed above, whatever colour they are.

If you're looking for reasons to limit freedom of expression, many good examples can be found in these posts. Racism in NZ is very sophisticated, it takes a brave / stupid person to assume their culture has sway over another. As we see in the Tuhoe case, independence from the Crown, at this time, is not an option. This is a shame, I would have liked to see how Tuhoe would get on as a State Nation. I'm sure a world-leading, amicable solution could have been reached but JK lost courage.

Reading between the lines, I think what Hone meant was "who is going to maintain the authenticity of my culture?" Had he put his concerns in that form, it would have been more compelling arguement & not had such heated responses. Authenticity is important, its a shame it is not regarded as such by many (eg Tahunanui Haka).

The prevailing theme in race relations is refinement of communication. Hone appears to be incapable of this, but he is one of many. Its when the progress of a culture is met with aggressive mediocrity I find deplorable. One only has to take a rudimentary course in our history to see where NZ could do better in this area.

Well I am Maori - and like most of my whanau (those that havent already left the country) I am too busy raising my daughter, focussing on my career, and frankly having a life to bother with either Maori or Pakeha issues. Or those that spout on about them.

NZers (both Maori and Pakeha) need to travel more..this small town mentality in NZ is incredibly boring and often embarrasing. My daughter leaves for uni next year - I leave for the rest of the world soon after.