Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
Jun 5th 2011, 10:32 am
#31
Nottingham
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: nottingham
Posts: 119
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
your are sooooooooooooooooo right
It doesn't take much to stun me after years on BE, but the comments on this thread have.
Goodness, I don't know what you are all doing with your 20 month old children, but I wish I'd had access to whatever it is when mine were 20 months old.
He turns his back for less than a minute and his toddler sits on a coffee table ...
Get real people ...
Not his fault. Not the toddlers fault. Not deliberately causing offense. Come on ...
I apologise for my kids (who are significantly older than 20 months) when I walk in a room, because I am damn sure I'll be apologising for them when I walk out of it.
Goodness, I don't know what you are all doing with your 20 month old children, but I wish I'd had access to whatever it is when mine were 20 months old.
He turns his back for less than a minute and his toddler sits on a coffee table ...
Get real people ...
Not his fault. Not the toddlers fault. Not deliberately causing offense. Come on ...
I apologise for my kids (who are significantly older than 20 months) when I walk in a room, because I am damn sure I'll be apologising for them when I walk out of it.
Jun 5th 2011, 11:14 am
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 526
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
I've seen plenty of Maori sitting on tables. ... I also wonder when this bit of Maori "culture" came about seeing as they probably didn't have tables before Europeans arrived.
Jun 5th 2011, 12:07 pm
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,008
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
Instead of being offensive why don't you enlighten yourself about the concepts and values of the Tangata Whenua of NZ ?I will even help you.
Tapu and noa
Although tapu is often described as a state of sacredness, it also has the more general meaning of being special or restricted. Noa is the absence of tapu and denotes the state of being normal, ordinary or safe. All things to do with death or the body are tapu, while anything related to cooked food is noa.
Many Maori feel that keeping tapu items separate from noa items is very
important and find it distressing when this division is not observed.
You may like to share it with all those Maori you see sitting on the tables.
Jun 5th 2011, 12:27 pm
#35
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 696
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
It doesn't take much to stun me after years on BE, but the comments on this thread have.
Goodness, I don't know what you are all doing with your 20 month old children, but I wish I'd had access to whatever it is when mine were 20 months old.
He turns his back for less than a minute and his toddler sits on a coffee table ...
Get real people ...
Not his fault. Not the toddlers fault. Not deliberately causing offense. Come on ...
I apologise for my kids (who are significantly older than 20 months) when I walk in a room, because I am damn sure I'll be apologising for them when I walk out of it.
Goodness, I don't know what you are all doing with your 20 month old children, but I wish I'd had access to whatever it is when mine were 20 months old.
He turns his back for less than a minute and his toddler sits on a coffee table ...
Get real people ...
Not his fault. Not the toddlers fault. Not deliberately causing offense. Come on ...
I apologise for my kids (who are significantly older than 20 months) when I walk in a room, because I am damn sure I'll be apologising for them when I walk out of it.
Of course we know he was not intending to offend ffs, but it seems reactions on all sides are a bit petulant and immature.
Last edited by dannigirl; Jun 5th 2011 at 12:37 pm.
Jun 5th 2011, 12:30 pm
#36
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 696
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
I'll leave this thread now as it is just getting ridiculous.
Jun 5th 2011, 12:35 pm
#37
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 696
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
It's offensive because it suggests that Maori people weren't "enlightened" until the great Europeans came to save their race with those lovely Christian values of raping and pillaging.....please note the intended use of generalised comments. Kind of along the lines of references to cannabalism........
Jun 5th 2011, 12:41 pm
#38
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Rangiora
Posts: 1,201
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
Just like the argument that we were here first so we aren't immigrants, we're indigenous?
So by that logic the USA owns the Moon????
So by that logic the USA owns the Moon????
Jun 5th 2011, 12:43 pm
#39
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 696
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
I don't know where you are Woodlea so I can't comment
Jun 5th 2011, 12:46 pm
#40
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Rangiora
Posts: 1,201
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
It's offensive because it suggests that Maori people weren't "enlightened" until the great Europeans came to save their race with those lovely Christian values of raping and pillaging.....please note the intended use of generalised comments. Kind of along the lines of references to cannabalism........
Jun 5th 2011, 3:00 pm
#42
Life is what YOU make it.
Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Christchurch
Posts: 3,312
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
Seeing as I have never heard of this 'sitting on tables' as being offensive to Kiwi's then how about someone making a sensible list of what else is unacceptable in NZ instead of arguing as to who first used tables for what! (believed to be very early Egyptians).
Jun 5th 2011, 3:00 pm
#43
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
I know exactly how you feel ,, my second week in the country there was a staff meeting in the tea room , Everyone was crammed in and all chairs had been taken I mistakenly put one cheek on the table . In front of all the staff my lovely boss stated I know you are British but it is culturally unacceptable to sit on a table and you are insulting all of us here !!!!
Needless to say I was mortified and embarrassed by her comment,,
Talk about learning the cultural differences the hard way
Needless to say I was mortified and embarrassed by her comment,,
Talk about learning the cultural differences the hard way
IMO, the way she handled that was wrong and I'm sorry that happened to you.
Unfortunately basic people skills don't appear to have caught up with 'cultural sensitivity" in NZ
Last edited by ExKiwilass; Jun 5th 2011 at 3:07 pm.
Jun 5th 2011, 3:45 pm
#44
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Christchurch at last!
Posts: 1,149
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
Jun 5th 2011, 4:07 pm
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Somerset
Posts: 226
Re: Just been accused of being "culturally insensitive"!
My 43 year old Kiwi husband has never heard of this tradition and recalls many of his Maori friends at high school sitting on dining tables during break.
He grew up in Ngaruawahia which is where Turangawaewae Marae is. Official home of the late Maori queen. I guess our equivalent would be Windsor Castle.
He cannot recall any traditions or cultural taboos that caused problems and both Maori and Pakeha live happily along side each other.
He grew up in Ngaruawahia which is where Turangawaewae Marae is. Official home of the late Maori queen. I guess our equivalent would be Windsor Castle.
He cannot recall any traditions or cultural taboos that caused problems and both Maori and Pakeha live happily along side each other.