title: Decolonising Fiji: Reclaiming indigenous Fijian psychologies

authors: Tarabe, Akanisi

subjects: Maori

abstract: Creating meaningfulness in an unstable, confusing environment can redirect one to sift through the chaos for the very basic, forgotten things in order to make sense of the world one lives in. This paper represents a process of searching for these simple things to make sense of the indigenous Fijian world, with particular reference to the people of the yavusa o Cu’u (Cu’u tribe). For more than a century, indigenous Fijians have struggled to live in dual worlds torn between the pull of modernization and traditionalism. Modernisation represents the new foreign life that leads many Fijians to view their traditional ways skeptically and question whether traditions are worth hanging on to. With decades of these struggles, very little makes sense anymore. The more we are pumped with foreign aid to make us modern, the more we are lost in new types of psycho- social challenges that baffle everyone, young and old alike.

text: Decolonising Fiji: Reclaiming indigenous Fijian psychologies Creating meaningfulness in an unstable, confusing environment can redirect one to sift through the chaos for the very basic, forgotten things in order to make sense of the world one lives in. This paper represents a process of searching for these simple things to make sense of the indigenous Fijian world, with particular reference to the people of the yavusa o Cu’u (Cu’u tribe). For more than a century, indigenous Fijians have struggled to live in dual worlds torn between the pull of modernization and traditionalism. Modernisation represents the new foreign life that leads many Fijians to view their traditional ways skeptically and question whether traditions are worth hanging on to. With decades of these struggles, very little makes sense anymore. The more we are pumped with foreign aid to make us modern, the more we are lost in new types of psycho- social challenges that baffle everyone, young and old alike.

year: 2008

title: Preliminary estimates of mass-loss rates, changes in stable isotope composition, and invertebrate colonisation of evergreen and deciduous leaves in a Waikato, New Zealand, stream.

authors: Hicks, Brendan J.

subjects: mass loss

abstract: Rates of mass loss are important in the choice of tree species used in riparian rehabilitation because leaves that break down fast should contribute to stream food-webs more rapidly than leaves that break down more slowly. To examine comparative mass-loss rates of some native evergreen and introduced deciduous trees in a New Zealand stream, fallen leaves were incubated in bags with 2 x 3 mm mesh openings. The native trees were mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii), rewarewa (Knightia excelsa), tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa), and the introduced trees were silver birch (Betula pendula) and alder (Alnus glutinosa). The leaf bags were left in the Mangaotama Stream for 28 days from mid April to mid May 1995 when mean water temperature was 14.5deg.C, giving a total of 406 degree days. Rates of mass loss followed the sequence: mahoe > silver birch > alder > kahikatea > silver beech > rewarewa > tawa. Mean mass-loss rate for mahoe, assuming a negative exponential model, was 0.0507 k day-1 (0.00350 k (degree day)-1), and for tawa was 0.0036 k day-1 (0.00025 k (degree day)-1). C:N ratio decreased on average from 45:1 to 35:1, and d15N increased between 0.7 and 3.0[[perthousand]] (1.8 +/- 0.41[[perthousand]], mean +/-1 standard error), excluding kahikatea. Changes in d13C were smaller and not consistent in direction. Biomass of invertebrates was greatest in bags that had lost 25-45% of their initial leaf biomass.

text: Preliminary estimates of mass-loss rates, changes in stable isotope composition, and invertebrate colonisation of evergreen and deciduous leaves in a Waikato, New Zealand, stream. Rates of mass loss are important in the choice of tree species used in riparian rehabilitation because leaves that break down fast should contribute to stream food-webs more rapidly than leaves that break down more slowly. To examine comparative mass-loss rates of some native evergreen and introduced deciduous trees in a New Zealand stream, fallen leaves were incubated in bags with 2 x 3 mm mesh openings. The native trees were mahoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii), rewarewa (Knightia excelsa), tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa), and the introduced trees were silver birch (Betula pendula) and alder (Alnus glutinosa). The leaf bags were left in the Mangaotama Stream for 28 days from mid April to mid May 1995 when mean water temperature was 14.5deg.C, giving a total of 406 degree days. Rates of mass loss followed the sequence: mahoe > silver birch > alder > kahikatea > silver beech > rewarewa > tawa. Mean mass-loss rate for mahoe, assuming a negative exponential model, was 0.0507 k day-1 (0.00350 k (degree day)-1), and for tawa was 0.0036 k day-1 (0.00025 k (degree day)-1). C:N ratio decreased on average from 45:1 to 35:1, and d15N increased between 0.7 and 3.0[[perthousand]] (1.8 +/- 0.41[[perthousand]], mean +/-1 standard error), excluding kahikatea. Changes in d13C were smaller and not consistent in direction. Biomass of invertebrates was greatest in bags that had lost 25-45% of their initial leaf biomass.

year: 1999-06-01

title: The Determinants of Tribal Population Growth in the New Zealand Census

authors: Rarere, Moana

subjects: tribal population growth

abstract: By the early twentieth century the notion that ethnic populations would dissipate was a commonly held belief.  However, after World War II, the modern world has seen an incredible resurgence in ethnic identities.  Ethnic conflicts, mobilisations, and the political movements of the 1950s and 1960s served as a major catalyst in the diffusion of indigenous identities and rights.  Consequently, indigenous groups in settler states, especially in North America, experienced population growth beyond the levels of natural demographic factors, that is, fertility, mortality and migration.  Researchers attributed a significant proportion of this growth to changing patterns of ethnic identification, also referred to as ethnic mobility .  Although this phenomenon is well documented in North America, it is only just beginning to be understood in relation to the New Zealand context. 

During the 1970s and 1980s, the indigenous Māori population of New Zealand gained substantial progress in political, social and economic spheres, following the same patterns of ethnic identity growth as in North America.  Despite these gains, the average individual socio-economic outcomes for Māori remain poor, especially in comparison to New Zealand Europeans/Pākehā.  Through key legislation, iwi (tribal) organisations became the core mechanism in which to address Māori socio-economic issues, achieve Māori aspirations and to manage Treaty of Waitangi settlement monies.  Subsequently, the need for iwi statistics for policy and planning purposes saw the reinstatement of iwi data in the New Zealand census in 1991.  Surprisingly, however, very little attention has been given to contemporary patterns of iwi demography.

Since the 1991 census, observations of total iwi population growth patterns indicate these patterns cannot solely be explained by natural demographic factors.  Furthermore, the growth trajectories of individual iwi were markedly different, and in some cases erratic.  These initial observations have raised the following key research questions: What do patterns of iwi growth look like?  What is the role of ethnic mobility?  What factors drive ethnic mobility?  Who changes iwi identification?  Why should we care?  

This thesis examines patterns of iwi identification in the New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings from 1991 to 2006.  It uses statistical methods to not only document iwi population changes but to also identify the key determinants driving these trajectories.  In addition, this thesis considers ethnic mobility as an important driver of population growth but, situates this within the broader macro-political environment.  Along with the analysis of aggregate iwi population changes, this thesis also provides an in-depth analysis of four iwi groups – Ngāi Tahu, Waikato, Ngāti Awa and Tūhoe, in order to observe individual iwi dynamics that are not clearly visible at the aggregate level.

The findings of this thesis raise important implications for theories of ethnicity and the demographic study of ethnic populations.  For example, this thesis argues that the category of ethnic mobility is mainly contextual, that is, decisions to change ethnic responses are influenced by the broader political, social and economic contexts.  Furthermore this thesis contends that individual ethnic identification decisions are for the most part defined by ethnic categories imposed by the State.  While traditional views suggest ethnicity is fixed, intrinsic and kinship based, this thesis finds significant support for contemporary views that argue ethnicity is fluid, extrinsic and socially constructed.  Rather than reject traditional views of Maori identity, this study recognises that ethnic identities are complex, and that shifts in iwi identification is about connecting and reconnecting with whakapapa.  Thus this thesis argues that in order to understand individual iwi dynamics both points of view need to be considered.

text: The Determinants of Tribal Population Growth in the New Zealand Census By the early twentieth century the notion that ethnic populations would dissipate was a commonly held belief.  However, after World War II, the modern world has seen an incredible resurgence in ethnic identities.  Ethnic conflicts, mobilisations, and the political movements of the 1950s and 1960s served as a major catalyst in the diffusion of indigenous identities and rights.  Consequently, indigenous groups in settler states, especially in North America, experienced population growth beyond the levels of natural demographic factors, that is, fertility, mortality and migration.  Researchers attributed a significant proportion of this growth to changing patterns of ethnic identification, also referred to as ethnic mobility .  Although this phenomenon is well documented in North America, it is only just beginning to be understood in relation to the New Zealand context. 

During the 1970s and 1980s, the indigenous Māori population of New Zealand gained substantial progress in political, social and economic spheres, following the same patterns of ethnic identity growth as in North America.  Despite these gains, the average individual socio-economic outcomes for Māori remain poor, especially in comparison to New Zealand Europeans/Pākehā.  Through key legislation, iwi (tribal) organisations became the core mechanism in which to address Māori socio-economic issues, achieve Māori aspirations and to manage Treaty of Waitangi settlement monies.  Subsequently, the need for iwi statistics for policy and planning purposes saw the reinstatement of iwi data in the New Zealand census in 1991.  Surprisingly, however, very little attention has been given to contemporary patterns of iwi demography.

Since the 1991 census, observations of total iwi population growth patterns indicate these patterns cannot solely be explained by natural demographic factors.  Furthermore, the growth trajectories of individual iwi were markedly different, and in some cases erratic.  These initial observations have raised the following key research questions: What do patterns of iwi growth look like?  What is the role of ethnic mobility?  What factors drive ethnic mobility?  Who changes iwi identification?  Why should we care?  

This thesis examines patterns of iwi identification in the New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings from 1991 to 2006.  It uses statistical methods to not only document iwi population changes but to also identify the key determinants driving these trajectories.  In addition, this thesis considers ethnic mobility as an important driver of population growth but, situates this within the broader macro-political environment.  Along with the analysis of aggregate iwi population changes, this thesis also provides an in-depth analysis of four iwi groups – Ngāi Tahu, Waikato, Ngāti Awa and Tūhoe, in order to observe individual iwi dynamics that are not clearly visible at the aggregate level.

The findings of this thesis raise important implications for theories of ethnicity and the demographic study of ethnic populations.  For example, this thesis argues that the category of ethnic mobility is mainly contextual, that is, decisions to change ethnic responses are influenced by the broader political, social and economic contexts.  Furthermore this thesis contends that individual ethnic identification decisions are for the most part defined by ethnic categories imposed by the State.  While traditional views suggest ethnicity is fixed, intrinsic and kinship based, this thesis finds significant support for contemporary views that argue ethnicity is fluid, extrinsic and socially constructed.  Rather than reject traditional views of Maori identity, this study recognises that ethnic identities are complex, and that shifts in iwi identification is about connecting and reconnecting with whakapapa.  Thus this thesis argues that in order to understand individual iwi dynamics both points of view need to be considered.

year: 2012