Figure 1.--Social interactions between Maori and Pakeha students are interesting to observe. Elementary children seem to mix easily and freely. Secondary students during free time at breaks and lunch can sometimes be observed to cluster in their own separate monochromatic groups, reflecting the larger division of New Zealand society. Here in an Auckland school there is anentirely mixed game session. |
Social interactions between Maori and Pakeha students are interesting to observe. Elementary children seem to mix easily and freely. Secondary students during free time at breaks and lunch can sometimes be observed to cluster in their own separate monochromatic groups, reflecting the larger division of New Zealand society. This is not a novel situation. Ethnic groups in American and other public schools have engaged in similar "ethnic massing". Lee Daniels who is studying ethnic massing writes,"Ethnic massing was both a defense mechanism and a means of shoring up one's group--and hence individual--identity in the face of exclusion." This separateness, however, does not nearly approach the level of separateness which persists in American schools. There is much more mixing in New Zealand schools. Nor does social interaction and inner marriage carry the same social connotation as black-white interactions are generally viewed in America. There is in fact an impressive degree of social interaction between Maori and Pakeha youngsters at most schools. It is very common to see mixed groups of friends playing games are enjoying their lunch together. It is likely that there is more interaction between Maori and Pakehas in the schools than in any other aspect of New Zealand life.
New Zealand students report a wide variety of experiences concerning interactions with students of other ethnic groups.
I went to a college called Aotea, which is a co-ed. At this school there were all races e.g. European, Aamoan, Asian, plus exchange students from all over the world. One thing that changed a part of me when I went to this college was that I became a bit racist towards mainly the Polynesians. You always hear about white people being racist but going to this college made me relise that black people are more racist. There weren't that many black white fights because all the white people would stay out of the way of any trouble, and think of there education not petty arguments. racism was the main point that I remembered from college as I was hassled many times. I never got into a fight in my 4our years at this college but i was verbally abused many times. All you could do is turn the other way and ignore them or else say something and end up on the ground wishing you hadn't said anything.
The teachers at Aotea were pretty average. If you didn't want to do your work you could easily get out of doing it. Waging school was easy. this school was one where you could easily fail at. Basicly everyone at Aotea was in a sports team. we had many good teams playing all different sports like rugby, soccer, badminton, skiing, volley ball, basket ball, netball, softball, and many more. I think Aotea college was made around recreation.
We had an excellent choir at Aotea. the choir at my college went to the nationals and came 2nd. A lot of my college was based around music. every culture had there own band, group, or club. there is this competition to see who is the best college band in NZ. A band that played grunge from Aotea won this competition, which was quite an achievement. There was a lot of taging at Aotea. there was heaps of rubish on the ground because everyone didn't care, that really sums up Aotea college. not many people cared for the college. Aotea college is really getting worse and worse and because of this a lot of teachers are leaving, because they can't handle the students of today at Aotea college.
Mark
