This is interesting,
"Despite almost half a million people claiming their ethnicity as "New Zealander" in the last census, Statistics New Zealand is opposed to making the grouping official."
New Zealander isn't an ethnic group, like for instance maori or indian.
"A Statistics New Zealand discussion paper issued yesterday recommends no changes to the ethnicity question for the 2011 census.
It says that, of those who wrote New Zealander, 90 per cent would come under the New Zealand European group."
This question goes to the heart of people's identity. And I, like everyone else in this country, want an identity. I want to identify. That is why there is the fuss about the naming of the islands or other natural features of this land, that is why some people can get away with racism by grouping tangata whenua as another minority. Until colonisation and the true place of maori are recognised and respected then we will have no peace.
"Academics say the desire to drop the "European" element shows a search for a new identity."
We also see this search manifested via creating icons (Hillary) and myths (number 8 wire mentality). We also see it in the support given to ANZAC day and the men and women who died to create a nation called 'New Zealand'.
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