Conversations about NZ cultural specifics always turn to bull paki on HN. There is not enough people who understand the philosophical and historical underpinnings
of why NZ should be a partnership and why Māori worldview should be respected. And there are just too many unreflective people who see white culture as the default.
That's really odd framing to me -- you seemingly think that I have to justify what I think or say through the Māori lens or worldview, as if it were some kind of default. I don't. You could say that a country is a partnership between the people who live in it, New Zealand is a democracy after all. But I, the person writing this comment, is not an entity in partnership with the Māori people or worldview. I don't follow their traditions or customs, but you're free to.
As a Kiwi I remember all sorts of shenanigans like the crater of Mt. Eden being considered Tapu and not to be tread upon but that didn't seem to stop all the cuzzies from going down there and drinking boxes of Cody's and leaving the cans everywhere.
Or not seeing many Maori in language classes cause they weren't interested but I was required to attend (opt out, but I wanted to learn a bit of Maori).
Respect is earned and I think active and friendly participation in their own culture would help foster the partnership you talk about. But growing up most of what I saw was selective participation.
