Choosing the ‘ethnicity’ option was never such a sternly dubious experience if I should write Afghan or South/Central Asian while completing a registration form. Yes, Hazara was deemed inferior on the list of ethnicities in official documents in Afghanistan. Yes, the institutionalized prejudice in recognizing the Hazaras was formidable, and that we felt profoundly strangers in the country of our birth. In that moment, I felt thousand other Hazaras face with the same confusion while completing forms in countries with their own list of ethnicities. Welcome to New Zealand as an Afghan, the reality checked!
In 1986, Te Reo Māori was recognized as the Māori language which led to making it an official language of Aotearoa, New Zealand in 1987. This laid the foundation for institutionalizing the language across media, education system and cultural promotion. Initially, Māori was not a written language, which is why you find Māori words transliterated/ adopted from English. With the development of Māori Language Strategy in 1997, the efforts to restore the language and integrating it part of the everyday conversation started. These efforts have been welcomed by people from all culture that enriched the cultural identity of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Recognizing a language means fostering a cohesive environment for everyone because a language carries tradition, history and cultural heritage when promoted. For instance, when I heard the translation of karakia[1] (prayer) calling for safeguarding of people and natural assets/ resources, learning the language become one of my goals. I felt there’s a sense of strong connection between the people and everything that is part of their environment.
Learning a new language can be time-consuming but an enriching endeavour. I don’t say because I’ve mastered the language. Honestly, I felt intimidated by the efforts it requires not in becoming familiar with the basics but in using emotions while pronouncing the words given my introvert nature, lol. I haven’t given up so that’s encouraging to say the least. This journey has provided deeper insights into the significance of Māori culture, history of its people and the lifestyle that makes them Māori. At the first instance, the similarities I found between Māori and our culture are recognizing family relationships, treating elders with high degree of respect and integrating religious values into everyday life. Learning more about the culture unveiled the most important element that is the basis of Māori literature and culture, i.e., whanaungatanga.
In Māori culture, whanaungatanga (relationship or kinship in English) is the cornerstone of life. There’s special emphasis on the importance of connection with not just the family but broader community relationships and everything in nature from the highest point to the lowest. It’s believed that they have their own spirit so when introducing our whānau (family), we should acknowledge the connection with mountain, river, natural or historical heritage, the land etc. These traits are similar in many cultures either in the form of respect or other significant reasons. For example, Bhutan has become the happiest country in the world on the basis of preserving its natural & cultural heritage by ensuring that ‘material and spiritual development happen together’. It’s the only country that measures its growth on GNH or ‘Gross National Happiness’ based on the connection between people and its natural environment.
The aesthetic of Japanese gardens embodies strong meaning representing beauty and tranquillity. Water is an essential element in Japanese gardens: still water reflects life and flowing water shows continuity of life. The use of natural and carved stones symbolises stability and calmness. While there are plants that blossom in different seasons making the design naturally cohesive and a spiritual experience visiting them. And the Japanese take pride in their gardens. Similarly, other cultures have generated fame and wealth by caring for their historical heritage like thousands of tourists visiting the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Taj Mahal in India or Eifel Tower in Paris to respect remnants of their civilization. Coming from a landlocked region of Afghanistan, I heard tall mountains were means of safety against invasion, water being source of survival and the size of land decides food security across the year. Despite the scarcity of these natural resources, they’re considered shared assets benefitting everyone. That’s why I proudly acknowledged them during ‘whakapapa – family tree’ activity in my Level 1 Te Ara Reo Māori.
Beginning life in a new country means departure from the familiar and going into the unknown. It requires resilience, patience, and hard work. The sooner we embrace change, the more meaningful life becomes. And learning Māori has provided a transformative experience that is beyond just learning the language. Becoming more aware of the culture and people’s interconnection with the greater world makes the journey fascinating. One of the best experiences was Learning about Matariki. Matariki is a cluster of nine (09) stars which have significant meaning in Māori mythology and culture. It’s Māori New Year that usually falls in late June or early July every year and has been declared as a public holiday since 2022. It’s the time to acknowledge the past, celebrate present and look forward to the future. Matariki symbolises the concept of family (whakapapa) which is about interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of family and broader community. Each star is part of a family that represents different meaning. For example, the mother star ‘Matariki’ is considered the ‘eyes of the god’ that represents well-being and health or Tupu-ā-rangi representing food that descends from the heaven.
The session inspired me to plan a tour of Stardome Observatory and Planetarium with my family. It certainly was a lasting experience to explore more about the planets, the solar system but knowing that there is a star that has the same name as my partner. She was the happiest to know there’s a star above which means there is a star here as well :-). It truly was a cherished moment and I encourage everyone to visit the place especially at this time of the year. Don’t forget to attend Matariki events in your area or city across the country. I wish all my Māori friends a Happy New Year, Manawatia Te Matariki!
By the way, I’ve been writing Hazara-Afghan while completing forms manually. You are welcome to choose what pleases you.
[1] Karakia means prayer, which is recited before meal, meetings, events in Māori culture and has become an official ritual in official/ formal settings.
