Hi,
I am indigenous to New Zealand. I am what you would call Maori. No, we do not dance around a fire or chant to our gods. We do not inhale sacred fumes and have shamans that foretell our future. We do, however, have a tribal dance called the Haka. Whether you have seen it during a rugby match, or from coming to New Zealand yourself, it is a war dance that our ancestors used to challenge their enemies.
Its a wonderful, energizing dance. But this is not why I am here today. As with many indigenous cultures around the world, we were invaded and conquered by British colonists. Now, I am not one to complain about this, usually. I absolutely love my country. Its so beautiful and rich with cultural diversity. However, recently, I have come head on with a lot of discrimination. And it has caused me to write about it now.
Usually I have a lot of difficulty moving from job to job. I thought it was normal for New Zealanders. It seems normal that when you have been made redundant, its hard to get anyone to take you seriously. However, what I have discovered recently is that this isn't exactly true.
I was recently made redundant due to the fact that the CEO of my company was charged with sexual assault and financial fraud. I am not sure the details, but it was awful news to me. Regardless, I have plenty of experience and applied to many jobs. I thought it was naturally difficult to find work. But what I did not realize is that my surname would have a substantial impact on whether an employee will consider me for a job.
See, I changed my surname. I am sorry, I will not give you that name. But I changed it from my indigenous name, to a white European name which happens to be the surname of my mother. Literally 15 hours later, I was flooded with phone calls about my credentials. When I used my indigenous name, I got about one call a month. But when I changed it to my mothers, the game changed completely.
I feel so discriminated against. So violated an disappointed I cannot explain my sadness. No one gave me a chance when they knew I was Maori, but as soon as they thought I was white, I got so many phone calls. And worse still, the same happened when looking for a new place to stay. I changed my surname and suddenly I received a flood of interest.
What do you think? I feel so upset by this I cannot even believe what I am experiencing. I thought we were so tolerant, so accepting. But as it turns out, we are not. This might be a bias report, I can only tell you what I have experienced. But am I wrong to feel so disappointed and upset?
I am indigenous to New Zealand. I am what you would call Maori. No, we do not dance around a fire or chant to our gods. We do not inhale sacred fumes and have shamans that foretell our future. We do, however, have a tribal dance called the Haka. Whether you have seen it during a rugby match, or from coming to New Zealand yourself, it is a war dance that our ancestors used to challenge their enemies.
Its a wonderful, energizing dance. But this is not why I am here today. As with many indigenous cultures around the world, we were invaded and conquered by British colonists. Now, I am not one to complain about this, usually. I absolutely love my country. Its so beautiful and rich with cultural diversity. However, recently, I have come head on with a lot of discrimination. And it has caused me to write about it now.
Usually I have a lot of difficulty moving from job to job. I thought it was normal for New Zealanders. It seems normal that when you have been made redundant, its hard to get anyone to take you seriously. However, what I have discovered recently is that this isn't exactly true.
I was recently made redundant due to the fact that the CEO of my company was charged with sexual assault and financial fraud. I am not sure the details, but it was awful news to me. Regardless, I have plenty of experience and applied to many jobs. I thought it was naturally difficult to find work. But what I did not realize is that my surname would have a substantial impact on whether an employee will consider me for a job.
See, I changed my surname. I am sorry, I will not give you that name. But I changed it from my indigenous name, to a white European name which happens to be the surname of my mother. Literally 15 hours later, I was flooded with phone calls about my credentials. When I used my indigenous name, I got about one call a month. But when I changed it to my mothers, the game changed completely.
I feel so discriminated against. So violated an disappointed I cannot explain my sadness. No one gave me a chance when they knew I was Maori, but as soon as they thought I was white, I got so many phone calls. And worse still, the same happened when looking for a new place to stay. I changed my surname and suddenly I received a flood of interest.
What do you think? I feel so upset by this I cannot even believe what I am experiencing. I thought we were so tolerant, so accepting. But as it turns out, we are not. This might be a bias report, I can only tell you what I have experienced. But am I wrong to feel so disappointed and upset?
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