Author(s): Peter Meihana

Maori | Ethnicity, Race and Identity

'The idea of Maori privilege continues to be deployed in order to constrain Maori aspirations and maintain the power imbalance that colonisation achieved in the nineteenth century.' The 'idea of Maori privilege', as Peter Meihana describes it, is deeply embedded in New Zealand culture. Many New Zealanders hold firm to the belief that Maori have been treated better than other indigenous peoples, and that they receive benefits that other New Zealanders do not. Some argue that the supposed privileges that Maori receive are a direct attack on the foundations of the nation. 'Privilege in Perpetuity' charts the eighteenth-century origins of this idea, tracing its development over time, and assesses what impact this notion of privilege has had on Maori communities. Central to this history is the paradox, explored by Meihana, of how Maori were rendered landless and politically marginalised, yet at the same time were somehow still considered privileged. The idea of privilege is revealed as central to colonisation in New Zealand and to the dispossession and marginalisation of Maori - and as a stubbornly persistent prejudice that remains in place today.

Author Biography: Peter Meihana is from Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Maui, and is of Ngati Kuia, Rangitane, Ngati Apa ki te Ra To and Ngai Tahu descent. He is a trustee on Te Runanga a Rangitane o Wairau, a former trustee of Te Runanga o Ngati Kuia, and sits on committees for Ngati Apa ki te Ra To. Peter completed his PhD in 2015 with a thesis that examined the notion of Maori privilege and its role in the colonisation of New Zealand. He has published articles and chapters on Maori 'privilege' and the histories and traditions of Te Tauihu o te Waka-a-Maui. He is a senior lecturer in Maori History at Massey University's Manawatu campus.