Alienation in Contemporary Maori Society essays

Alienation in Contemporary Maori Society essays Contemporary Maori society has encountered difficulties in the absence of traditional Maori culture. Maori writers have emphasized alienation as a cultural and singular quandary within post settlement New Zealand. One such Maori writer, Witi Ihimaera, focuses on problems of contemporary Maori society in a number of his works. In the short story entitled, Big Brother, Little Sister, Ihimaera designs a Maori story replete with desperation and alienation that masks love, a corner post in traditional Maori society. In traditional Maori culture, the family was an integral part of the survival based on the clan's ability to cooperate and withstand a sundry assortment of tribulations ranging from agricultural issues to attacks by neighboring clans. By using love to contrast alienation the theme of abandonment is shown as a problem in contemporary Maori society. A sense of estrangement is first introduced in the first domestic scene of the story. The father and mother return after a night of drinking and after a fight about infidelities the father viciously beat his wife and daughter. After being battered the mother filled with fear, exclaims to the father, 'No, John, don't leave me. Don't.' This portrayal begins the departure from a traditional family to a contemporary one. In this encounter the two sides to the story are presented; by trying to protect their mother the children illustrated their love and devotion, the mothers' begging for her husband not to leave the mother's fear of alienation from male support is clearly shown. After these two sides are presented, the mother quickly establishes a trend; alienating her children in an effort to keep a male companion. The first example of this is illustrated shortly after the mother's lover, Uncle Pera moves in after the father leaves. Uncle Pera begins to dislike the children and grants them fewer liberties. At first, Uncle Pera forbids Janey to sleep with the mother. Eventually, the chi...