Looking at the Other: Chinese and Maori Youth Perspectives

Abstract

The arrival of many new Chinese migrants since the early 1990s seems to have created a tension between Chinese and Maori in New Zealand. This study explores how young Maori and Chinese migrants perceive each other in the Auckland region, a site of intercultural interaction. In-depth interviews were carried out among eleven new Chinese migrants and the same number of Maori youth, i.e., those in the ages 20 to 36. Findings suggest that Chinese migrants generally perceive Maori negatively and seem reluctant to interact with them, while Maori have slightly positive views towards Chinese and are willing to interact with them. Media reports and lack of personal contact between the two groups may have shaped these perceptions. Closer interaction between the two groups is expected to promote better understanding of each other.