New growth from old: the Whanau in the modern world

Metge, Joan

Book

New growth from old: the Whanau in the modern world

Victoria University Press • Wellington, N.Z. • Published In 1995 • Pages:

By: Metge, Joan.

Abstract
This is a study of the Maori whānau, which in it basic verbal form means 'to be born'. In actual use, however, its original reference was to a set of siblings born of the same parents, but like family in English it has acquired a range of other meanings distinguished by context. The most important of these is a large family group comprising several generations and parent-child families related by descent from a recent ancestor (p. 16). The concept of 'the whānau' in this sense has remained important to the Maori people from pre-European times to the present, and it is this concept which forms the basis of this work. In this monograph Metge surveys the range of meanings given to the word whānau and then builds a generalized model or picture of the primary referent within this range, a model broad enough to encompass the major variations which have developed over the last forty years in urban as well as rural areas. The author examines the dynamic development of a typical whānau between 1955 and 1985, and then two particular aspects of child-rearing dealing with sharing the caring and adoption, and concludes her study with methods of dealing with problems within the whānau.

Extended families

Rule of descent

Sociocultural trends

General character of religion

Ethos

Child care

Adoption

Sex and marital offenses

Public lectures

Maori

HRAF PubDate

2009