Bicultural Practice: Beyond Mere Tokenism

Two distinct cultures-an indigenous Maori culture and a largely Anglo-European New Zealand national culture-co-exist, often uncomfortably, within the society, incorporating values and traditions of both cultures and reflecting customs, laws, practices and institutional arrangements.

“Two distinct cultures: an indigenous M aori culture and a largely Anglo-European New Zealand national culture, co-exist, often uncomfortably, within the society, incorporating the values and traditions of both cultures and reflecting this society's customs, laws, practices and institutional arrangements (Eketone and Walker, 2015).”

The profession aspires to bicultural practice based on The Treaty of Waitangi, a partnership between various tribes of Maori and the British Crown signed in 1840.

“The profession aspires to bicultural practice, based on The Treaty of Waitangi (henceforth, in M aori language Te Tiriti o Waitangi), which is a partnership between various tribes of M aori and the British Crown signed in 1840 (Eketone and Walker, 2015;Ruwhiu, 2013).”

New Zealand could not claim to be multicultural because government institutions and policies only accommodate one, or at best two, cultural ways of being, knowing, valuing, and doing.

“'With this view, New Zealand could not claim to be multicultural because government institutions and policies only accommodate one, or at best two, cultural ways of being, knowing, valuing, and doing' (Eketone and Walker, 2015: 108).”

Eketone and Walker explain that, in a multicultural society, it is often understood that non-dominant cultural groups are not fully accommodated-they live under the country's laws and customs within a society in which a power dynamic is generated where the privileged in the society maintain monoculturalism.

“Eketone and Walker (2015) explain that, in a multicultural society, it is often understood that non-dominant cultural groups are not fully accommodatedthey live under the country's laws and customs within a society in which a power dynamic is generated where the privileged in the society maintain monoculturalism.”

Aotearoa New Zealand uniquely recognises biculturalism stemming from Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a formal, political, social and cultural structure within the country coexists between two cultures.

“On the other hand, Aotearoa New Zealand uniquely recognises biculturalism stemming from Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a formal, political, social and cultural structure within the country coexists between two cultures.”