Discuss The Similarities Between Australia And New Zealand

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Culture is defined as the characteristics of a group of people in all aspects such as language, religion, lifestyle etc. Varying societies have different cultures but traces of similarities are still present. Variety in culture ranges from things such as clothes, foods, religion and way of life. A key example of this includes countries such as Australia and New Zealand, both have parts of their culture where the similarities are indistinguishable, yet they differ and provide for an interesting diverse look at the reasons why two countries, bound so closely together have such blatant contrasts. This essay will explore these unique areas and compare as well as contrast each part of Australia's Aboriginal past with New Zealand's famed Maori …show more content…

Yet the Aboriginals seem to have 290–363 different languages that are widely spread and spoken by different people in their community. The Māori have their own language which name called, Māori language or in other words Te Reo Māori. It is believed that the first traces of English in Australia coincide with the time of the first settlement in New South Wales in 1778. Similarly, following the theme of settlers bringing in english, New Zealand faced a similar discovery with British settlers in Tasmania who traveled the seas and founded New Zealand. The Aboriginals alike the Maori, were the first true natives of their home countries, yet due to this overwhelming English influence as well as the lure of modern ideals they brought with them, conversion to this new language is easily explained. Their respective and unique languages still persist to this day, and is still spoken widely, and occurs regularly in religious dances such as the Hakka which is well known to the …show more content…

Given this, identity and recognition are regions of intense significance to Aboriginal individuals. So due to the lack of cultural identity, in 1971 an Aboriginal named Harold Thomas designed a red, yellow and black flag. This flag greatly characterizes the modern Aboriginal identity from the modern Maori identity. The modern Aborigines certify their Aboriginal identity by waving their flag. The Maori express their identity by getting tattoos, speaking the Maori language, and following traditional practices. The Maori eventually established a flag which officially got recognition in 2010. Towards the end of the 20th century, Maoris would define their lives in new and different ways. An example would be that in 1992 the Department of Maori Affairs was renamed and became Te Puni Kokiri which is now the Ministry of Maori development. A couple of important Maori women are Whina Cooper, Eva Rickard, Ripeka Evans and Donna Awatere whom all had an impact in the protest movement. Goergina Te Heuheu was the first Maori woman lawyer and Ngapare Hopa was the first Maori woman to get a

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