Module 4: Cultures & Technology

1. Historical Maori culture and life

      The ancestors of Maori are known that Polynesian people from south-east Asian. Some people said they came from China via Taiwan or even South America. According to oral tradition, they arrived at New Zealand by canoes before 1300 AD. They settled on near coasts and river mouths close at the early time. It was because those area were easy to do fishing and capture selfish.  To Maori people, fishing was sacred activity because they though the fishes were belong to Tangaroa who is the god of the sea. Thus, there were some rules when to fish. For example, fishermen were not allow to bring food while they are on fishing trip. 

Green flax were used for making nets and stone, wood and fish born used for making hooks. 

            Figure.1  Fishing hooks (The encyclopedia of New Zealand, 2014). 

     Also, ancestors of Maori hunt seals and moas. Then, some of them moved on the forest and started growing foods. One of the representative growing food was Kumara.   

                          Figure.2  Kumara plantation (The national library of  NZ, n.d.)

       The gods of the nature were very important to them and they have rich culture of spoken stories  (The encyclopedia of New Zealand, 2014).  It is closely relative to their culture and art. To Maori people carving was integral thing with their history, traditions, and religion.They believed all things have their own spirit and life force (New Zealand in history, 2014). 

                                          Figure.3  Maori caving in Taupo (fine tour NZ,2012)

       In conclusion, before Europeans came to New Zealand, Maori people lives were very traditional which living by hunting and gathering. They believed that they were a part of the nature and all things had spirits and lives. They respected others lives and kept the life style with their language and culture.

2. Modern Life of indigenous

        Nowadays, many indigenous are losing not only their power and even culture.  Although  Maori people are well mingled with modern life style, they also lost their own culture quite much. Modern society has changed their life very much. 

         Many people who are keeping their traditional life style work for cultural show for tourists. Young generations like western style of food and clothing as well. A number of people listen modern pop music especially hip-hop. Robust physique and warlike characteristic allowed them to participate in rough sports like rugby, on the other hand sometimes, they are pointed the fingers as violent people. It is true that  in New Zealand many crimes are involved in Maori people. The rate is about 50 % comparing other ethnicity. 

           Figure.4  NZ prison population (Stastic NZ,2012)

     Language is the one of the symbol of the culture. However, the language of Maori is threatened.  According to survey in 2006, only one in four Maori spoke their language. This is quite serious situation for them. A number of oped minded people are trying to revival their culture and language. There are around 20 Maori radio and TV stations have established. Also, a number of educational institutions and organizations are educating and enlightening their culture.  

                                   Figure.5  Maori TV News (Youtube,2013)

       There were indigenous in Australia called Aborigine. Like Maori, they were the owners of the land. However, after Europeans settled down in 1788, their life was changed very much. Many number of Aborigines were died due to wars and disease by European pioneers. After that the Aborigines lost their living bases and even the right (PALS,2014).
Comparing Maori, their lives was much worse.

  Figure.6  Aborigines (Tjapukai,n.d.)

      Although Maori people tend to live together in specific areas, they can live anywhere in New Zealand. They get the government subsidies regularly and the have other benefits such as fishing limitation. However, Aborigines have less opportunists to educate and medical support than non indigenous people. Alcohol, drugs, and sexual abuse makes the society getting worse. Most Aborigines are still live in remote place and they are not mixed with other race and cultures. Nowadays awareness are trying to maintain their culture and heritages. School, youth work , art,and tourism polices are crated for supporting indigenous people. They finally have their own flag and the Government and whole country tend to Aborigines as the one of their member (PALS,2014).       

References

Fine tour NZ. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.finetoursnewzealand.co.nz/maori-rock-carving-cruise-do103843

National library of New Zealand. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=11858&l=en

New Zealand history. (2008). The Maori. Retrieved from http://www.history-nz.org/maori1.html

PALS.(2014). Aboriginal people today.  Retrieved from http://pals.daa.wa.gov.au/en/resources/aboriginal-people-today/

Statics New Zealand. (2012). New Zealand's prison population.  Retrieved from 
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/yearbook/society/crime/corrections.aspx

The encyclopedia of New Zealand. (2014). People and culture today. Retrieved from http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/maori/page-1

Tjapukai aboriginal culture park. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.tjapukai.com.au/industry-resources/agents/images-and-logos/

Module 3: Ethics of Food

      Nowadays, there are hundreds kinds of foods in the markets and customers can buy them easily and conveniently with cheap price.  Besides, as the global food trade are developed, it is able to buy the tropical fruits in the winter season. It is not a difficult thing to buy  meats or seafood which does not have in the local country. However, a lot of people do not know or not even interest how those foods are produced. Before those foods arrive to the shops as a product, there are such a long and tough procedures.  It requires many labors' effort and time. Moreover, some of fruits and meats are distributed to public with unethical way. 

1.Banana

     Banana is  one of the most global fruits nowadays. According to Lineback and Gritzner (2013), about 80 million ton of bananas are grown yearly, and around 80 percents of they are consumed locally. The other 20 percent of bananas are exported and those bananas are from Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colonbia and Philippines.  

Figure 1.Banana Producers in the world(Geography in the News,2013)

     Inside of this banana industry, there is a serious issue which is relative to an ethic. 

Firstly,there are five huge banana trade companies(Dole, Del Monte, Chiquita, Fyffes, and Noboa) in the world and this industry is controlled by them. The problem is that the price competition is getting stronger and each company goes on sale with extremely low price. It is good for customers but the people who work for banana planting and cropping earn very low wage. According to US Labor Education in the Americas Project (USLEAP, 2006), Unionized banana workers in Latin America can earn around $10 or more a day, but most non-union workers can make $3~$ 5 a day or less. They do not even have any benefit.

     In addition, some workers work really long hours. Banana is easily rot and damaged by pest and disease, so it required a lot of agriculturalist pesticides. However some workers work exposing chemical hazard by those pesticides.

     Furthermore, other problems such as children labors, gender discrimination are keep happened in the industry.

     It is good for customer to buy bananas with cheap price, however, it is not a right issues in terms of ethic. The banana workers have the right to receive normal wage like people works in other industry. Also, their working hours and working environment must be improved.  If the workers are not protected from better working condition, the industry will be collapse one day. To protect this industry and workers, customer also avoid buying cheap bananas from the five  companies. Instead of that customers should buy the bananas with fair trade marks, because these bananas are usually produced from small farms and try to follow the minimum standard of producing cost and workers wage.      Moreover, in 2009, Fair trade labeling Organizations(FLO) decided to increased  the Fair-trade minimum price of banana to help labor's live hood (FLO,2009).

2. Meat

     Chicken is the most common meat for people but because of that reason, their lives are such a piteous. Most poultry animals like chicken, turkey which are raised for meat live in small and narrow cases with their excrement and dust. Almost of male chicks are killed after hatch because they cannot produce eggs and their bodies are smaller than female chicks. To provide pecking each other all of alive chicks cut  their tip of beaks. Female chickens got special injection for increasing their bodies and some cannot walk well because of weight. Once the ability of producing egg is degraded, they are killed for meat. While they are killed by cutting their neck,they are fully conscious. It is hart to find any ethical supports for living animals (PETA,2013).

     Pigs and milk castles are  not much better than poultry. To produce milks, milks castles have to be pregnant constantly. After calf is birthed, they are immediately separated both mother and baby cows get a lot of stress. Breast pumps make the castles have breast disease. Before going to slaughter house, a number of cows and pigs are abused by humans. When they are killed, many of they have consciousness and dying with fear and pain (PETA,2013). Originally,they are raised as humans foods and they are killed anyway, however in terms of ethic, they should live in better living environment. 

Glass walls (RETA,2013)

     To raise cows and pigs, a huge amount of feed grains and water are consumed and because of their manure, water and air pollution is arsing as another issues (NRDC, 2013). To eat a piece of beef stake people may ignore the people are suffering from famine and polluted environment.  Although it is hard to stop eating meat directly, it is the to think about in ethically. 

Reference

Global Issues (2010). The Banana trade war. Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/63/the-banana-trade-war

USLEAP (2006). Banana workers justice and USLEAP. Retrieved from http://www.usleap.org/usleap-initiatives/-banana-worker-justice-initiative/more-information-banana-workers/banana-worker-j

Fairtrade International (2009). Fairtrade fight banana price war. Retrieved from http://www.fairtrade.net/single-view+M5d883ce446e.html

NRDC (2013). Facts about pollution from livestock farms. Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/ffarms.asp