TEXT A Maoritanga is Maori
culture: the Maori way of life and view of the world. Maoritanga is a growing
and changing part of life in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Maori have adopted many
aspects of western culture as their own, and more and more New Zealanders now
share in the riches of Maori heritage. Most Maori people can
trace descent for the chiefs of Hawaiki who sailed to Aotearoa in ocean-going
sailing canoes. Aotearoa had been discovered by the great explorer Kupe who
passed on sailing directions when he returned to Hawaiki. Archaeological
evidence supports Maori oral traditions and genealogical records which suggest
Kupe lived about 1200 years ago. The colonists from Hawaiki--probably situated
in the area now known as French Polynesia--found other Polynesian people already
living in Aotearoa. The voyagers inter-married with them and established a
tribal society in which kinship and links with land are key elements.
The marae--the meeting house and land around it--is the focus of Maori
community life. The land and buildings are the venue for major social, political
and ceremonial occasions. The meeting house synthesizes many aspects of Maori
design and craft: the structure itself has a human form and is named after an
ancestor, and it signifies the unity of the tribal group. The open ground in
front of the house is symbolic of the tribal land holding from which tribal
identity and mana (prestige) are derived. The whole marae operates according to
democratic principles which have evolved from the strict codes of behaviour that
governed every aspect of traditional life. Today, the majority
of Maori people live away from the marae. Many live and work in cities and must
make special efforts to maintain social and cultural links with their Maori
heritage. It is especially difficult for younger people who are two or three
generations removed from tribal lands and lifestyle. The decline of Maori
language especially since the Second World War, is an indicator of the stress
affecting the Maori community. Nevertheless, Maori have
succeeded in maintaining their distinctive identity, their Maoritanga, and these
traditional values and institutions are the springboard for the current
resurgence of Maori culture. According to the passage, which of the following statements about modern Maori-people is NOT true
A．They assimilate aspects of western culture into their own. B．Most of them live an urban life. C．Younger people have no interest in maintaining their Maori heritage. D．They are trying to revive Maoritanga.