“Controversy Erupts as Non-Māori Artist’s Indigenous Work Sparks Heated Debate Over Cultural Identity”

The intolerance of most white people was based less on an assumption of genetic superiority than of cultural superiority, the Encyclopedia states.

As per the Encyclopedia, the conversion of Māori to Christianity, the usurping of their resources (notably land for farming by settlers) and the growing dominance of the institutions of the New Zealand state were based on beliefs about the superiority of European civilization.

Image credits: artist_hazelhunt

This was also based on the perceived backwardness of Māori culture. Moreover, Māori schooling was based on the assumption that Māori were capable of becoming westernized as “honorary whites.”

Professor Warren pointed to a similar controversy that unfolded with an exhibition of Dutch-New Zealand artist Theo Schoon in 2019, which set off a debate about the place of racially problematic work in public spaces. 

“Presenting Schoon’s work now involves facing up to a series of issues,” Skinner and Aaron Lister, who curated the exhibition, wrote in a catalog.

TikToker Lydia agreed with criticism highlighting the painter’s sense of “entitlement”

@ifoundlydia theres alot you could unpack but this is why its important to support Māori artist if you are buying Māori art specifically. We are wanting to create safe spaces for our kids and art inheriently brings energy into their space. #tewikiotereomaori#maoritiktok#nzartist#nzfyp#greenscreenvideo#nzmum ♬ original sound – Lydia Tuaiti

They continued: “The most urgent is his appropriation of Māori art. The colonialist — at times, patently racist — ideas underpinning his project are difficult to see past from a contemporary perspective. 

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