Yes that is the idea — You integrate with us.

The question of authority and the individual from a Maori point of view has to be considered within the context of the total social field. Maoris are born into a world which has a social structure determined by historic antecedents. Briefly, the crucial historic determinants were those of a viable culture overlaid by an era of colonial exploitation and outright subjugation by superior fire power. The Maori accommodated to Pakeha dominance following the crushing of the prophetic movements of Te Ua, Te Kooti and Te Whiti in the 1870's by a policy of withdrawal.

The Maori withdrew to his tribal hinterland, there to "whakatipu tangata" to plant and rear men. It was during this period of withdrawal that the Maori renewed his strength and regenerated his culture. The great leaders of the day. Buck, Ngata and Pomare worked on a wide front of improving standards of hygiene, housing, education and farming practices. Their success was measured by the rapid population recovery of the Maori from 40,000 at the turn of the century to over 275,000 today. They also revised Maori arts and crafts and an interest in Maori songs and poetry. The Maori culture groups that today sing traditional waiata as well as modern action songs are the living embodiment of the vision of these men to maintain the cultural continuity of the Maori. At the heart of Ngata's programme was the renovation and building of maraes, the focal point of Maori community life. Up until the urban migration of the postwar years the majority of the Maoris were born into rural Maori communities within a tribal context.

In such communities there was a well defined social structure and hierarchy of authority. At the elementary level was the whaanau or extended family unit headed by the father. After him, rank was determined by order of birth, the mataamua or first born having seniority over his teina or junior siblings. The spokesman of the extended family on the forum of the marae was the most senior member present, namely the patriarch. In his absence the first born male had the right to speak. At the community level the larger unit of the hapu or sub-tribe recognised certain kaumaatua or elders as leaders by virtue of seniority of descent on a genealogical basis. Despite this hierarchy of elders, patriarchs and senior males, their power was not authoritarian. Apart from some tribes such as the Arawa who did not permit their women to speak on the marae, the marae for those who had rights or tuurangawaewae in was an entirely democratic institution.