Mana Down the Toilet
I confess to being confused by this article:
“A mother is seeking legal advice after her 5-year-old son was made to clean toilets by a caregiver at Chipmunks as punishment for supposedly hitting a girl in the face with a ball.
“Oriwa Pehi-Livapulu says her son Noble could have become sick and has complained to Child, Youth and Family, which funds the after-school care programme in Rotorua, known as Oscar.
““They could have made him collect the dishes off the table but he was not given that option. He doesn’t even clean the toilet at home, he’s only 5 years old. I draw the line at that. It’s a big no-no.
““My mana has been taken away from me. Noble’s spirit has been trampled on.””
I am no expert on Pacific Island and Maori mana, being both a Pakeha and a foreigner. I am therefore finding it hard to understand why getting a five-year-old to wash out a toilet could be considered mana-removing to the mother. Is this some sort of “untouchables” thing, where cleaning a toilet is considered too menial or low-caste? Is this some sort or archaic female-only task? I fail to see how a five-year-old’s spirit can be trampled on.
Does this mean that the lovely pacific island lady who cleans the place where I work is some sort of domestic outcast? A person without mana? It has been my understanding that mana is dependent on who you are, not simply your social standing, but I might have got the wrong end of the stick here.
This is not a Maori/PI beat up post. I am genuinely concerned. If this lady’s over-the-top reaction is shared by others then “mana” in this context sounds suspiciously elitist. I’ve always been a big fan of bringing more Maori culture into “mainstream” New Zealand (rather than keeping it separate). But I’m not keen on encouraging a caste system or sexist division of labour.
Jun 17 09 3:15 pm
“I fail to see how a five-year-old’s spirit can be trampled on.”
It wasn’t. Local radio reported the toilet cleaning lasted less than two minutes, the kid enjoyed it and asked to do it again.
Never mind, the mother got her five minutes in the sun of victimhood and the possibility of a cash payout to bring back her mana and Whaleoil got another silly name to add to his victim list.
Oh, you wanted an explanation?
Here ’tis
“Ms Pehi-Livapulu, a trainee teacher at Waikato University..”
JC
Ahhh. Thank you. Light dawns…
Jun 17 09 10:45 pm
The Maori Law Review is a good place to find a definition of Mana and the following is from http://www.bennion.co.nz and is from March 2001
“[I]s at the heart of historical and modern Mäori concepts of leadership.” It is political power which may be inherited (whakapapa) and/or gained through personal achievements. The former (mana tüpuna) is still evident in Mäori society but does not inevitably prevail. The latter (mana tangata) is traditionally very important and probably has increased importance in modern times.
Mana is something that is bestowed by birth or earned. either way it can be lost by those who are not deserving of it.
So it doesn’t have anything to do with cleaning toilets? I’m very relieved.
Jun 18 09 4:20 am
I prefer my trusty Reed. Mana is “integrity, charisma, prestige, formal, jurisdiction”.. and from there you go into several dozen phrases like mana tangata which basically extend the meaning pretty much whichever way you want it.
So on one hand she thinks its beneath his dignity and on de udder (as Naas would say) she thinks she is crap for having to clean the loo at home. Add in the name “Noble” and you also get perhaps a degree of sexism and entitlement further down the track.
I think Whale is on to something here
JC
Jun 18 09 1:47 pm
JC, I used the Maori Law Review as an example because it was used in treaty negotiations. I have no doubt that “Mana” is used however it is felt necessary by various creatures, however I like using legal definitions that are accepted by treaty creatures to dispute the claims made by others. it appeals to my perverse sense of humour to tangle these creatures in their own definitions and history. The squirming and twisting with associated racist accusations are a great spectator sport.
Jul 14 09 6:43 pm
If you read the quote properly she did not say her son’s mana was taken away – she said HER mana was taken away.
I think if you read this properly – and take the race glasses off – you will se this is a woman who is upset that her 5 year old was forced to clean toilets – And understandably so – Just like many pakeha would be upset if there 5 yo was forced to do the same thing also.
And just as there as many maori and pakeha who find that punishment unacceptable – There are also probably an equal amount of maori and pakeha who find it perfectly acceptable.
The fact she was upset and found it unacceptable has nothing to do with being maori….
The way she expressed herself was maori – and what caused all the usual online maori bashers to jump all over her.
Let me put it this way – If someone did something to your child that upset you (the actual action is irrelevent for the point I’m making – Maybe they raped your child, smacked your chils or yelled at your child – what it was does not matter)….and you were totally powerless to do anything about it …..you feel helpless..feel useless…feel powerless…..it’s hard to articulate.
She articulated her feelings with a maori word – and I totally understand her: her mana (strenth, sense of authority, ability to protect her child) was taken away from her.
If you start to look at people as people, and maori words the same as other words (in that they are simply sounds that communicate a meaning) maybe you read too deep into something that is obvious.
Jul 15 09 12:24 am
Justin:
I think you should read my post again. At no time do I suggest that the five-year-old’s mana was under consideration. However, his mother clearly articulated that she thought his “spirit” had been trampled on.
Your reaction to this simply underlines my point. I am not concerned by the language that this lady uses, but by the depth of her feeling – as if cleaning a toilet was somehow beneath her, let alone beneath her five year old. You then compare this (absurdly) to someone raping my daughter. It is precisely this lack of sense of proportion (which you have ably demonstrated) which is the point of my post.