Do's and Don'ts in New Zealand?

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Klipspringer

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#847029 29-Jun-2013 08:39

Elpie:
1080p:
farcus:
1080p:
Words often mean more than one thing. If you feel that 'rangi' is highly offensive then you are in the minority here in NZ. I see no evidence that the term is offensive, only your assertion that it is so.

A lot or racism is based on ignorance and I would certainly say that is the case here for those that are trying to defend the use of the term Rangi with its negative connotation. I don't know how anybody could defend its use in this situation because it certainly fits all the criteria to be termed a racist reference.

Feel free to enlighten me, simply claiming that a word and its connotation for bad execution (which was never solely applied to Maori) is racist seems to reach.

This, which was up for years but removed from the Urban Dictionary last year:

The fact that Urban Dictionary actually removed it should tell you something.

This: http://surfersmag.mpora.de/video/rangi-ormond-loves-terror.html
(look at the first paragraph, which is in English)

Does this enlighten you enough?

I'm seriously not posting anything more on this topic. It sickens and disgusts me. It it also hijacking a good thread about do's and dont's in NZ which, I am certain, has given the OP plenty to think about before making New Zealand his home.

A google search for "a bit rangi" brings up some interesting results.
Racist or not, Its very evident that the term is used very frequently in NZ and is no different from saying "cheap as chips".

The urban dictionary has a few meanings for the word:

1) Kind of like DIY - Do it yourself, but when you do a really **** job, and don't use the right equipment or material.

2) Substandard or cheap

3) The primal sky father in Maori mythology ( The only reference to anything Maori)

4) A scab who asks for food all the time,

So it seems the word has a few meanings. I personally don't see anything wrong with using it in the context of something being cheap or bad DIY. Or maybe even someone who asks a lot for food? Whats that got to do with anything Maori? The word is not even in the Maori dictionary (except for reference to Maori God), therefore in the quoted example I pass it off as blasphemous slang. Not Racist.

Elpie: The people who started this about 10 years ago thought it was funny to use the name of the pre-eminent Maori god to slag off the supposed-laziness of Maori people. The people who continue to use it are probably just ignorant.

Don't know if I buy into this statement as I see no proof that its related to only a Maori God? It has other meanings (see above)

In this thread there has already been blasphemy against my God. Unfortunately that is the way the world works. If this is blasphemy against some Maori God then surely it should be equally ignored? Whats the difference of using another blasphemous phase instead of the word Rangi? Blasphemy is not racisim.

But thanks for the heads up about this one. Out of respect I will stop using the word from here on.
Reason being, its insulting a Maori God!

As mentioned I have used it ample times before without problems, this is the first I hear of it and many of my Kiwi mates use it all the time. Including Maori

Gilco2

1556 posts

Uber Geek

#847036 29-Jun-2013 09:22

Geez I must have been living under a rock all my life. Have never heard the term Rangi used EVER!!. I have worked for 40 years with a huge multi cultural engineering organisation. Born and bred in New Zealand. Never too old to learn something new

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Jemahl

33 posts

Geek

#847604 1-Jul-2013 09:37

Elpie: The fact that Urban Dictionary actually removed it should tell you something.

That tells me that the description was either voted incorrect by the community or deliberately offensive vs. a minority group, and it got moderated. Urban Dictionary should not be used as a legitimate reference for .... anything. It's basically a wiki that is compiled and edited by internet users for fun.

Just to offer a bit of perspective here: My extended family on one side is Maori. We've used 'rangi' (as an adjective) often all our lives and we're ok with it.

surfisup1000

5288 posts

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#847663 1-Jul-2013 12:06

Gilco2: Geez I must have been living under a rock all my life. Have never heard the term Rangi used EVER!!. I have worked for 40 years with a huge multi cultural engineering organisation. Born and bred in New Zealand. Never too old to learn something new

Surely this is off topic, I don't think anyone is necessarily wrong on this subject.

Personally, I think Rangi is an insulting word to mean 'maori'. Because of the general use of this term at my school (South Auckland).

But, your world view differs so you are correct too.

Elpie

1304 posts

Uber Geek

#847669 1-Jul-2013 12:49

Jemahl:
Just to offer a bit of perspective here: My extended family on one side is Maori. We've used 'rangi' (as an adjective) often all our lives and we're ok with it.

To add more perspective: I am Maori. I find it offensive, as does everyone I know. I am also aware of uses of the word having been taken to the race relations office and of the term being evidence in an employment law case of constructive dismissal. There are people who can argue that any racially-motivated term is not offensive to them. They are usually people whom are not targets for racial slurs.

My intention here was not to hijack the thread, nor to debate the rights and wrongs of using denigrating language, but rather to inform the thread. I think the point has been made to the OP that the advice to use the word in NZ was flawed.

hangon

397 posts

Ultimate Geek

#847670 1-Jul-2013 12:51

Does "Rangitoto" imply "Rangi toto" or just become one word?

Thought "Rangitoto" means "Bloody (red) sky".

1080p

1332 posts

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#847690 1-Jul-2013 13:28

Elpie:
1080p:
farcus:
1080p:
Words often mean more than one thing. If you feel that 'rangi' is highly offensive then you are in the minority here in NZ. I see no evidence that the term is offensive, only your assertion that it is so.

A lot or racism is based on ignorance and I would certainly say that is the case here for those that are trying to defend the use of the term Rangi with its negative connotation. I don't know how anybody could defend its use in this situation because it certainly fits all the criteria to be termed a racist reference.

Feel free to enlighten me, simply claiming that a word and its connotation for bad execution (which was never solely applied to Maori) is racist seems to reach.

This, which was up for years but removed from the Urban Dictionary last year:

The fact that Urban Dictionary actually removed it should tell you something.

This: http://surfersmag.mpora.de/video/rangi-ormond-loves-terror.html
(look at the first paragraph, which is in English)

Does this enlighten you enough?

I'm seriously not posting anything more on this topic. It sickens and disgusts me. It it also hijacking a good thread about do's and dont's in NZ which, I am certain, has given the OP plenty to think about before making New Zealand his home.

You must be kidding.

Urban Dictionary is the worst reference for anything. Ever. A cached version of the site has to be even worse... Look at the top definition for the term 'maori'. Do you think people who post trash like this have any real clue?

Your other link is to what I can only assume is a German surfing magazine blog entry from more than a year ago. The English text appears to be a direct copy/paste from Urban Dictionary and does not mention Maori in any way at all.

Given that the entire internet seems to have turned up one non-existent thought that the term 'rangi' applies to Maori in a derogatory sense I think you are very wrong.

My posts are hardly a hijacking of this thread but a clarification on a term some people apparently believe is racist when it is very clear it is not. If anything, your post originally saying it is a bad idea to use the term 'rangi' because it is racist was a hijack.

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Klipspringer

2385 posts

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#847698 1-Jul-2013 13:36

Elpie:
To add more perspective: I am Maori. I find it offensive, as does everyone I know. I am also aware of uses of the word having been taken to the race relations office and of the term being evidence in an employment law case of constructive dismissal. There are people who can argue that any racially-motivated term is not offensive to them. They are usually people whom are not targets for racial slurs.

My intention here was not to hijack the thread, nor to debate the rights and wrongs of using denigrating language, but rather to inform the thread. I think the point has been made to the OP that the advice to use the word in NZ was flawed.

WOW. Talk about PC gone mad.

How on earth can somebody be dismissed over a single incident? No written warning?? That sounds a bit harsh to me. It could not have been a single incident? Or was it. Care to elaborate? Because if its true then their are a few people that I work with who are also in danger of being dismissed, some Maori.

xpd

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#847705 1-Jul-2013 13:46

Gilco2: Geez I must have been living under a rock all my life. Have never heard the term Rangi used EVER!!. I have worked for 40 years with a huge multi cultural engineering organisation. Born and bred in New Zealand. Never too old to learn something new

Ditto... never heard the term either.

But then... my wife never heard a certain saying about Shore girls until I mentioned it one day.... probably depends where you grew up etc.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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hdinsider

552 posts

Ultimate Geek

#847715 1-Jul-2013 14:08

Klipspringer:
Elpie:
To add more perspective: I am Maori. I find it offensive, as does everyone I know. I am also aware of uses of the word having been taken to the race relations office and of the term being evidence in an employment law case of constructive dismissal. There are people who can argue that any racially-motivated term is not offensive to them. They are usually people whom are not targets for racial slurs.

My intention here was not to hijack the thread, nor to debate the rights and wrongs of using denigrating language, but rather to inform the thread. I think the point has been made to the OP that the advice to use the word in NZ was flawed.

WOW. Talk about PC gone mad.

How on earth can somebody be dismissed over a single incident? No written warning?? That sounds a bit harsh to me. It could not have been a single incident? Or was it. Care to elaborate? Because if its true then their are a few people that I work with who are also in danger of being dismissed, some Maori.

Read the post again. There was no mention of it being a single incident forcing dismissal, just of it being used as evidence in an employment law case.

Seriously, how can anyone defend the use of a word that insults a race. Pick another word...

don't mess with me.... i'm the hd insider....

Klipspringer

2385 posts

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#847720 1-Jul-2013 14:34

1080p:
Urban Dictionary is the worst reference for anything. Ever. A cached version of the site has to be even worse... Look at the top definition for the term 'maori'. Do you think people who post trash like this have any real clue?

Urban Dictionary references Pakeha as a racist term for a New Zealander of caucasian descent.

hdinsider:
Seriously, how can anyone defend the use of a word that insults a race. Pick another word...

Not defending the use of the word at all.
I'm a foreigner here too so this is all very interesting to me.

eracode

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#847723 1-Jul-2013 14:41

Klipspringer:
Elpie:
To add more perspective: I am Maori. I find it offensive, as does everyone I know. I am also aware of uses of the word having been taken to the race relations office and of the term being evidence in an employment law case of constructive dismissal. There are people who can argue that any racially-motivated term is not offensive to them. They are usually people whom are not targets for racial slurs.

My intention here was not to hijack the thread, nor to debate the rights and wrongs of using denigrating language, but rather to inform the thread. I think the point has been made to the OP that the advice to use the word in NZ was flawed.

WOW. Talk about PC gone mad.

How on earth can somebody be dismissed over a single incident? No written warning?? That sounds a bit harsh to me. It could not have been a single incident? Or was it. Care to elaborate? Because if its true then their are a few people that I work with who are also in danger of being dismissed, some Maori.

KS: I am not sure you understand what 'constructive dismissal' means. If you think it means dismissal with no written warning, it does not.

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Jemahl

33 posts

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#847743 1-Jul-2013 15:14

Elpie: To add more perspective: I am Maori. I find it offensive, as does everyone I know.

Thats fair enough. Your experience tells you one thing, and mine another. But I think in this instance we can actually both be right - it all comes down to context.

Another example: As well as the originally posted definition, to 'rangi' something has also been used (in my experience) to describe fixing or constructing something in a way that is far from the recommended method, using non-standard materials, but the end result is just as functional. Not dissimilar to applying Kiwi Ingenuity™ I'd say, and not entirely negative.

It seems you can either apply the term to simply describe an action or throw it at someone hatefully that you dislike.

Peppery

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#847904 1-Jul-2013 20:48

Gidday [Gid•A]: 1. Hello.

Kia Ora [Key•or•a]: 1. Hello.

Cheers [Chairs]: 1. Hello. 2. Goodbye. 3. Thank you.

Chur Bro [Ch•err Br•oh]: 1. Thank you. 2. I acknowledge the positive comment you have made.

Yeah, nah [Year, naa]: 1. No.

Tumeke [Two•meck•eh]: 1. This is comical to the point of crazy. 2. This is too much for me to handle without laughing.

Bro [Br•oh]: 1. Friend.

Shot [shot]: 1. Thank you. 2. Well done. 3. Great work. 4. I agree with you.

Dunny [Done•ee]: 1. Toilet

Not even, ow [Not Even hou ~~r~~]: 1. That is not true.

All Blacks [All Blacks]: 1. New Zealand's National Rugby Team

Haere Mai [Hi•re•my]: 1. Come over here. 2. Hello, come in.

Haere Ra [Hi•re•ra]: 1. Goodbye. 2. Thanks for coming.

Far out [Far out]: 1. That is amazing.

Manus [Marn•es]: 1. Idiot. 2. Fool. 3. Egg.

Egg [Egg]: See Manus

Throw a wobbly [Throw a wob•lee]: 1. Have a tantrum.

Kai [Rhymes with Sky]: 2. Food.

Bach [Batch]: 1. Holiday home

Cuz [Ca•zzz]: 1. Short for Cousin. 2. Close friend. 3. Family member. 4. Stranger on the street who you share some communality with.

Sweet as [Sweet us]: 1. Yes. 2. Ok, I will do that. 3. I acknowledge your statement. 4. I accept what you are saying to be true. 5. I disagree but accept your decision.

Sweet [Sweet]: 1. Ok 2. A sigh of acknowledgement. 3. Uh huh.

Eh? [A]: 1. What? 2. I didn't quite hear that?

Bugger [Bugger]: 1. Damn.

She'll be right [She'll be right]: 1. Everything will be alright. 2. There is no need to worry. 3. This too will pass.

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