May 29, 2019
Māori interaction can be mistaken
Manurewa MP Louisa Wall says the physical nature of many Māori interactions needs to be handled carefully in cross cultural settings.
She was commenting on a report on bullying and harassment in parliament, including some complaints to reviewer Debbie Francis of unwanted touching.
Ms Wall says especially during welcomes Māori want to show respect and regard through hongi, hugs and handshakes.
"I think the boundary issue is one that has to be explored because unwanted touching was identified in the report. We are talking about people touching people, usually for women it's our breasts and our backsides or trying to grab us around the waist. Those are the inappropriate touching which have been highlighted in the report", she says.
Louisa Wall says much of the report was a reminder of how power relationships within parliament can go wrong if clear boundaries are not set.
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