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comparative value priorities of chinese and new zealand

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Regional cultural distinctions tend to be between North Isl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> South Isl<strong>and</strong>,<br />

coinciding largely with population composition <strong>and</strong> size. Half a million Maori plus<br />

nearly two million Pakeha live in the north, <strong>and</strong> eight hundred thous<strong>and</strong> (mostly<br />

Pakeha) live in the south, culturally subdivided between English-heritage (around<br />

Canterbury) <strong>and</strong> Scottish-heritage (around Otago).<br />

Anecdotal Commentary<br />

The <strong>new</strong>s media provide what is essentially anecdotal commentary. From a media<br />

analysis I carried out, primarily from paper <strong>and</strong> online sources from the New Zeal<strong>and</strong><br />

Herald, The Dominion, <strong>and</strong> the Sunday Star Times <strong>new</strong>spapers, the following<br />

characterisations are prevalent.<br />

North Isl<strong>and</strong> is characterised in the media <strong>and</strong> in advertising as urban, cosmopolitan,<br />

with an industrial economy; South Isl<strong>and</strong> is characterised as rural, with an agricultural<br />

<strong>and</strong> pastoral economy (Law, 1997). Despite New Zeal<strong>and</strong>’s generally rural image<br />

internationally, 86% <strong>of</strong> the people live in the five main urban centres: Auckl<strong>and</strong> (over<br />

one million people), Wellington (~360,000), Christchurch (~332,000), Hamilton<br />

(~160,000), <strong>and</strong> Dunedin (~112,000).<br />

National identity in New Zeal<strong>and</strong> involves icons more than institutions. Sportspersons<br />

in general are iconic national identities, with Sir Edmund Hillary currently at the<br />

summit, so to speak, along with the rugby player or other sports winners <strong>of</strong> the moment.<br />

New Zeal<strong>and</strong> is a relatively multicultural society (though more than 70% Pakeha);<br />

however, there is a strong presence <strong>of</strong> self-ghettoisation <strong>and</strong> racial prejudice. “Maori<br />

radicals” <strong>of</strong>ten voice their concerns about differentials in school conditions <strong>and</strong> funding,<br />

<strong>and</strong> living conditions in low-income state-assisted housing.<br />

Ethnicity <strong>and</strong> Geography in New Zeal<strong>and</strong><br />

There are four main ethnic categories collected in previous census data, New Zeal<strong>and</strong><br />

European (Pakeha), New Zeal<strong>and</strong> Maori, Pacific Isl<strong>and</strong> Peoples, <strong>and</strong> “Asians”. Most <strong>of</strong><br />

the Pakeha live in areas where there is little exposure to those <strong>of</strong> other ethnicities. New<br />

Zeal<strong>and</strong> European-heritage residents live in relatively exclusive enclaves. Each <strong>of</strong> the<br />

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