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Tarara: Croats and Maori in New Zealand: Memory Belonging Identity
http://www.amazon.com/Tarara-Croats-Z...
"Product Description
Maori called us Tarara, as we speak so fast...At the beginning of the twentieth century, as Croatians left Dalmatia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire for the brave new world of New Zealand, Maori, now part of the British Empire, were losing much of their land and mana. All were looking for work. They came together on the gum fields of the far north. Many of the Croatians settled, some with mail-order brides, others with Maori women - and a unique community was born. This is the story of that community.Today we can travel anywhere, but we still cannot travel to the past. Drawing from official documents, oral histories, novels, letters, newspaper articles, marriage certificates, and much more, Senka Bozic-Vrbancic explores relationships between Maori and Croats. How has their collective identity been shaped by changing legal regulations from colonial times to the bi cultural New Zealand of today? What does it mean to be a New Zealander? "Tarara" is a provocative contribution to ideas about migration, displacement, and the impact of different social models - colonialism, assimilation, biculturalism, and multiculturalism - on Maori and Croatian identity."
"Product Description
Maori called us Tarara, as we speak so fast...At the beginning of the twentieth century, as Croatians left Dalmatia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire for the brave new world of New Zealand, Maori, now part of the British Empire, were losing much of their land and mana. All were looking for work. They came together on the gum fields of the far north. Many of the Croatians settled, some with mail-order brides, others with Maori women - and a unique community was born. This is the story of that community.Today we can travel anywhere, but we still cannot travel to the past. Drawing from official documents, oral histories, novels, letters, newspaper articles, marriage certificates, and much more, Senka Bozic-Vrbancic explores relationships between Maori and Croats. How has their collective identity been shaped by changing legal regulations from colonial times to the bi cultural New Zealand of today? What does it mean to be a New Zealander? "Tarara" is a provocative contribution to ideas about migration, displacement, and the impact of different social models - colonialism, assimilation, biculturalism, and multiculturalism - on Maori and Croatian identity."
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
268 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2008
3 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Senka Bozic-Vrbancic
3 books1 followerSenka Bozanic-Vrbancic doktorirala je 2004. godine sociokulturnu antropologiju na Sveučilištu u Aucklandu, Novi Zeland. Radila je na Sveučilištu u Aucklandu, Sveučilištu u Melbourneu (Australija), Sveučilištu u Lavovu (Ukrajina), Institutu za antropologiju (Zagreb) i Sveučilištu u Zadru, gdje je trenutačno izvanredna profesorica na Odjelu za etnologiju i antropologiju. Područja njezinog interesa su vizualna kultura, migracije, politike sentimentalnosti i politike različitosti (etnička, rodna, klasna). Objavila je velik broj radova, a dobitnica je i nekoliko nagrada za znanstveni rad. Za knjigu Tarara, koja je skraćena verzija doktorskog rada, autorica je 2005. godine dobila nagradu za najbolji doktorski rad Sveučilišta u Aucklandu.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 24, 2011
I found this to be an extremely enjoyable look at the relations between Croations and Maori, as how both groups related to the hegemonic Pakeha society. From the introduction you are made aware that this is going to be a promising book as it explores theoretical issues pertaining to identity, history and questions of subjectivity/objectivity to name but a few. I am not going to lie, at times I found the introduction to be a little difficult to completely grasp. That being said, it was an extremely interesting read and really helped situate the reader for what was to come.
In it's treatment of the two groups, they are not simplified to an essentialist, timeless photo. Rather we are invited to explore the ways both identities were created and recreated through various discourses. The book is possibly more suitable to people who are more accustomed to reading material from the social sciences/humanities. On some levels this is a bit of a shame as it deals with topics and perspectives which are incredibly insightful when it comes to questions of nationalism, in particular what it means to be a 'New Zealander' and ethnic identity. That being said, it enables it to not cheapen the experience with painful oversimplifcations and reductionisms. Although perhaps I am but a simple person and some would argue these still exist aplenty? Nonethess it was an incredibly satisfying read!
In it's treatment of the two groups, they are not simplified to an essentialist, timeless photo. Rather we are invited to explore the ways both identities were created and recreated through various discourses. The book is possibly more suitable to people who are more accustomed to reading material from the social sciences/humanities. On some levels this is a bit of a shame as it deals with topics and perspectives which are incredibly insightful when it comes to questions of nationalism, in particular what it means to be a 'New Zealander' and ethnic identity. That being said, it enables it to not cheapen the experience with painful oversimplifcations and reductionisms. Although perhaps I am but a simple person and some would argue these still exist aplenty? Nonethess it was an incredibly satisfying read!
February 8, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It presents the history of the community of Maori and Dalmatians who lived and worked together in the kauri gumfields in the far north of New Zealand. I gather the book is an anthropology doctorate that has been reworked for a wider audience and examines the documented language and opinions of those inside and outside the community through the lens of social theory.
To me the book worked on two levels. I learned how life would have been like for immigrants, such as my grandfather, who moved from Dalmatia around the time of WWI. I also found it full of thought-provoking ideas about the mechanisms of colonial power, how cultural identity is formed, ideas about migration and displacement, how history is presented in museums and many issues specific to Croatian and NZ history. Although the book is about a relatively obscure community of people who lived a hundred years ago, as a NZer with links to Croatia I found I was learning a lot about myself.
To me the book worked on two levels. I learned how life would have been like for immigrants, such as my grandfather, who moved from Dalmatia around the time of WWI. I also found it full of thought-provoking ideas about the mechanisms of colonial power, how cultural identity is formed, ideas about migration and displacement, how history is presented in museums and many issues specific to Croatian and NZ history. Although the book is about a relatively obscure community of people who lived a hundred years ago, as a NZer with links to Croatia I found I was learning a lot about myself.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews