Curious

There’s been some things that I’ve been mulling over the last few months and it’s to do with my non-pakeha and queer identity. There’s something about the term queer that doesn’t quite cover my whole identity well enough and I’ve been thinking/questioning if I could use the term Takataapui to describe myself.

For you who unsure of the definition of Takataapui, ‘a person that identifies as takatāpui is a Māori individual that is queer, in other words gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or transsexual (LGBT) . The term encompasses not only aspects of sexuality but one’s cultural identity’. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takatāpui

I know and acknowkedge that it is meant to describe someone who is Maori and Queer/Trans identitfied but I’ve had some interesting conversations with people who do think that it is appropriate for me to use for myself. I am Vietnamese ethnically, Australian born and New Zealand raised. I often feel at odds with whether I stand up as a person of colour or a queer person as both have really big issues to deal with separately. I feel like the term Takataapui is more inclusive of both identities.

I wanted to know what thoughts people had about this. I don’t know how much conversation this will generate but it’s nice putting it out into the open.

Hmm.. this question is interesting! I for one believe that Takataapui shouldn’t be something that is restricted to one ethnic background… and may be used by Maori to describe the relationship of other peoples sexuality (or gender identity) and culture as a whole. I’m not sure whether it is culturally restrictive or not… and I don’t know whether it should be. I think there needs to be a term out there that “encompasses not only aspects of sexuality but EVERYone’s cultural identity” (if that made any sense at all.)

I didn’t even know there was a term for homosexuality in Maori at all until my parents decided to bring it up when I came out. I was like, “What the hell?! Why haven’t I heard this term at all… anywhere?! Like school????” I believe I fall under the term Takataapui. Because I am a Maori youth that identifies as Homosexual.

Tauiwi Takatāpui??

I’m tangata whenua/ queer/ genderqueer and am only just coming to terms with identifying as Takatāpui. I think the reasons I haven’t identified as such are because fundamentally, I haven’t felt Māori enough. some other feelings i have on this are that
a) I do not speak the reo
b) I spend more of my time embedded in feminist/tauiwi culture rather than Māori culture/community
c) I’m shit scared of being the spokesperson for Takatāpui issues.

Maybe these reasons don’t apply to you and maybe some do I’m not sure. I guess if I met you and you identified as Takatāpui I would take that as you recognising and acknowledging Māori world view.
Hmmnn.

I have strong sense of solidarity and sharing between non pakeha identified folk. Your wanting to use the term does not come from a place of (colonial white) privilege so….

i dunno

I’m just gonna follow my puku (instincts) more and more with how I choose identify..

LOOOL you can be maori and not ‘Takataapuhi’. This word just covers homosexuality and same sex relationships. Personally I identify that way due to the fact I can speak te reo, am connected to the land though whangai and am queer. No one is forcing you to be someone you’re not.
If you don’t want to be seen as Takataapuhi the other word for gay/queer in te reo is Hoingo. As to the matter of spokesperson for the takataapuhi community, that is completely up to you. But maumahara ana (remember) that you cannot be maori and not have some sort of connection to the land and people around you, for instance, even tho i am of Ngati Porou whangai I can whakapapa (relate to) Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Maniapoto, two tribes indigenous to the area in which i am living thanks to bonds formed by takataapuhi people aka my ancestors. :-D