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CONTEXTUALIZATION
In the nineteenth century Maori masculine physicality was, like the untamed countryside, something to be conquered and civilized; in the twentieth century it was something to be harnessed to provide manual labor for New Zealand's developing colonial nation; in the twenty-first century it has become a spectacle played out by the overachievement of tane (Maori men) on the sports field.1 So how did a Maori boy, who once reveled in the physicality of rugby and other physical pursuits, and who has completed bachelor, master's, and doctoral degrees in physical education and sport, come to such conclusions?
As a youth, my passion for the physical was not dissimilar to that of many boys of my age who grew up in rural New Zealand. I was raised in a masculine culture where it was necessary for both Maori and Pakeha males to demonstrate their physical aptitude.2 In my hometown of Opatiki,3 physical conquests, especially in sport, gave me confidence and allowed me to strive for success without facing ridicule. In contrast, academic achievement was at best acknowledged but usually derided. Males had to be extremely confident in their physicality or face social ostracism. So embroiled in this masculine culture was I, that I believed it defined all New Zealand men, both Maori and Pakeha. Looking back, however, I realize that while physicality was a common definer of New Zealand males, Maori boys often faced barriers to the nonphysical realm that Pakeha boys did not.
A turning point in my life experiences occurred in 1985 when a university careers adviser visited my school. When I asked him about studying physical education at university, he replied, "PE is not for you. It involves biology, anatomy, physiology, and other scientific subjects; it's not just about running around and jumping." I walked away extremely despondent, unable to comprehend why I was being told I could not do PE. The adviser did not even know my name; he knew nothing about my academic record or my capabilities; all he knew was that I was Maori, wore an earring, and had long hair. He saw my interest in physical education as stemming from a lazy disposition. From his perspective, I was searching for an easy, nonacademic career-a career in the physical as...