Maori, food and kindergartens.
There are many times when I'm staggered by people's stupidity, but today has just about taken the idiot's prize of the entire universe.
I see an article in Stuff today which claims that some kindergartens have given up on using pasta for art, and that some have even given up using play-dough.
What could cause this? Life-threatening allergies? Shards of glass found in the flour?
Nah.
It's because some Maori believe it's rude to play with food! Apparently, it's "bad tikanga" to use food for anything other than eating.
This is puerile nonsense. For a race of former cannibals to make any claims whatsoever about food is stupid, but some of the comments made beggar belief; I quote:
Cherry's Early Learning Centre manager Gill White said they viewed it as disrespectful to play with food when people in the world were starving.
"It's bad tikanga and there's families out there that are lacking food."
Utter shite. There is no other way to put it - they are idiotic statements. Whether children overseas starve will not be affected by kids using celery sticks and potatoes to make things, nor will it stop local families going hungry because mum and/or dad piss their money away at the pokies.
As far as Maori beliefs go - and I find it laughable that a race which both ate moa to extinction and use bird feathers for decoration and paua shell for making jewellery has an opinion like this - let them keep it to their kohanga. Maori own and run kohanga, and they are welcome to teach whatever crap they like.
However, when it comes to trying to impose their stone-age beliefs on my children, they can kiss my arse.
I'm going to buy some vegetables today solely to use for art with the kids - thanks for reminding me how much fun that is!
(The fact that the most revolting, open-mouthed eaters I've seen have been overwhelmingly Maori isn't even an issue at this stage. I'm also guessing it's bad tikanga to blow one's children's noses as well and much more culturally important to let snot run down their faces.)
Copyright © Alan Charman