Research Findings: This paper considers the position of tamariki Maori, the indigenous children of Aotearoa (a Maori name for New Zealand), in relation to the impact of colonization on their rights, including a focus on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the current educational policy arena. It then provides an…

Historical and recent social changes and the roles of women and men in New Zealand are examined. Epidemiological trends and suicide rates are compared cross-nationally. Social and economic changes, Maori cultural perspectives, and the problem of negotiating ethnic identity formation are used to explain high suicide rates. (EMK)