Māori Descent

Requirements

• The question should elicit responses based on descent not cultural affiliation.
• If a tick box question is used it should have three options, ‘descent’, ‘no descent’ and ‘don’t know’.
• If the term ‘Māori’ is used rather than ‘NZ Māori’, guide notes must state how Cook Island Maori should answer the question.
• Testing has shown that a simple question about descent (or ancestry) will confuse some people; to help clarify the question examples of people the respondent is descended from should be included. In the example below birth parent, grandparent and great–grandparent are used.

Example

The questionnaire module below is an example that meets the requirements documented in this statistical standard. Other questionnaire modules may vary in format but should conform to the requirements contained in this statistical standard.

Help notes

If you are descended from a Māori no matter how far back, tick “yes”.

This module is taken from the 2001 Population Census questionnaire. A “yes” answer led to a question on iwi affiliation (see Classification and Related Statistical Standard for Iwi).