ABSTRACT
In an ethnically homogenous society, ethnic identity is virtually non-existent. It is only when one group comes into contact with another that ethnic difference is realized. Phenotype, linguistic fluency and cultural knowledge as indicators of ethnic difference between Māori and Pākehā have always played, and continue to play, an important part in Māori ethnic categorization. Encounters with others that query these differences are not only made during Māori and Pākehā interactions, but also during interactions with other Māori. This chapter will use anecdotes from interviews with people who grew up outside of their tribal area, to weave together a narrative of when indicators of difference became realizations of ethnic difference within a particular urban context.
