|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Myth Busters >
Myth: "The browning of New Zealand"
This unfortunate myth comes in a number of forms and is usually associated with comments and misinformation about the diversification of New Zealand's multicultural society.
One version claims that 41 percent of New Zealand's population will be Mäori, Pacific or Asian in 2021. Does this add up?
Where did the 41 percent come from?
According to Statistics New Zealand's population projections, in 2021 Mäori will comprise 17 percent of the population, 9 percent will identify with a Pacific ethnicity and 15 percent with an Asian ethnicity. That's where the 41 percent comes from – 17 + 9 + 15 = 41.
But what about the European ethnic group? Population projections suggest that 70 percent of the population will identify with a European ethnicity in 2021, making European the largest ethnic group.
Wait a minute! 70 + 41 = 111 (even without including the Other ethnic group). Shouldn't the ethnic groups add up to 100 percent? No, because people can and do identify with more than one ethnic group.
It is also not true to say that 41 percent of population are Pacific, Asian or Mäori because of the "overlaps" between ethnic groups. For example, a significant part of the Pacific population is also part of the Mäori population. Almost half of the Mäori population also affiliate with other ethnicic groups. For this reason, it is incorrect to add any of the ethnic groups together.
This myth is busted.
It is important to recognise that ethnic groups are not discrete populations, they often share individuals and therefore the sum of the ethnic group populations exceeds the total population. Do not ever be tempted to add ethnic groups together.
Multiple ethnicity is increasing, and people's ethnicities may change over time. In the 2001 Census, 9 percent of New Zealand's population identified with more than one ethnic group, this had increased to 10.4 percent in 2006. In 2006, 19.7 percent of people aged under 15 years identified with more than one ethnicity.
Ethnicity is self-defined and relates to socio-cultural identity. It is completely incorrect to associate ethnic data with such concepts as skin colour as this myth tends to imply.
For more information from the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings see the Quickstats about Culture and Identity
Provided by Statistics New Zealand, 26 October 2006.
|
|