TOPIC 1: NZ’S CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT continued

The effects of culture

Culture is learned and this learning starts so early that we are largely unaware of its effect on how we see the world and others.

Our culture affects:

What we do
What we think
What we feel

Because culture has such a profound influence on us, it affects how we view others, who we are attracted to, who we make friends with. It also affects how easily we can understand people from another culture. The ability to understand and accept another culture depends in part on the degree of difference between the two cultures.

Cultures change over time and in particular where cultures meet they impact on one another. For example, the Maori culture has changed through the influence of European immigration and at the same time the culture of the immigrants has changed through the influence of Maori culture.

‘New Zealand’s cultural environment’ refers to our rich and complex culture resulting from the diverse mix of people who have made NZ home. It also recognises that Maori culture sets us apart from the rest of the world and provides us with the unique flavour of being a New Zealander.

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	Cultural Training - Unit standard 7091: Version 3

Cultural Training - Unit standard 7091: Version 3

TOPIC 1: NZ’S CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT continued