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Story: Occupational structure

Māori and city jobs

Video file

A huge proportion of young Māori moved from rural to urban areas after the Second World War and needed to find new occupations. This film clip from 1967 shows a training scheme run by Wellington Polytechnic to help young Māori adjust to city life. They were shown various career options and encouraged to take on apprenticeships or gain further qualifications. Of the 34 boys in this group, 31 took on apprenticeships or jobs, while 23 girls took jobs and two returned to school to qualify for university entrance.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: To live in the city. National Film Unit, 1967

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Paul Callister and Robert Didham, Occupational structure – Ethnicity, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/22562/maori-and-city-jobs (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paul Callister and Robert Didham, published 14 April 2010.