Maori story-telling forges earliest childhood memories
11 Feb 2008
Maori have the earliest childhood memories of any culture in New Zealand according to the results of a study just released.
Researchers from Otago University have discovered that the average memory of of a Maori child reaches back to two years of age, while the memories of New Zealand Europeans children begin around a year later.
The study shows the reason for this is the rich story-telling ability of their mothers.
Oral history and story telling are a strong part of Maori culture. This transmission of information in this way could also be a reason memory recall happened so early in life.
The study assessed the narrative environment for 15 Maori and 17 European New Zealand children, aged three to eight. Mothers and children recorded their birth stories on tape, plus six other everyday past events.
Study co-author associate professor Elaine Reese said Maori mothers talked to their children in richer ways about significant events involving them, for example how they were born.
Maori mothers provided more references to time and emotions in their birth stories to their children than European mothers.
''We found that the richness of the style in which mothers related the birth stories strongly predicted how good children were at talking about more recent past events,'' says Reese.
First time mother Ngarangi Walker, says she made a point of talking to her son Karauria-Kahawai, now aged 3 1/2 months, during pregnancy.
''The most powerful thing you can give your children are memories. Whether or not they're good or bad they're still powerful. It's how you build an affinity with them.''
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