Maori Gene Claim Stirs NZ Family Violence Debate WELLINGTON –
New Zealand’s indigenous Maori population reacted angrily on
Wednesday to a researcher’s findings that Maori have a high
representation of a gene linked to aggression, as the nation
faces a domestic violence crisis. Rod Lea told a genetics
conference in Australia that Maori men were twice as likely as
European men to carry monoamine oxidase, describing it as a
"striking over-representation" of what has been described as the
warrior gene. Media reports of Lea’s findings outraged Maori
leaders who said they only reinforced "Once Were Warriors"
cultural stereotypes, a reference to a harrowing 1994 movie
about domestic violence in poor Maori families. "I’ve been asked
by reporters whether this gene is the reason why we’re a violent
race, why we feature so highly in criminality rates, that we’re
predisposed toward aggression," Maori Party co-leader Tariana
Turia said in a statement. "Once were gardeners, once were
astronomers, once were philosophers, on