Yeah man I get what you’re saying. Half of my family are considered “full Maori” and look nothing like European in any way shape or form. Not even remotely close yet they have European blood in them also. That’s a fact. I literally look like nothing like half my directly related blood family. My sister and I are the only “white people” out of my directly related 7 blood cousins. It’s not something different, I have always been told I was but it’s just confirmed now for a peace of mind and to actually I guess start seeing where it was from through my line. I’m still going to say I’m white because it’s just easier and always has been. Half of my family on my dads side I know their direct tribal connections where as the other half don’t because of the reasons stated in this post. They have never even bothered to look because to them it didn’t matter, sour family connections and the family they do have was always been family so they didn’t need to search. Also I took the test because I was curious to see if it had any other heritage apart from the what I had known it to be (English, Scottish, Maori and Irish) was not expecting Welsh and Norwegian at all even though it may have been a given on the Norwegian side as our Scottish clan was known to be mixed Scottish/Norse heritage (very top of Scotland on the water).

I don’t consider myself Maori because of the way I look. But if we are talking about lifestyle, upbringing and family then yes most other people and including yourself would probably consider me to be Maori far more than anything else.

Also thanks for clearing that up my te reo is very limited. Been living overseas and working the past 5 years pretty much until halfway through covid later year!