A person of European descent born in or native to New Zealand is officially and culturally referred to as a Pākehā in the Māori language, or more broadly as a New Zealand European in official demographic statistics. While Pākehā is widely accepted and utilized in everyday bilingual contexts across the country, individuals may also simply refer to themselves as New Zealanders or Kiwis, reflecting a shared national identity that transcends ethnic backgrounds within the modern multicultural society.