I have written this piece which was actually out of the book Nga Tau Tohetohe, by Ranginui Walker. For me it describes what our people of the past and what we are doing to get equality. It is long, but persevere, it is sad, it is funny and I think well worth the read specially for our young men and women. Remember these quotes were made in 1978. Read them then compare with todays NZ and by all means comment. Kia ora. BEING A MAORI We are all one people said Captain Hobson at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, to give expression to the birth of a new nation consisting of Maori and Pakeha. In recent times Hosbons words have been rephrased to We are all New Zealanders by politicians and other public figures who make pronouncements about Maori. In essence this latest variation to measure against of the one people myth is a cultural put down and a denial of Maori identity. It expresses our countrys deeply rooted commitment to assimilation as a solution to complex relations in a heterogeneous society. The pakeha majority is so convinced of the inspirational effect of the unilateral myth of oneness that it seldom occurs to them to consult Maori views. Recently I came into possession of a document circulating among Maori, called Being a Maori is. With acknowledgement to its Tuhoe originators, the following selection is offered against the one people myth. Being Maori is: Having the greatest grandparents in the world Respecting your elders because they earned it Having 250,000 brothers and sisters Fouling up the government and its statistics Having nowhere for the kids to go and getting a visit from the police who want to see them Not laughing at your kids when they mispronounce your language Talking rough Not giving up the struggle to survival Waiting patiently for another Ngata, Buck or Te Kooti To love Paua and mussels and told you have to have a pakeha permit To never drink alone To able to dodge daggers at a pakeha social gathering To know the difference between a Maori, a Maori/Pakeha, a Pakeha/Maori and a Pakeha and to beware of the last two To pray to God before a meeting Having a pakeha tell you it is wrong to believe in more than one God and listen him tell ypu about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Virgin Mary, St Patrick, St Francis, Joseph Smith etc. To miss work because so many of your relations are dying Fighting for the NZ government to save the country from the evils of communism and fighting the government to save your land Owning land and not being able to use it. Going to school to eat your lunch Watching the teacher teach the other kids Punching a pakeha in the mouth for saying you are dumb Getting you pakeha wife to ask the landlord for the flat Belonging to a particular tribe which is the best in the country Believing your canoe is faster than the Queen Mary Having your friends and relatives accuse you of being a traitor if your earn more than $7000, wear a tie and drive a new car Thinking theree something wrong with your TV when it appears to be hooked up to Gt Britain. Watching Tarzan save Africa Liking Air New Zealands tail Running yourself broke to service the marae to service the whole world Being Maori is hard, being Maori is sad, being Maori is to laugh, being Maori is to cry, being Maori is forever 11th February 1978 TO BE AS ONE WE MUST FIRST ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 04:44:35 +0000
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