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Feb. 6th, 2004 04:10 pmSooo... today's Waitangi day, which causes me to be reasonably thoughtful every year (at least half because the library's shut and it's a public holiday. *stabs* I need books!) At any rate, rather than actually explain this, I've lifted a post from a friend of mine, which is acccurate and thoughtful if a little depressing.
"Well. Tomorrow is Waitangi Day. Such is the racial tension and general political unpleasantness surrounding this day that really, it's not really a clebration but a day when the Marae at Waitangi is picketed and there are riots. A Marae is an area with a meeting house and a peice of land where the tribe people make their meetings.
When the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on the 6th of february, 1840, it said that Maori would keep their land, give the rest of the country to the British and therefore get Bristish citizenship but the translation into Maori was so bad that the meaning of ownership was lost to the Maori people. Then afterwards, the Maori started selling their land to the British in place for guns (there was a lot of civil unrest) The trouble was that Maori didn't have the same concept of ownership of land as the British, that is, they believed that they were all only 'borrowing' the land from the gods, and that it didn't really belong to anyone.
So, then the Maori were without their land, which contradicted the Treaty. So about 10 years ago a Tribunal was set up so that Maori could make claims for their land, or ask for compensation. Not long ago a claim was made for the seabed and foreshore. In NZ, free access to the beaches is something that everyone couldn't live without, so the government decided to pass legislation which meant that no claims could be made for the seabed and foreshore.
About a week ago the leader of the opposition made a speech saying that special privelages are being given to Maori, and that's it's unfair to treat them differently from any other New Zealanders. It's true that there are many many more scholarships for Maori, and they're one of the scoio-economical groups which needs the most support, but the fact is that someone who is one 16th Maori can claim their ancestry and become aplicable for all these things, where as any other person can't.
Anyway, both the leader of the opposition and the Prime Minister have caused huge public outcry over their respective speeches and legislation. Today at Waitangi there was the worst scenecs of discord in the nation's history. Many minister were caught in fights and the leader of the opposition had mud pelted at him. The prime minister had to have extra police called in so that she could leave the Marae safely. It was a cirus. There was both support and anger for both the government and the opposition. But mostly I think there was dismay, certainly evryone I have talked to at school has been upset.
You know, as a student of Maori, and as a European, this is very difficult to take a side on. Yes, I feel that Maori should have the same status in law as anyone else, but I don't think that they should be denied their traditional lands. But then we have to remember that there was another race here before the Maori who were wiped out - the Moriori. And we also need to think of New Zealand as a whole, not just as the Maori, and then as the rest.
I'm part of this, because New Zealand is where I live and because I learn Maori, I am considered Maori by my teacher Koka Lilie. I can't take a stand in this because there are valid points on either side. New Zealand is in uproar currently. If we're unlucky we'll have civil war. Tomorrow is Waitangi day, it's supposed to be a celebration. All it will bring will be more anger.
So ends Connie's shortened history of New Zealand Poilitcs. "
So- all the facts are there. I think, though, that she's put a rather... depressive spin, I suppose you could say, on it. Yes, there're a lot of, uhm, "issues" surrounding Waitangi day. However, I think that it's untrue that it is such a time of unrest and unhappiness. Sure, there are still problems. But I think we shoudl also take a quick look at the positive.
For a start- at least the Treaty was made and, where it hasn't been honoured, NZ is at least trying to repair the damages. Sure, there are idiots who want to do away with the Waitangi Tribunal. but I feel its very existence is, well, a triumph- though I'm aware it's flawed, very much so.
A second point: you know, for as many people whoa re unhappy and furious about the Treaty, for whichever reasons, there are a lot fo people who are happy wih it and think it's done a good job. it's been bad, and it's been good- but without it, I doubt there would have been much good at all.
Well, I don't have much else to say.... Just vague meditations on Connie's theme. :)
"Well. Tomorrow is Waitangi Day. Such is the racial tension and general political unpleasantness surrounding this day that really, it's not really a clebration but a day when the Marae at Waitangi is picketed and there are riots. A Marae is an area with a meeting house and a peice of land where the tribe people make their meetings.
When the Treaty of Waitangi was signed on the 6th of february, 1840, it said that Maori would keep their land, give the rest of the country to the British and therefore get Bristish citizenship but the translation into Maori was so bad that the meaning of ownership was lost to the Maori people. Then afterwards, the Maori started selling their land to the British in place for guns (there was a lot of civil unrest) The trouble was that Maori didn't have the same concept of ownership of land as the British, that is, they believed that they were all only 'borrowing' the land from the gods, and that it didn't really belong to anyone.
So, then the Maori were without their land, which contradicted the Treaty. So about 10 years ago a Tribunal was set up so that Maori could make claims for their land, or ask for compensation. Not long ago a claim was made for the seabed and foreshore. In NZ, free access to the beaches is something that everyone couldn't live without, so the government decided to pass legislation which meant that no claims could be made for the seabed and foreshore.
About a week ago the leader of the opposition made a speech saying that special privelages are being given to Maori, and that's it's unfair to treat them differently from any other New Zealanders. It's true that there are many many more scholarships for Maori, and they're one of the scoio-economical groups which needs the most support, but the fact is that someone who is one 16th Maori can claim their ancestry and become aplicable for all these things, where as any other person can't.
Anyway, both the leader of the opposition and the Prime Minister have caused huge public outcry over their respective speeches and legislation. Today at Waitangi there was the worst scenecs of discord in the nation's history. Many minister were caught in fights and the leader of the opposition had mud pelted at him. The prime minister had to have extra police called in so that she could leave the Marae safely. It was a cirus. There was both support and anger for both the government and the opposition. But mostly I think there was dismay, certainly evryone I have talked to at school has been upset.
You know, as a student of Maori, and as a European, this is very difficult to take a side on. Yes, I feel that Maori should have the same status in law as anyone else, but I don't think that they should be denied their traditional lands. But then we have to remember that there was another race here before the Maori who were wiped out - the Moriori. And we also need to think of New Zealand as a whole, not just as the Maori, and then as the rest.
I'm part of this, because New Zealand is where I live and because I learn Maori, I am considered Maori by my teacher Koka Lilie. I can't take a stand in this because there are valid points on either side. New Zealand is in uproar currently. If we're unlucky we'll have civil war. Tomorrow is Waitangi day, it's supposed to be a celebration. All it will bring will be more anger.
So ends Connie's shortened history of New Zealand Poilitcs. "
So- all the facts are there. I think, though, that she's put a rather... depressive spin, I suppose you could say, on it. Yes, there're a lot of, uhm, "issues" surrounding Waitangi day. However, I think that it's untrue that it is such a time of unrest and unhappiness. Sure, there are still problems. But I think we shoudl also take a quick look at the positive.
For a start- at least the Treaty was made and, where it hasn't been honoured, NZ is at least trying to repair the damages. Sure, there are idiots who want to do away with the Waitangi Tribunal. but I feel its very existence is, well, a triumph- though I'm aware it's flawed, very much so.
A second point: you know, for as many people whoa re unhappy and furious about the Treaty, for whichever reasons, there are a lot fo people who are happy wih it and think it's done a good job. it's been bad, and it's been good- but without it, I doubt there would have been much good at all.
Well, I don't have much else to say.... Just vague meditations on Connie's theme. :)
