Re: The several letters to the editor regarding Maori. I feel disappointed when I read this type of rhetoric nonsense because it remind me of the many narrow minded people I share this beautiful nation with, who live in their ivory towers of privileged white spaces, thinking they know what is good for Aotearoa. Maori need race-based policy because our current policies do not work for Maori. Are we okay with a significant proportion of our community doing so poorly because of the ongoing impacts of colonisation and government policy? Yes I said the ‘c' word but until we all get our heads around the overwhelming evidence that our policies are harming Mzori, we cannot have this farcical utopia so many of us seem to wish for. Maori are unique, their culture is marvellous and we all get to have a share of that as Kiwis. How can we be comfortable knowing the very people who gave us this culture are suffering because of the policies we write and implement? If you want this ‘one nation', then Maori need to fair as well as non-Maori and that is not happening right now. Until then Maori need to guide our decision-making because our history shows us, we have badly forsaken their needs so far.
M Leabourn, Arataki
4 comments
what????
Posted on 04-11-2016 17:10 | By Captain Sensible
Maori do not have a monopoly on poverty or alcohol addiction or a host of other negatives. There are non-maori in severe poverty and alcohol addiction etc ( with no race based assistance to help), many worse than most maori. Why can help not be dished out on need and not race? So, maori and their culture are 'unique'....more unique than non-maori culture and non-maori Kiwis? Hmmmm, sounds like someone thinks they are better than others. What are these white privileges you speak of? I can not think of one white race based privilege that is only available to "whites". Not one. Maybe you are just terrified of losing your special privileges that are not available to 85% of your fellow kiwis? . Maori can do very well for themselves in Australia where they get no handouts, so why are NZ maori so apparently helpless?
M. Leabourn - no-one denies you your culture
Posted on 05-11-2016 11:51 | By Cydifor
or to downplay your kapa haka, poi dances etc? Your language is subsidised by millions of dollars every year and it was the wise 19th-century Maori leaders who insisted that speaking English was the way of the future for your people. I am curious - do Maori help themselves? I was reading a site where Maori teenagers were asked about their lives compared to pakeha children. Most were very happy with their lives, but why did 23% of Maori children say that they were unable to access healthcare in last 12 months - a doctor or hospital is available to all. As for colonisation - would you really like to return to the days where another tribe would attack, murder and eat you - unpleasant but true fact!, Help me understand - I too would really like to know what these "white privileges" are!
A well written letter....but..
Posted on 05-11-2016 22:10 | By groutby
seriously out of touch with reality I feel. Sadly you write with the note of "white" spaces, whatever they may be..realistically and truthfully, Maori needed colonisation (by the British) to save themselves from being eradicated by another race rather than one willing to "do a deal" and allow (they thought incorrectly) a harmonious relationship to develop. Maori are indeed unique as you say, statistics suggest a disproportionate amount of offences to be absolutely uniquely due to Maori within New Zealand. As for the culture?..indeed again yes unique but does it really have to include such poor statistics in, well, pretty much everything?..M Leaborn, the "c" word for colonisation you refer to, is one you should also be proud of and indeed grateful for, without it you would not be here to write your letter, or show distain toward comments such as mine, now would you?
Dear Cydifor and groutby
Posted on 04-12-2016 01:20 | By tazykat
I am am not surprised you need help understanding "white Privilege" most do. You probably don't understand because you are the benefactor of said privilege. I too receive such privilege. I don't like it but I do. You can't argue against the use of the word colonisation with "is one you should also be proud of and indeed grateful for, without it you would not be here to write your letter, or show distain toward comments such as mine, now would you? " That is a ridiculous thing to say. No one can change history but we can change the future. Maori deserve all the help they can get. We are the colonist the oppressor. We have decided how they would live. Sure, Kaumatua may have suggested their people learn English (but we don't know that and you can't prove it) they wanted their people to survive.
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