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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
January 13, 2008
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| December 29, 2007 |
Fighting for Equality: the Struggle of Maori in Aotearoa/New Zealand – Diane Black |
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Diane Black educated participants about the inequality that affects Maori in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Behind her is the Maori flag Tino Rangatiratanga |
As Peace Boat glided through the topaz blue waters of the Pacific, and anchored in Rapa Nui, Tahiti and Aotearoa (New Zealand) the rights of indigenous people of this region were a prominent theme both onboard and in port. Diane Black, an activist committed to obtaining Maori rights in Aotearoa (“Land of the Long White Cloud” in Maori), joined Peace Boat from Tahiti to her homeland to discuss with participants the plight and subsequent resurgence of Maori and their unique culture. Although Maori still face many problems stemming from colonization by the British from the nineteenth century, they are slowly regaining what was rightfully theirs. As an executive member of the New Zealand Maori Council,a non-government organization, for 17 years Ms Black educated participants about the gains Maori have made in reclaiming their social, political, cultural and economic rights. |
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| Part of the intricate entrance of Te Puea Marae in South Auckland. The figure represents an ancestor of the Tai Nui tribe |
Ms Black outlined the defining features of Maori culture, including the social structure in which they are descendent from chiefs and form large tribal groupings called iwi, which are broken down into smaller extended family groups known as whanau. Elders are highly respected and have the responsibility to make important decisions for their tribes. Reflecting the social structure, Maori land was used communally, and even though many Maori were forced or moved from their land when British colonialists arrived, Ms Black emphasized that, ‘every Maori has a traditional tie to the land and a very strong tie to where they came from.’ |
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200 years ago, this field was the site of a thriving Maori community. Due to colonialism, they were forced off the land and into houses provided by the government |
Like most indigenous people around the world, Maori have respect for the environment and believe that human life and the health of the environment are inextricably linked. ‘We see the land as nurturing, protecting and supporting us – as being a part of us. We come from the land, we return to the land. There is no difference between the land and us, we are one. For example, when one of our women has a baby, the whenua (placenta) is taken back to the family land and planted under a tree. As long as that tree is healthy, that person will be strong,’ she explained. |
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| Ms Black speaks with volunteer staff about the current issues affecting Maori in Aotearoa |
Colonialism, Exploitation and the Future of Aotearoa
In good faith, Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 with representatives of the British Crown. It represented a new partnership between Maori and Pakeha (white people), and while it was supposed to guarantee Maori land rights and sovereignty, the English version differs from the Maori version, and this mistranslation was used as justification for the Crown to exploit the Maori and their resources. Although the Treaty was supposed to be the founding document of Aotearoa, according to Ms Black, ‘unfortunately, this wasn’t the case: our land was stolen from us, and our people did not get the same advantages that the settlers got.’
Despite decades of fighting the Crown for their rights, it wasn’t until 1962 that positive change, recognized by law, came about. The Maori Community Development Act gave the New Zealand Maori Council the right to challenge government and to set up other services for Maori people. ‘This was the first time since the onset of British into the country that a piece of legislation had been written that gave Maori control of their destiny. We have been instrumental in passing every piece of legislation that has benefited Maori since 1962,’ claimed Ms Black. For instance, the council was instrumental in getting Te Reo Maori, the Maori language, recognized as Aotearoa’s first official language. They have also won court cases to give compensation for the unlawful taking of land. According to Ms Black, ‘We as Maori people and indigenous people are slowly being redressed for everything we lost. We will not get everything back, but we are dealing with things one by one. One day, god willing, we will be equal.’ |
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Before participants visited Aotearoa, they took a crash course in marae (meeting house) etiquette and learnt some Maori songs to present to Maori at Te Puea Marae as part of a cultural exchange program |
As for the future, Ms Black hopes that the racism apparent in society and in the media against Maori will stop. ‘There is terrible racism in the New Zealand media. If Maori do anything good, it’s never reported. If one Maori person does something bad, then all Maori are marked. I’m tired of the news media and other outlets trotting out statistics about how many Maori are in prison and are unemployed,’ she said. While her vision is for a fair and equitable Aotearoa, ‘However, I think Maori should be first because we are the indigenous population. In South Auckland there are some 250 cultures. I like the idea of a multicultural society but first we need to be a truly bicultural one’. In order to realize this, Ms Black believes that the first step is putting the Treaty of Waitangi into legislation. She concluded by noting that, ‘On the whole, race relations are improving in Aotearoa, partly because there are other cultures coming in. The New Zealand Maori Council thinks that we need to be like a double-hulled waka (canoe), moving forward together but separately.’ |
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