Anyone
who has lived and worked with while benefitting from the company of the Maori
people, as l have done for over 40 years, should be well qualified to offer a
considered opinion regarding the factors limiting Maoridom’s progress towards
greater self determination - assuming of course that this path is the one most
suited to the tangata whenua who are currently claiming extraordinary rights to
citizenship in this country.
In my humble opinion, the two most obvious “sea anchors” that are limiting progress are “leadership” and the influence of “tribalism” on the ability to work together in a common cause.
Before
my many critics jump on my neck in an attempt to silence my contribution to
this universal race based debate, l would add that my comments are merely
observations developed while working at the coalface. They should not be be
taken as a deliberate act aimed at inflaming this already controversial area of
conversation. Nor should it be assumed that l have some ulterior motive
designed to hamstring the movement of Maori towards assuming their rightful
place in New Zealand society.
I
don’t have words that adequately describe my respect for the people who have
granted me Kaumatua status in my local community.
That
is an honour you have to earn.
I
simply want to offer constructive criticism of a society that has the ability
to do things so much better without any help from anybody else.
They
are like most of the rest of us “ their own worst enemy.”
Firstly
leadership.
In
general (there are obvious exceptions), current Maori political leadership are
misrepresenting the true nature of their people’s aspirational goals and as
such, are doing the Maori race a huge disservice.
Most
of those occupying positions of authority across virtually all sectors of
society (particularly academia, in social and health services) are
characterised by a revisionist view of our combined heritage and an ideological
persuasion that promotes a status of racially determined under
resourcing.
Of
course that view is not supported by the facts.
If
it were true, in my area on the East Coast, where you would expect to see large
groups of impoverished families struggling to make ends meet, you would not
encounter scenes suggesting a different reality.
In
fact, the children enjoy the same, if not better access to health providers of
all kinds, free school lunches plus educational facilities that rival the
majority in the larger metropolitan areas.
Add
to that, the local council’s determination to ensure local infrastructure is
well maintained all add up to a position of relative strength for those
living in this otherwise beautiful section of paradise.
To
infer that Maoridom in general suffers in comparison to its Pakeha cousins in
these vital areas is a lie.
The
opportunities available to Maori in this country are the same as those offered
and accessible to all Kiwis, no matter what their racial status, religious or
sexual preference or position on the social ladder.
You
only need to talk to or read about those who have taken advantage of those
rights of citizenship in this country to know that the populace is being fed a
load of bollocks.
Actually,
for those who doubt my version of the truth, just come and visit our community
which l suggest is a microcosm of provincial New Zealand. You will be amazed at
how different reality is to the version being promoted by those who have
usurped the positions of leadership that used to be dominated by Kaumatua and
Kuia who truly understood that real leadership was a vocational act of self
sacrifice and service that becomes ineffective once tainted by self
preservation.
Sad
to say, the modern leaders are different.
They are (in the main) self serving. It is a tragedy.
The second limiting factor to continued Maori ascendancy is the institutional version of the first. It manifests itself in the structural restrictions associated with tribalism.
If l
could name one item that time and again limits progress across all parts of
Maori society, it would be the distrust of or inability to work with other
tribes.
I
have seen this problem influencing decisions involving hapu, iwi and more
importantly between runanga. It appears to be a carry over from the pre treaty
days when “might was right” and all that mattered.
One
might have expected that an intelligent race with so many excellent credentials
would have seen this for themselves and made moves to stamp out this antiquated
view of a progressive community within a sustainable society.
It won’t work.
Yet
it persists and the only people who suffer are those who the modern system is
designed to help.
It makes no sense.
Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.
4 comments:
You are wrong when you say the opportunities offered to Maori are the same as for all Kiwis. For at least the last two decade's the pass rate for Maori in key areas such as nursing, doctors and many other professions has been significantly less than other Kiwis, this racial bias extends through to the media and many other professions especially Government agency's. Alot of this is based around the treaty and the misconception that we should be "equal" partners in everything g including employment quotas. Then there is the handouts for anyone of even a tiny amount of Maori DNA, These Grant's and gifts have been detailed many times through this website. So to claim Maori are treated equally to the other 85% of Kiwis is a myth
Thanks Clive, for an excellent summary. In conversation with a Maori colleague, we both agreed, that Maori do not deserve to be treated as second class citizens, unable to function without preferential or separate treatment.
We both agreed that this is insulting & totally unnecessary. All part of the plan to make one group totally State dependant.
"Maoridom" is a myth promoted by self serving pirates who have tapped into a highly profitable vein of Treaty Settlements. Tribal rivalry is still a huge factor in social relationships between Maori. For example - I was recently advised by a part Maori women that when she applied to her Iwi authority for a share of a recent settlement she was told "No, you are from slave stock"
The Tangata Whenua of New Zealand were eaten by later arriving Iwi migrations. There is no Treaty Partnership possibility and no reasonable argument that NZ should be ruled by a venal society of self appointed exploiters.
Clive - It is sad that the so called Maori leaders today are viewing their culture through a window of false ness and unreality, that will unless it stops, will soon destroy any good that they could and need, to build on.
Self Sacrifice and service are a great foundation and I commend you for identifying and revealing the truth of it.
Maurie.
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