A perfect example is a forthcoming 3-day wananga (forum) organised by the Wellington City Council-funded Toi Poneke arts centre and entitled “Imagining Decolonisation”, for which the capital’s long-suffering ratepayers will pick up a big part – if not all – of the tab.
To convey the tone of this event, I can do no better than quote from an official council press statement:
The event … will bring together academics, students, artists, writers, treaty workers, activists, politicians and change makers to discuss and create steps towards what an equitable future in a decolonised Aotearoa could look like.
Wellington City Council’s Tati Heke Karepa Wall [translation: head of Maori strategic relationships] welcomes the event.
“Kua rewa anō te waka – piki mai inā koia te koronga o te Ngākau kia kakea rā ngā tāpuhipuhitanga o te whakaaro! So many in our community are now the new catalysts of decolonisation simply because our community now better understands and appreciates the complexities of Maori self-determination.
“We have been through a process of unlearning some of our past – and now the time is to come together and relearn in order for us to move forward together,” says Karepa.
The “Imagining Decolonisation” wānanga provides a line-up of speakers and workshop leaders including artists and musicians Ruby Solly and Ariana Tikao, Psychiatrist Dr Di Kopua, academic Emalani Case (VUW), campaigner Kassie Hartendorp (Action Station), environmentalist Catherine Delahunty (Kōtare), Councillor Tamatha Paul, Green Party MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere, dance artist Lusi Faiva, and youth activist Safari Hynes. Experiential workshops across diverse mediums will provide an opportunity for discussion and creative expression.
Councillor Tamatha Paul is pleased to be a part of the event for a number of reasons.
“If Covid has shown us anything, it is the illumination of deep-rooted inequality in New Zealand. Amidst trying to keep our communities safe, trying to keep a roof over our heads and stay afloat, there has been little time to dream of a decolonised Aotearoa.
“I’m excited to be in wānanga with rangatira and rangatahi to collectively imagine a better, fairer society and to inspire action.”
(For a more detailed breakdown, if you have the fortitude, you can read the full programme here.)
It goes without saying that people are entitled in a free society to indulge in undergraduate fantasies to their hearts’ content. Problem is, they always expect to do it using Someone Else’s Money, and that Someone Else – in this case, the ratepayers of Wellington – usually gets no say in the matter. That’s the real issue here.
The event has been planned and organised using council staff, money and resources, so bears the council’s imprimatur despite its flagrantly – indeed, provocatively – political nature. Whether attendees will pay a fee to attend isn’t clear; but even if they do, we can be sure it won’t go anywhere near covering the cost.
What, I wonder, does Mayor Andy Foster, who’s nominally a conservative, think about the council’s backing for the wananga? Does he approve, or did he look the other way because he’s intimidated by aggressive activists on the council such as Tamatha Paul (whose fingerprints are all over the event) and has no stomach for a fight?
Advocates of decolonisation want nothing less than the total repudiation of Western civilisation, along with democratic government and all the other benefits that flow from it. To be replaced by … what, exactly? Participants in the wananga will have their own ideas about that, but their model for a decolonised New Zealand is unlikely to be one most New Zealanders would endorse.
On Waitangi Day, it’s possible to acknowledge that some aspects of colonisation were catastrophic for Maori – most obviously the loss of their land – while simultaneously regarding the neo-Marxist notion of decolonisation as absurd and dangerous. Since when was it the cash-strapped Wellington City Council’s function to sponsor a gab-fest for fringe extremists bent on overturning the status quo?
One last thought. It’s probably too late to suggest it now, but I’d be happy to speak to the wananga about my own imagining of decolonisation. I would invite the participants to visualise a country where there’s no rule of law, no democratic government or accountability on the part of leaders, no wheel or internal combustion engine, no printed word, no science or literature, no Western music, clothing, art or entertainment, no cities, no schools or universities, no social welfare or government subsidies and no economic development. I mean, if we’re serious about decolonisation, let’s go the whole hog.
Karl du Fresne, a freelance journalist, is the former editor of The Dominion newspaper. He blogs at karldufresne.blogspot.co.nz.
Wellington City Council’s Tati Heke Karepa Wall [translation: head of Maori strategic relationships] welcomes the event.
“Kua rewa anō te waka – piki mai inā koia te koronga o te Ngākau kia kakea rā ngā tāpuhipuhitanga o te whakaaro! So many in our community are now the new catalysts of decolonisation simply because our community now better understands and appreciates the complexities of Maori self-determination.
“We have been through a process of unlearning some of our past – and now the time is to come together and relearn in order for us to move forward together,” says Karepa.
The “Imagining Decolonisation” wānanga provides a line-up of speakers and workshop leaders including artists and musicians Ruby Solly and Ariana Tikao, Psychiatrist Dr Di Kopua, academic Emalani Case (VUW), campaigner Kassie Hartendorp (Action Station), environmentalist Catherine Delahunty (Kōtare), Councillor Tamatha Paul, Green Party MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere, dance artist Lusi Faiva, and youth activist Safari Hynes. Experiential workshops across diverse mediums will provide an opportunity for discussion and creative expression.
Councillor Tamatha Paul is pleased to be a part of the event for a number of reasons.
“If Covid has shown us anything, it is the illumination of deep-rooted inequality in New Zealand. Amidst trying to keep our communities safe, trying to keep a roof over our heads and stay afloat, there has been little time to dream of a decolonised Aotearoa.
“I’m excited to be in wānanga with rangatira and rangatahi to collectively imagine a better, fairer society and to inspire action.”
(For a more detailed breakdown, if you have the fortitude, you can read the full programme here.)
It goes without saying that people are entitled in a free society to indulge in undergraduate fantasies to their hearts’ content. Problem is, they always expect to do it using Someone Else’s Money, and that Someone Else – in this case, the ratepayers of Wellington – usually gets no say in the matter. That’s the real issue here.
The event has been planned and organised using council staff, money and resources, so bears the council’s imprimatur despite its flagrantly – indeed, provocatively – political nature. Whether attendees will pay a fee to attend isn’t clear; but even if they do, we can be sure it won’t go anywhere near covering the cost.
What, I wonder, does Mayor Andy Foster, who’s nominally a conservative, think about the council’s backing for the wananga? Does he approve, or did he look the other way because he’s intimidated by aggressive activists on the council such as Tamatha Paul (whose fingerprints are all over the event) and has no stomach for a fight?
Advocates of decolonisation want nothing less than the total repudiation of Western civilisation, along with democratic government and all the other benefits that flow from it. To be replaced by … what, exactly? Participants in the wananga will have their own ideas about that, but their model for a decolonised New Zealand is unlikely to be one most New Zealanders would endorse.
On Waitangi Day, it’s possible to acknowledge that some aspects of colonisation were catastrophic for Maori – most obviously the loss of their land – while simultaneously regarding the neo-Marxist notion of decolonisation as absurd and dangerous. Since when was it the cash-strapped Wellington City Council’s function to sponsor a gab-fest for fringe extremists bent on overturning the status quo?
One last thought. It’s probably too late to suggest it now, but I’d be happy to speak to the wananga about my own imagining of decolonisation. I would invite the participants to visualise a country where there’s no rule of law, no democratic government or accountability on the part of leaders, no wheel or internal combustion engine, no printed word, no science or literature, no Western music, clothing, art or entertainment, no cities, no schools or universities, no social welfare or government subsidies and no economic development. I mean, if we’re serious about decolonisation, let’s go the whole hog.
Karl du Fresne, a freelance journalist, is the former editor of The Dominion newspaper. He blogs at karldufresne.blogspot.co.nz.
12 comments:
It is amazing that taxpayers aren't up in arms about such an obvious waste of their money.
We certainly seem to be living in two alternate realities these days.
If you believe all the Zanes and Zoes and Corins and Chloes of our bought and paid for MSM you would think we were all 100% behind this transformation of New Zealand. Well, 50% of us see absolutely no merit in it at all.
This is definitely a world wide phenomenon. Luckily people are starting to push back as in Canada. We need to do the same.
The MSM is absolutely outrageous in Kiwiland with their coverage of issues. I have found many very credible sites to gain information from. I suggest those who are glued to our own MSM start to do the same. You will be astonished at what is really happening in the world.
It makes sense to go the whole hog. Get rid of all the stuff colonizers brought to the country. No roads, no TV, no welfare.
One of the mistakes we (our people) make is assuming that maori would have got to where they are on their own. Maori make the same mistake.
I get annoyed whenever a so called maori uses a european name and in the same breath, his or her maori bloodlines are completely ignored.
Are they ashamed of that part of the heritage? I guess to acknowledge their european heritage somewhat negates their position within maori and we cant have that can we.
"I would invite the participants to visualise a country where there’s no rule of law, no democratic government or accountability on the part of leaders, no wheel or internal combustion engine, no printed word, no science or literature, no Western music, clothing, art or entertainment, no cities, no schools or universities, no social welfare or government subsidies and no economic development."
Think about that for a while longer Karl and reflect on our present decline in standards.
Zimbabwe here we come.
I read Karl's article shortly after reading one in the on line NZ Herald where - paraphrasing - the Maori Party are calling for a "divorce" from the monarchy to permit a Treaty based NZ governance model. It appears Maori / te reo has no word for oxymoron.
Ray S
" his or her maori bloodlines are completely ignored."
I meant to say "european bloodlines"
Poor proof reading.
It appears Maori / te reo has no word for oxymoron. They also have no word or concept of self responsibility
Just getting rid of KFC and the big Mac would be enough.
The tribal way of life into which Cook arrived was dominated by war, slavery, & cannibalism. Most important chiefs saw Christianity as the way upward for their peoples, and the result was the least unpleasant example of colonisation of a stone-age aboriginal tribal people by a European power.
The lies told to make our history look bad are very offensive to honest New Zealanders.
It is not feasible for our country to undergo 'decolonisation', because that would entail restoration of the tribalism which Speaker Sir Peter Tapsell tirelessly warned is no basis for modern life.
The rebellion at Ihumatao illustrates that the chiefs are now subject to sabotage by their own younger generation.
In recent years maori have promoted rejection of colonialism. There is a record selling book well known to all activists and maori students and touted by most. The theme has been aired often on RNZ without question. Interpretation in today's world is baffling and so is whatever individuals care to make it. Many apply by rejecting laws and behavioural conventions reckoned to be the product of colonist influence. Consequently many maori youth and others consider they have little obligation to comply with law. Many maori in general are reluctant to comply with what they choose to see as other colonist dictates and so for example evade Covid vaccination.
Only a few totally independent self sufficient persons dare risk criticism with the inevitable slur of racist and associated cancellation. Hence as with maori proposals everywhere the Wellington event has slid through and will be greeted with mealy mouthed support in public. Captured as they are by the PIJF and other funding, and now extensively populated by trace maori, the msm will of course find no fault.
If the activista were genuine about their view of New Zealand de-colonised what would happen to Maori? Where would they be sent to?
Maori legend explains the conundrum rather well. Kupe after all, together with a number of other people, were demonstrating their navigation by stars expertise and sailed south in large waka to discover and colonise New Zealand. It was Kupe when fishing, caught and pulled up the the North Island.
But the original inhabitants, the Moriori were quickly despatched and New Zealand became the role model of colonisation. Evidently it was good back then.
It seems that most don't or can't imagine what a decolonised, anachistic, tribal hellhole "Aotearoa" would quickly become.
My opinion on the subject of the colonisation of New Zealand is that perhaps the actual meaning of the word "colonisation" should be agreed by all New Zealander's before we begin an endless decolonisation discussion. These two definitions - noun: colonisation
*the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the (indigenous) people of an area.
If this meaning was accepted as fact then the colonisation of the Chatham Islands by Maori tribes has to included in the conversation.
In fact it should be tabled and resolved first. "Give Moriori their land back!"
*the action of appropriating a place or domain for one's own use.
Both meanings are much the same. The use of the word indigenous is not a fact in New Zealand as far as the descendants of the Polynesian immigrant settlers are concerned and the concept is a recently promoted falsehood by New Zealander's who identify as Maori rights activists and the woke media and academia. Not too many people at all.
Once we agree the meaning of colonisation, based on that, the pros and cons of the colonisation of New Zealand should be agreed. It should also be resolved as to who actually played a role in the colonisation of the country throughout the last 160 years.
My question is who actually colonised who? As a clue to the possible answer is the fact that in 1867 four parliamentary seats were set up specifically for Māori. As a result of this legislation, Māori men achieved universal suffrage 12 years before landless European men and 25 years before women.
Frederick Nene Russell, Mete Kingi Te Rangi Paetahi, Tāreha Te Moananui and John Patterson took their places as the first Māori Members of Parliament in the House in 1868 - 154 years ago.
These men, and those who subsequently filled the four/five/six/seven separatist seats throughout the last 154 years, along with all other Maori MP's, have all been implicit in the colonisation of New Zealand/New Zealand. And still are.
All New Zealander's should be proud of what their forbears, and they themselves, have achieved by creating what was "The Greatest Little Country in the World" - at the moment I am not sure it deserves such an accolade.
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