Topping my list was Rāwiri Waititi.
When finally responding to questions about Tākuta Ferris’s controversial race comments, ever the performer, ever the creator of controversy and ever the promoter of the ridiculous, Waititi would only answer reporter’s questions in te reo!
Labour MP Shanan Halbert accused Waititi of theatrics and weaponising te Reo Māori by his response.
Halbert went as far as to say Te Pati Māori was “…starting to create an exclusive bunch of Māoris” and it was important “at a personal level we speak both languages”.
“…starting to create an exclusive bunch of Māori’s” Get on the programme Shannan; That’s all Waititi has set out to do, right from the start!
I love it when “Maori Leadership” squabble amongst themselves. True selves on display?
As with most issues regarding Maori culture today, a skewed narrative and preposterousness is never far in the background.
Especially when Labour politicians lecture us on “te reo”!
In June 2021 then Broadcasting Minister, Willie Jackson stated, “Māori TV’s ratings have fallen away because it lacks good programming…. in English.”
“In the past it has all been about the language, te Reo, a huge focus on the language, but we need our own news in English and we need our own programmes in English….“It’s not so much about the language, it’s about the stories.”
In 2022 Peeni Henare was against te reo Māori being introduced in schools as a core subject saying “Māori needed to safeguard te reo”, “If we give it to everyone and anyone, what will become of it?”
Saying further, “We have to consult with every iwi and Māori community across the country to see if they want to give their language to non-Māori,”
Whoa! Very different story today! That’s some U turn guys!
How ‘s that for absolute irrationality from Maori caucus members!
But as with so much that is written about and spoken about Maori culture and colonisation we must look at both sides of the story.
Maori Language Week inevitably brings out the anecdotal accounts by many prominent Maori speaking about the history, the loss and the revival of “Te Reo” and one that usually takes prominence are the narratives of how they were beaten for speaking Maori.
One such commentary that sticks in my mind is that of ex Labour politician, Dover Samuels. Dover gave evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal in 2015 about the beatings he endured as a small boy for speaking Maori at school but who had only ever spoken Māori at home.
“You’d be hauled out in front of the rest of the class, in front of your own whanau, and told to bend over. The teacher would have – he had this container, which had a number of vines of supplejack out of the bush not far from the school… You’d bend over and he’d stand back and give you, what they called it then, six of the best,” he said.
“On many occasions, not only did it leave bruises on my thighs, but drew blood.”
So why was Maori not allowed to be spoken in NZ schools? Surely, even back then, it was wrong to suppress the language?
The truth is, the genesis of this “being beaten for speaking Maori” dates back to “The 1867 Native Schools Act.”
The 1867 Native Schools Act established a system of secular, village primary schools under the control of the Department of Native Affairs. As part of the Government’s policy to assimilate Māori into Pākehā society, instruction was to be conducted entirely in English.
Under the Act, it was the responsibility of Māori communities to request a school for their children, form a school committee, supply land for the school and, until 1871, pay for half of the building costs and a quarter of the teacher’s salary.
Despite those “impositions” many Maori communities were keen for their children to learn English as a second language and by 1879 there were 57 Native Schools.
By 1955, there were 166 Māori Schools, mostly located in the North Island.
Victoria University published this translated commentary on Native Schools-
“In the 1870s, shortly after the Native Schools system had been established, a number of prominent Maori sought, through Parliament, to place greater emphasis on the teaching of English in the schools.”
“A newly elected Maori Member of Parliament, Takamoana, sought legislation to ensure that Maori children were taught only in English. A number of petitions in a similar vein were also taken to Parliament by Maori.”
“One such petition, in 1877, by Wi Te Hakiro and 336 others called for an amendment to the 1867 Native Schools Act which would require the teachers of a Native School to be ignorant of the Maori language and not permit the Maori language to be spoken at the school.”
Interesting, isn’t it? So why did the Maori elders want to forbid the speaking of Maori in class?
Could it be because they were very forward thinking. Could it be because they could see the long-term benefits for Maori of understanding and more importantly, speaking English.
Their petition also requested –
We ( Wi Te Hakiro and 336 others) desire that “The Native Schools Act, 1867,” should be amended to this effect:—Let there be two classes of schools. First, for all children knowing only their own Maori tongue and also having a knowledge of all Maori customs. These should be taught to read in Maori, to write in Maori, and arithmetic.
That seems to be protection of the maori language and culture, doesn’t it?
Second, all children of two years old, when they are just able to speak, should be taught the English language, and all the knowledge which you the Europeans possess. If this plain and easy course be followed, our children will soon attain to the acquirements of the Europeans.
“…our children will soon attain to the acquirements of the Europeans.”
They concluded their petition with “If the Parliament would consent to embody these suggestions in an amendment to “The Native Schools Act, 1867,” it would be certain that in twenty-one years’ time the Maori children would be on an equal footing as regards their education with the Europeans; but if the present system is to be continued, if our children were to be taught under it for a thousand years, they would only attain to what is called “Knowledge.”
For the tales you hear about Maori being beaten for speaking Maori in school, what is not mentioned is that, in my generation, we were ALL strapped or caned when a rule was broken.
Last week social media was awash with comments on Maori language week.
Here’s a small sample from Facebook –
ENGLISH ONLY TV STATION WANTED
Now TVNZ has gone pretty much all maori on news and weather, always hammering how lousy we are and how great maori are.
The country is sick of forced maori indoctrination. New Zealand want an english only a station of our own. No maori at all, no maori presenters, no maori reportes, no maori new. Maori free news and weather.
TVNZ are so left biased, anti New Zealand, racist against all non maori that it might as well call themselves the Maori Channel. Then there’s the exaggerations, twisting the truth, sensationalising topics that TVNZ credibility is dodgy to the least.
One of the responses –
We won, you lost, don’t be angry for the rest of your life because there’ll be more “Māori indoctrination” coming over time, and guess what? you can’t do a darn thing about it. You never heard of the school attendance act. Get beaten at school not just for speaking reo, for very minor behavior evets as well, then your parents get penalized if the kids did’nt show up show up for school, yep that’s not racism at all.
Matua Kahurangi had this to say on Breaking Views – “We are constantly told that te reo Māori is some kinda sacred language that must be preserved at all costs. Billions of dollars are being spent on government programmes, schools, and advertising campaigns to force the language into everyday life. When you actually look closely at modern te reo, a lot of it is not uniquely Māori at all. It is what you might call te reoish – English words simply rebranded to sound Māori.”
“The truth is that what many politicians, activists, and academics are pushing today is less about preserving an authentic language and more about cultural posturing.”
“…much of what is taught today as te reo is a direct copy-and-paste of English, with minor pronunciation changes.”
“It is English in Māori dress.”
So, te reo; A part of Maori culture we all should respect and cherish?
Virtue signalling by its non maori proponents?
Or just further incremental tightening of the Maori Sovereignty thumb screws?
Pee Kay writes he is from a generation where common sense, standards, integrity and honesty are fundamental attributes. This article was first published HERE
Labour MP Shanan Halbert accused Waititi of theatrics and weaponising te Reo Māori by his response.
Halbert went as far as to say Te Pati Māori was “…starting to create an exclusive bunch of Māoris” and it was important “at a personal level we speak both languages”.
“…starting to create an exclusive bunch of Māori’s” Get on the programme Shannan; That’s all Waititi has set out to do, right from the start!
I love it when “Maori Leadership” squabble amongst themselves. True selves on display?
As with most issues regarding Maori culture today, a skewed narrative and preposterousness is never far in the background.
Especially when Labour politicians lecture us on “te reo”!
In June 2021 then Broadcasting Minister, Willie Jackson stated, “Māori TV’s ratings have fallen away because it lacks good programming…. in English.”
“In the past it has all been about the language, te Reo, a huge focus on the language, but we need our own news in English and we need our own programmes in English….“It’s not so much about the language, it’s about the stories.”
In 2022 Peeni Henare was against te reo Māori being introduced in schools as a core subject saying “Māori needed to safeguard te reo”, “If we give it to everyone and anyone, what will become of it?”
Saying further, “We have to consult with every iwi and Māori community across the country to see if they want to give their language to non-Māori,”
Whoa! Very different story today! That’s some U turn guys!
How ‘s that for absolute irrationality from Maori caucus members!
But as with so much that is written about and spoken about Maori culture and colonisation we must look at both sides of the story.
Maori Language Week inevitably brings out the anecdotal accounts by many prominent Maori speaking about the history, the loss and the revival of “Te Reo” and one that usually takes prominence are the narratives of how they were beaten for speaking Maori.
One such commentary that sticks in my mind is that of ex Labour politician, Dover Samuels. Dover gave evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal in 2015 about the beatings he endured as a small boy for speaking Maori at school but who had only ever spoken Māori at home.
“You’d be hauled out in front of the rest of the class, in front of your own whanau, and told to bend over. The teacher would have – he had this container, which had a number of vines of supplejack out of the bush not far from the school… You’d bend over and he’d stand back and give you, what they called it then, six of the best,” he said.
“On many occasions, not only did it leave bruises on my thighs, but drew blood.”
So why was Maori not allowed to be spoken in NZ schools? Surely, even back then, it was wrong to suppress the language?
The truth is, the genesis of this “being beaten for speaking Maori” dates back to “The 1867 Native Schools Act.”
The 1867 Native Schools Act established a system of secular, village primary schools under the control of the Department of Native Affairs. As part of the Government’s policy to assimilate Māori into Pākehā society, instruction was to be conducted entirely in English.
Under the Act, it was the responsibility of Māori communities to request a school for their children, form a school committee, supply land for the school and, until 1871, pay for half of the building costs and a quarter of the teacher’s salary.
Despite those “impositions” many Maori communities were keen for their children to learn English as a second language and by 1879 there were 57 Native Schools.
By 1955, there were 166 Māori Schools, mostly located in the North Island.
Victoria University published this translated commentary on Native Schools-
“In the 1870s, shortly after the Native Schools system had been established, a number of prominent Maori sought, through Parliament, to place greater emphasis on the teaching of English in the schools.”
“A newly elected Maori Member of Parliament, Takamoana, sought legislation to ensure that Maori children were taught only in English. A number of petitions in a similar vein were also taken to Parliament by Maori.”
“One such petition, in 1877, by Wi Te Hakiro and 336 others called for an amendment to the 1867 Native Schools Act which would require the teachers of a Native School to be ignorant of the Maori language and not permit the Maori language to be spoken at the school.”
Interesting, isn’t it? So why did the Maori elders want to forbid the speaking of Maori in class?
Could it be because they were very forward thinking. Could it be because they could see the long-term benefits for Maori of understanding and more importantly, speaking English.
Their petition also requested –
We ( Wi Te Hakiro and 336 others) desire that “The Native Schools Act, 1867,” should be amended to this effect:—Let there be two classes of schools. First, for all children knowing only their own Maori tongue and also having a knowledge of all Maori customs. These should be taught to read in Maori, to write in Maori, and arithmetic.
That seems to be protection of the maori language and culture, doesn’t it?
Second, all children of two years old, when they are just able to speak, should be taught the English language, and all the knowledge which you the Europeans possess. If this plain and easy course be followed, our children will soon attain to the acquirements of the Europeans.
“…our children will soon attain to the acquirements of the Europeans.”
They concluded their petition with “If the Parliament would consent to embody these suggestions in an amendment to “The Native Schools Act, 1867,” it would be certain that in twenty-one years’ time the Maori children would be on an equal footing as regards their education with the Europeans; but if the present system is to be continued, if our children were to be taught under it for a thousand years, they would only attain to what is called “Knowledge.”
For the tales you hear about Maori being beaten for speaking Maori in school, what is not mentioned is that, in my generation, we were ALL strapped or caned when a rule was broken.
Last week social media was awash with comments on Maori language week.
Here’s a small sample from Facebook –
ENGLISH ONLY TV STATION WANTED
Now TVNZ has gone pretty much all maori on news and weather, always hammering how lousy we are and how great maori are.
The country is sick of forced maori indoctrination. New Zealand want an english only a station of our own. No maori at all, no maori presenters, no maori reportes, no maori new. Maori free news and weather.
TVNZ are so left biased, anti New Zealand, racist against all non maori that it might as well call themselves the Maori Channel. Then there’s the exaggerations, twisting the truth, sensationalising topics that TVNZ credibility is dodgy to the least.
One of the responses –
We won, you lost, don’t be angry for the rest of your life because there’ll be more “Māori indoctrination” coming over time, and guess what? you can’t do a darn thing about it. You never heard of the school attendance act. Get beaten at school not just for speaking reo, for very minor behavior evets as well, then your parents get penalized if the kids did’nt show up show up for school, yep that’s not racism at all.
Matua Kahurangi had this to say on Breaking Views – “We are constantly told that te reo Māori is some kinda sacred language that must be preserved at all costs. Billions of dollars are being spent on government programmes, schools, and advertising campaigns to force the language into everyday life. When you actually look closely at modern te reo, a lot of it is not uniquely Māori at all. It is what you might call te reoish – English words simply rebranded to sound Māori.”
“The truth is that what many politicians, activists, and academics are pushing today is less about preserving an authentic language and more about cultural posturing.”
“…much of what is taught today as te reo is a direct copy-and-paste of English, with minor pronunciation changes.”
“It is English in Māori dress.”
So, te reo; A part of Maori culture we all should respect and cherish?
Virtue signalling by its non maori proponents?
Or just further incremental tightening of the Maori Sovereignty thumb screws?
Pee Kay writes he is from a generation where common sense, standards, integrity and honesty are fundamental attributes. This article was first published HERE
4 comments:
Like many maori dover seems to have had a fertile imagination.Pupils were strapped and caned in his era but, even with maori home practices in maori areas, not severely for minor acts. Very probably got up to other mischief. I was strapped at school and very benefiicial. I was inclined to waste time but with focus maintained did surprisingly well.
On RNZ various maori have lamented able pakeha dominating te reo classes. Quite a few pakeha are, from their distance from the stone age and motivated colonist inheritance, extraordinarily able. Many also seem to have time on their hands and choose to learn te reo as constantly exhorted to do. Maori of ordinary ability in the same classes are trounced and miffed.
Another virtue signal is Auckland Transport who have changed the main transport hub in the cbd from Britomart to Waitamata. It has been Britomart for 21 years, but probably the brit in Britomart is not politically correct. The staff say all the passengers are completely confused thinking Waitamata is out west, which it is. And no tourists can pronounce it.
No wonder they aren't getting passengers Many people would rather walk than get te reo shoved down their throat on all the announcements Any language should evolve because people want to speak it. They should not be forced.
TOTALLY fed up with forced TeReo.... garbage foreign visitors wonder at ! Even on buses, trains too I would think. Maori this
and that an everything and on faces too... and Kiri Allan's bum... which is a studied insult if you think about it.
I get angry when I hear family members replacing English words with Maori versions, especially the fabricated or phonics versions.
They are being indoctrinated at school, and intimidated in their public service work places.
Is that the objective of the Maori radicals - to slowly displace the universal English words with their concocted words ?
Time to push back, and i don't care if it appears rude to ask for a translation every time someone tries to re-educate me.
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