A bicultural overhaul of Army doctrine that features Māori cosmology at its core has led to a Government revolt, with the NZ Defence Force putting on hold part of the controversial programme.
The NZ Army’s new “general orders” to soldiers uses a pantheon of te ao Māori gods as guiding influences for its strategy “to achieve a bicultural status by enabling the recognition of Māori cultural interests as they are guaranteed within Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
The Herald has confirmed Defence Minister Judith Collins only learned of the new doctrine after coalition partners Act then NZ First raised objections with her.
This shows how entrenched the view is in Wellington that absolutely every aspect of public life must be tied to the Treaty. What is astonishing is that the Minister finds out through MPs, rather than the NZ Defence Force.
I think part of the problem is all these agencies are headquartered in Wellington where 95% of the people they talk to share this view. We should shift Defence HQ to say Christchurch or Auckland to try and dewokify them.
The order introduced the Cultural Skills Framework, the section NZDF says is on hold, which set expectations for personnel at every leadership level. Those included understanding the Treaty of Waitangi, engaging with Māori communities, practising tikanga and developing te reo Māori.
For leaders in the Army, it said they should know at least two waiata, pronounce te reo Māori words correctly and have “beginner’s use” of te reo Māori. That included being able to “interact in predictable exchanges” using te reo Māori.
Those looking to “level up” would “read about Māori values, beliefs and history” and attend immersion language programmes.
So to be promoted in the Armed Forces you need to know all about the Treaty, be able to sign waiata, have good te reo pronunciation and be knowledgeable about Maori gods.
I suspect the ones who would find this most idiotic are the many NZDF soldiers (not officers) who are Maori.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for joining the discussion. Breaking Views welcomes respectful contributions that enrich the debate. Please ensure your comments are not defamatory, derogatory or disruptive. We appreciate your cooperation.