Venkat Raman
Auckland, February 5, 2021
grounds in 2020 (RNZ Photo by Eden Fusituá)
Maori is rich with sayings that should make us pause and think.
The title of this Leader is a typical example. We have a few thoughts borrowed from some of our leaders to reflect on Waitangi Day, which will be observed on February 6, 2021.
The Treaty of Waitangi is an important historical document.
It gave all New Zealand citizens rights and protection as British subjects and contained a shared vision of the peoples of New Zealand living in harmony.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared last year: “On this 180th Waitangi Day, let us pledge to take a step across the bridge between our peoples, give us the perseverance in our daily lives to commit to a simple action that helps take us to the other side, and in doing so give us the courage to walk comfortably in each other’s shoes.”
In his comments made in 2005 when he was Foreign Minister (He was also Maori Affairs Minister in the Jim Bolger Cabinet in 1990), Winston Peters said that over the past few decades, the status of the Treaty has changed as a result of political interference, Maori radicalism and judicial activism.
Three main issues
“Three fundamental issues are at the core of Treaty discontent: 1. Lack of progress in expeditiously addressing historical grievances 2. Lack of clarity as to the ‘contemporary status of the Treaty’ and 3. The pervasive influence of a new ethos based on the corrosive influence of the so-called ‘Principles of the Treaty’ which has imbued the public service and beyond with counterproductive political correctness,” he said.
Mr Peters said that the meandering progress of the settlements process and the insertion of ‘Treaty Principles’ into legislation has done little for a majority of Maori.
“In fact, it has had the more insidious impact of diverting attention and resources away from the real path to prosperity and social progress for Maori – sound education, well paid employment, adequate health and improved housing.”
Grievance mentality
According to him, in their place, a grievance mentality has permeated the thinking of many Maori and even worse it has facilitated the development of a Treaty ‘gravy train’ which sees large amounts of money going to lawyers, consultants and Treaty travellers at the expense of those in genuine need.
“Finally, the permissive impact of the Treaty is creating an unhealthy and divisive ethos within the public service and beyond. This has occurred as policy and lawmakers have tried to reconcile Maori culture with the business of government through the foolhardy insertion of the ‘principles of the Treaty’ into legislation and the extension of this into government policy and policy-making processes.”
A different take on W-Day
Writing in our February 1, 2017 issue, Priyanca Radhakrishnan, now Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Community and Minister for Community & Voluntary Sector and Minister for Youth said that Waitangi has an especially amazing vibe during Waitangi Day celebrations and recounted her experience in 2016.
She said that the Treaty Grounds were taken over by about 150 stalls.
“It was a convivial event with music, laughter and children playing. I was pleasantly surprised, because all the media reports that I had read about Waitangi focused on the protests and the sometimes-hostile treatment of politicians on the Marae. It was a surreal experience to be in a place on a day that holds such historical and political significance for New Zealand.”
Ms Radhakrishnan said that we have a responsibility as migrants to learn New Zealand’s history and understand the place that tangata whenua occupies in that history. For too long now, there has been a struggle between biculturalism and multiculturalism.
Conflicting ideas
“Some people consider biculturalism as restrictive because it excludes ethnic communities. Others consider multiculturalism a threat to the bicultural framework within which New Zealand operates. They are concerned about the effect of multiculturalism on the status accorded to tangata whenua, the people of the land. I believe that we need both.”
As popular Public Lawyer Mai Chen said, “We need to start talking about multiculturalism on a bicultural base.”
As New Zealanders, we are all in this together. As migrants, Aotearoa’s history has become ours. The onus is on us to find out about the historical injustices and understand the attempts being made to address those wrongs.
Therefore, Ka Mua, Ka Muri- In order to move forward, we should look back.
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