Progess or Relapse?
I was reading an article about 10 days ago on a NZ news website (www.stuff.co.nz/koreo), about a Treaty claim by Māori for UK pensions. The campaign is being spear headed by David Rankin an Auckland Unitec lecturer and a descendant of the Ngapuhi chief Hone Heke, who is the first Māori to have signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
I have to say, that while I am in favour of progressive campaigns for the economic and social improvement of Māori, I can’t stop wondering if this campaign seeking UK pension entitlement sets a debilitative precedent for Māori.
Living in New Zealand, I’ve heard more unflattering comments about Māori than I’ve heard positive. It’s sad that Māori aren’t always perceived well. I’ve so often heard people refer to them as “those bloody lazy dole-pinching Māori”, or those “loud aggressive once were warriors types”. Conceivably, a large number of these stereotypes stem from ill- informed views or possibly, because people have just not seen solid examples of hard working Māori like I have. Perhaps, all they’ve been exposed to are the actual negative elements. I know loads of Māori who defy all the stereotypes - Māori who have worked really hard to improve their lives and social standing. More importantly, they have made efforts to dispel negative connotations about their families and their people.
There is no doubt, that there needs to be far reaching proposals to improve Māori, in particular, those in the rural communities. However, I’d rather see improvement programmes that don’t involve hand-outs. I’ve always held the view that urging people to claim Government benefits, whether in NZ or the UK does very little to improve their lives in the long- term. If anything, it ensures an uneasy reliance and degeneration.
Professor David Rankin and prominent Māori like him need to focus on campaigning for systems aimed at viable, long term improvement. Proposals that encourage Māori to get quality education, encourage Māori entrepreneurships, Māori businesses. In short; they need to lend themselves to the cause of Encouraging the Economic Empowerment of Māori.
While all discussions and debates on Māori today still focus on the Māori -White relationships, most people including politicians tend to forget that it’s no longer about Māori and White. Today New Zealand is a culturally diverse country and will continue to grown in this diversity.
Future generations of New Zealanders whether their racial mix is White, Polynesian, African, Indian, Asian (oriental), and Middle Eastern etc are going to want equal opportunity for all. They are certainly not going to want to pay the price for, or apologise for the mistakes of the past. The future breed of New Zealanders will be the ones driving the economy; they will be the opinion makers, who play an important role in what goes on in New Zealand. It will have nothing to do with the race they belong to or how long they’ve been in New Zealand. In the future, views of which race occupied New Zealand first, won’t really matter. The reality is that, being born and raised in New Zealand is what makes people Kiwi, just like generations before them. Race and cultural heritage are not the same as Nationality and that is a key fact that fails to get recognised.
No one is denying the rich cultural and social significance that Māori have contributed to New Zealand. But it has been 166 years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Although many, many wrongs have occurred until quite recently, most people will agree that there has got to be a consensus a for a final time line by which all treaty claims should be addressed and remedied.
If Māori need to improve then they have got to shift their focus from the past to the future. The reality is that although they are still affected, hurt and driven by the past, if they don’t get a move on, they will be left behind. Māori have got to ensure their survival and well being through economic empowerment. Being dependant on compensations for the past, does not lead to enhancement. It only amplifies dependence and an inability to break free from the shackles of the past. And surely, this is not development but regression.
I have to say, that while I am in favour of progressive campaigns for the economic and social improvement of Māori, I can’t stop wondering if this campaign seeking UK pension entitlement sets a debilitative precedent for Māori.
Living in New Zealand, I’ve heard more unflattering comments about Māori than I’ve heard positive. It’s sad that Māori aren’t always perceived well. I’ve so often heard people refer to them as “those bloody lazy dole-pinching Māori”, or those “loud aggressive once were warriors types”. Conceivably, a large number of these stereotypes stem from ill- informed views or possibly, because people have just not seen solid examples of hard working Māori like I have. Perhaps, all they’ve been exposed to are the actual negative elements. I know loads of Māori who defy all the stereotypes - Māori who have worked really hard to improve their lives and social standing. More importantly, they have made efforts to dispel negative connotations about their families and their people.
There is no doubt, that there needs to be far reaching proposals to improve Māori, in particular, those in the rural communities. However, I’d rather see improvement programmes that don’t involve hand-outs. I’ve always held the view that urging people to claim Government benefits, whether in NZ or the UK does very little to improve their lives in the long- term. If anything, it ensures an uneasy reliance and degeneration.
Professor David Rankin and prominent Māori like him need to focus on campaigning for systems aimed at viable, long term improvement. Proposals that encourage Māori to get quality education, encourage Māori entrepreneurships, Māori businesses. In short; they need to lend themselves to the cause of Encouraging the Economic Empowerment of Māori.
While all discussions and debates on Māori today still focus on the Māori -White relationships, most people including politicians tend to forget that it’s no longer about Māori and White. Today New Zealand is a culturally diverse country and will continue to grown in this diversity.
Future generations of New Zealanders whether their racial mix is White, Polynesian, African, Indian, Asian (oriental), and Middle Eastern etc are going to want equal opportunity for all. They are certainly not going to want to pay the price for, or apologise for the mistakes of the past. The future breed of New Zealanders will be the ones driving the economy; they will be the opinion makers, who play an important role in what goes on in New Zealand. It will have nothing to do with the race they belong to or how long they’ve been in New Zealand. In the future, views of which race occupied New Zealand first, won’t really matter. The reality is that, being born and raised in New Zealand is what makes people Kiwi, just like generations before them. Race and cultural heritage are not the same as Nationality and that is a key fact that fails to get recognised.
No one is denying the rich cultural and social significance that Māori have contributed to New Zealand. But it has been 166 years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Although many, many wrongs have occurred until quite recently, most people will agree that there has got to be a consensus a for a final time line by which all treaty claims should be addressed and remedied.
If Māori need to improve then they have got to shift their focus from the past to the future. The reality is that although they are still affected, hurt and driven by the past, if they don’t get a move on, they will be left behind. Māori have got to ensure their survival and well being through economic empowerment. Being dependant on compensations for the past, does not lead to enhancement. It only amplifies dependence and an inability to break free from the shackles of the past. And surely, this is not development but regression.
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