Technology has opened up the world and as information spreads far and wide, old ways of doing things, are falling over. People can read and search for information about what ever they want ...and that is great.
I had a great teacher of customary Maori law and was taught about Maauriuri.
These things always held a sense of the unreachable .. of things known only to a few. It was easy to hold that sense that I now knew something 'special' and would only engage in conversation about such matters, with those who already knew.
That was 30 years ago. Now it is all on the Internet... open for all to see and to know .. and that is great..
Here is an article that contains some of those 'special ' bits of information ..
Read about the Chathams and enjoy it for what it is...... A story of our past that can bring clarity in our present...
Is it a myth of not? Enjoy.
Click here: Te Runanganui O Waitaha me Maata Waka Inc . - Te Kauwae Raro
The question is, ' Who do we believe ?
a.The Maui Solomon/ Mana Cracknell / M King version?
b.The H T Whatahoro ( Maori version ) ?
c. S Percy Smith version of the account of Whatahoro. ?
d)And you can add to that, the stories of A Shand and Captain Gilbert Mair..
To add to the maze of myths and stories written by people who could write stories , are those found in the...
e) Maori Land Record's ... spoken by the Chiefs (in Maori) who actually 'did the deeds'.
So Where Do We Go Now?
The challenge is that NZ (represented by Dr P Sharples)have finally signed the Charter earlier this year, for the United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples Rights, having previously refused to do so. Moana Jackson is now drawing up a constitution to represent the indigenous peoples of NZ, to fit within the structures of that UN forum.
Click here if you want to read more on these issues for yourself..
www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/drip.html
www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/declaration.
www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3599153/NZ-does-U-turn-on-rights-charter
The question is, .. how will the Chatham Islands fit itself into the new constitutional framework, being developed for the indigenous people of NZ?
How will it deal with the constitutional issues ( i.e. Treaty of Waitangi issues} of conquest? Raupatu? within its own Rohe, so that it can legitimately and authentically, fit in with the traditional and cultural norms of tribes in NZ. i.e tribes who practised the same customary traditions. No special deals this time....as in the case of Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri, when it came to raupatu at Wharekauri. it has been marketed as very uncommon....different...
In fact, the body of public and 'expert' opinion, can, at times, be said to have placed the raupatu of the Chatham Islands, within a zone of similarity not unlike that of the war crimes of the 1st and 2nd World war's of Europe..
I was once questioned by the media at the launch of the Waitangi Tribunal Report. We had already questioned why Parliament and not the Island , our papakainga. Consequently , a small team of Tribunal staff, including a few whanau, had flown in to the Islands, to deliver the document to the people. The flight down, apparently revealed a tale rather like the Erebus intrigue...
Moriori , however, preferred to have the document delivered in the that venerable icon of demacracy that we have in NZ, Parliament.
I was asked to go by those on the Islands, to 'keep an eye on things" .
At this event, I was asked by the media whether I felt sorry ...to which I replied “For what?” . I had no idea what they were talking about ..until I was given a copy of the Waitangi Tribunal Report "Rekohu" in its own special kete..... ....and then I got it......
They already had their copies and were well aware of what was in the document.
I too, already knew... What we had guessed 8 years previous ,was now being delivered with pomp and cakes and ale, in the very heart of the institution that continues relentlessly, to pursue the glorious -splendour of their tribal past - in a clone of their Westminister tikanga... parliament.
It was a self fulfilling prophesy..playing out an irony that was both a tragedy and a comedy to watch...a bit like the Sealords Deal signing ...same place...same irony...same tragic comedy..
So you see.. these issues are not little matters. They are not the ravings of a ranting woman sending out 'diatribes ' as some would believe and say... They are about the legacy that has been left for you and for me and the one that you and I and what ever we each choose and decide to do, will leave our whanau ...our mokopuna......
It is as simple as that...It is not about the fish..or who got the quota...In a few years time.. the stocks will probably deplete ....and then what?
The unresolved matters of customary traditions as they affect the constitutional status of the iwi o Wharekauri, has to be resolved. Not talking about it, won't make it go away..It is a global issue now...
So What do you think or more importantly, what are you going to do?
Cheers Evelyn
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