An alternative māori party is beginning to build momentum (Radio NZ) - this is good but I hasten to add that it must be a party that is inclusive and respectful of all people. It will be very important to focus on injustice and inequity - none of this, "It's all your own fault, bullshit." None of the right-wing lines used to reduce people and none of the exploitive, capitalist's who put money above everything. Don't fill the party up with ex-MP's! Don't fill the party up with people that call women "front-bums". A lot of don'ts I suppose but that is why I entitled my alternative māori party as a left māori party. Go left and look after people - that is my advice. Fill the party list with new people - there are plenty out there. Use the activist base to source good people. There are many working with the poor and disadvantaged, there are many commited to the environment and kaitiakitanga and they are quality and voters will vote for them. Go to our kaumatua and ask them. Watch out for those who will ride you as the māori party has been ridden.
Please note that exceptions can be made where appropriate - Sandra Lee is awesome and I rate her very highly and I have time for Willie Jackson too.
Update - I have just listened to Annette Sykes on the radio talking about supporting the alternative māori party - Ae! Kei te koa rawa atu au.
(I'm trying to use more te reo māori in mars2earth now and macrons - I'm following kaua e whakama. Karawhiua! Don't be shy. Give it a go. If you already know our sacred language feel free to help me when you can)
2 comments:
Tēnā koe Marty, ka tika tou kōrero. It's good to read something that says all the things that had been rattling away in my head about the new party. Your posts often make me feel a bit more sane after spending a day listening to National Radio. Mauri ora
Tena koe Marty
After being in Otautahi over the past couple of weeks watching our people come together to work in our communities I have come to the conclusion that it is not about political parties or politicians.
I am not enamoured with the Annette Sykes types - always going on about what is wrong but never being part of the solution. I don't agree with the Maori Party on some issues but at least they are trying to be part of the solution - just not as effective as we want them to be.
What is apparent right now is that there are talkers and then there are the doers - on the ground in Otautahi are the doers. The range from the student army to the farmy army to the tireless workers on our marae and the whanau that have taken in other whanau and so on.
What we need is to work out how to harness that community good will to and mobilise it on an ongoing basis and not just in times of crisis.
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