instead of a handshake

Sometimes the bigots are so over the top that they parody themselves and just sound funny and well a bit idiotic and such is the case with a recent visitor, "the right-wing (Krarup is a member of parliament for the Danish People's Party, which is described as a very right-wing party by political commentators)" Danish politician, Marie Krarup.I added all the bits together to get the point across - this is from a "an opinion piece in Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende",

Stuff

" ...dubbing the powhiri an "uncivilised" ritual, and marae a "grotesque" mark of multicultural worship." "When we came to a naval base, we were not received with a handshake or salute by uniformed men as usual," she wrote. "No, we were welcomed with a Maori dance ritual, with a half-naked man in grass skirt, shouting and screaming in Maori." and she said the man performed "strange rituals and poked his tongue out."She said she felt like an "idiot" when giving a hongi, When it was time to sing, Krarup said the waiata sounded like a Danish children's song about a happy ladybird. She said it was accompanied by a "kindergarten-teacher-guitar-accompaniment".The marae, or "Maori temple", was a form of cultural self-destruction, according to Krarup."It was decorated with God-figures with angry faces and large erect penises," she said."It's a mystery to me how the poor naval officers could endure both the ceremony and the surroundings."

a happy ladyird - hmm okay, large erect penises - hmmmmm oKay now we get it. And it is quite alright for this Danish person to have her views - who cares - it is just funny to see them all in a pile, sitting together, stacked up. It is also useful to know that these extreme right wing funny thinking people are in many countries not just here.

they can't break us

Great news that political prisoner Tame Iti has been released from prison. The injustice of his sentence is there forever but as Hone says Tame has increased his mana. 

RadioNZ

Mana MP Hone Harawira was at the marae to welcome Iti and believes he has come out of prison a stronger man.

"I think his mana has been enhanced by what he's gone through because those are lessons you just can't get on the outside. He's learnt from that, he's grown from that - he's a better man for it.

"And we as a people - Maori people in particular - are going to be better off for having a leader like this go though those experiences and come out as strongly."

Mr Harawira said Iti has successfully survived all that the state could throw at him.

I really like the attitude of Tame Iti

He held no resentment about being in jail nine months, saying he enjoyed his time there and was able to work and be creative with his art.

Iti said he was inspired by reading a book about former South African leader Nelson Mandela and wants to write one on the history of political prisoners in New Zealand.

His lawyer Russel Fairbrother said an application has been lodged with the Supreme Court to overturn the conviction and sentence.

Tame Iti is a man of mana for fighting for his beliefs and not being bowed and broken by the state. Good news also that fellow political prisoner Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara has also been granted parole and will leave prison on Monday.

vto and me

So it starts when I put a comment on The Standard about Hone's open letter to overseas investors. vto places a reply

vto Btw, I recall last week some coughing and spluttering from yourself when I referred to the military machinations of Ngai Tahu. In the last week I have had cause to visit various tourist sites around the South Island, several of which had informations available regarding Maori history at the particular sites. I was quite appalled at the lack of reference to those who existed prior to Ngai Tahu’s invasions and the dominance of recent history (last 200 years i.e. Ngai Tahu) over longer history. I guess that some things never change – the victor writes the history books.

and on we go, please note many of these quotes are taken from long comments
6.1.1

me. oh vto rest easy the histories are there for those who are able to see them. Look up mana whenua and whānui, they might give you some clue – but seriously stick to the stuff you nearly know rather than things you know nothing about – makes you less stressed and less antagonistic.

vto Fact: Histories at tourist sites around the South Island are excessively slanted in favour of Ngai Tahu, the victors.

me you keep raising the same point in a snide way, such as – “when I referred to the military machinations of Ngai Tahu” and “I was quite appalled at the lack of reference to those who existed prior to Ngai Tahu’s invasions and the(ir) dominance of recent history.” Those statements are ignorant – sorry if that offends you. Just who are you talking about vto? Ngāti Mamoe? Waitaha? Guess what, most Ngāi Tahu whānui, like me, whakapapa to all three iwi – that’s what it means to be part of the iwi – it’s on the front page of their website, not hard to find. Perhaps you are talking about other peoples who inhabited the island – please tell me who you are talking about. Hopefully you don’t bring up some brailsford bullshit.

vto marty mars, this issue began when you raised yourself to some higher moral ground to look down on the european colonists and their military ways, forgetting your own past and its own military ways. The basis of the issue was hypocrisy and it was that which I was pointing out.

vto “… and through inter-marriage and conquest these migrants merged with the resident Waitaha and took over authority of Te Waipounamu.” Ngai Tahu website. LOL, this is exactly what I was referring to. A painting of history at odds with the reality. For example, why write “…through inter-marriage and conquest … took over authority” which implies inter-marriage was somehow equal at the time to conquest? I tell you why – because it makes for a better looking history when compared to writing “though military conquest the Waitaha were conquered and authority assumed by mamoe at the end of a taiaha. … ” As for inter-marriage, how long after the “conquest” was that? Or was it a result of the rape by soldiers?

vto face it marty mars, the history as written is not settled. Why else would it get raised in conversation when in certain parts of the South Island?And as for your moral high ground when referencing european military escapades as compared your own, sheesh, your own website blows that one out of the water. Wake up fulla.

me “at odds with the reality” – your distorted reality vto, “which implies” – only in your head vto, “better looking history” – so you say vto, the knowledge is there vto of what happened in detail the fact is you aren’t ready for it and couldn’t handle it – it not yours and not for you. your bigotry shows through loud and clear with your final ‘fulla’ – you show yourself.

vto to Hateatea I am questioning marty’s point some couple weeks ago that saw him clamber onto high moral ground and look down on the ways and means of the European as if they are / were somehow worse and more morally lacking than those of Maori at times of conquest or colonisation. His own history is the same, as you perfectly point out above. He chooses to ignore this and claim a superiority. That is what grates. An incorrect view of history and a hypocrisy. The line ‘the victor writes the history books’, so true through all of humanity, is entirely applicable.

vto to Hateatea That questioning by me of marty’s view then resurfaced through the example of Maori histories at tourist sites I happenned to come across some days ago, which also painted a view of their history seemingly at odds with other views. To further support this I copied just one part of Ngai Tahu’s website to indicate how the wording has been constructed to paint a more favourable picture than could otherwise have been written. He has not answered any of this except to say I am thick and no nothing. That is all he has said. Read it yourself, it is all there above and around.

me “He chooses to ignore this and claim a superiority.”, no I don’t – please provide reference. “An incorrect view of history and a hypocrisy” In your opinion or do you have backup for your ‘incorrect history’ story. “seemingly at odds with other views” Which other views – come on provide your sources, “to paint a more favourable picture” Once again in your view – favourable is subjective – my point to you is that you don’t know enough to understand the concept or content in relation to these matters, you are still looking through your blurred lense created by your own stuff.

me You started this deliberate attack on me because you know I am part of the iwi. You added comments to my unrelated comments to bring up the point that you strongly wished to say. Yet you still waffle on scared to tell your truth. Here you go – get it out – tell me the real story.

“I don’t like Ngai Tahu”
“I don’t like maori getting special treatment”
“I don’t like maori not fitting in to our country” and so on…

Frankly, if it is actually about indigenous historial narratives and their use in creating perceptions and positioning for marginalised groups, I’ll eat my hat.

So that is a flame war of sorts. Also a bit of fun. I do confess to being sensitive around these matters and when provoked a bit of tiger comes out, but I think vto is totally out of line with his terrible accusations. I cannot stand by and let lies gain traction.

fair warning

Hone and The Mana Party open letter to overseas investors

Scoop

Tena koutou katoa

Greetings to you all

The New Zealand government is proposing to sell shares in five State Owned Enterprises (Air New Zealand and four energy companies, Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis and Solid Energy) to repay overseas debt.

That proposal is opposed by an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders who believe that:

• Assets built up through the hard work of generations of New Zealanders should not be sold to investors whose primary objective is not the public good, but private profit;
• Privatisation will remove any ‘social responsibility’ from companies who until now have been responsible to government ministers;
• Electricity assets in particular, should be held by the government on behalf of all New Zealanders, for the benefit of all New Zealanders, at a price we can afford;
• The government should hold and manage those assets for the benefit of all citizens of this country.

As the indigenous people of Aotearoa, Maori have been even stronger in their opposition. The Maori view is that no asset sales should proceed until Maori interests in those assets have been properly addressed.

Maori have already made application to the Waitangi Tribunal to block the legislation. A separate case is before the High Court. Steps are being taken to take the case to the United Nations (under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) and Maori groups have pledged to take action against sales to overseas interests which impact on our sovereignty.

In a related case, following months of public protest, the High Court has called on the NZ government to reconsider a decision to approve the sale of farm land to overseas interests.
So today I think it only proper to send a warning to overseas investors - steer clear of any share offer in the above SOE’s. The purchase of these shares is likely to see you caught up in legal battles and direct action from citizens determined to protect their own interests, both of which will be lengthy and costly and have an adverse impact on the value of your investment.

As the leader of the MANA Movement and Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, I wish to advise that MANA is opposed to the privatisation of state assets and will strongly argue for any shares sold to overseas investors to be returned to New Zealand hands.

You have been warned...

Very hard hitting but it is fair to give a warning to those overseas investors who may be considering buying into these assets. Those investors may believe the spin from the government that all is cool and everyone happy with this selloff of our assets. Good work Hone in putting this out there so that there is no misunderstanding about what will happen in the future.

and our children grow

On a personal level it has been an eventful start to 2012 and most of the events have been difficult. A lot has also been happening in the real world too - here are some of my thoughts...


I've talked about TAG Oil before on this blog and at that time I highlighted their enthusiasm for exploitation of the East Coast, which they recently described as "the Texas of the south", "literally leaking oil and gas". Only the people can stop these exploiters - the government wants them to drill, but they will be stopped. It doesn't matter how many paid trips TAG Oil organise for the locals they will never win. The battlelines on this one are clear and everyone will have to make a decision about where they actually stand - I have faith that they will stand with us in opposition to their plans.


The Archdruid has put a great post up that really made me think about privilege and it relates to the paragraph above too because the decisions we make today ripple into our future.

... To understand the consequences of that awkward fact, it’s important to get past the rhetoric of victimization that fills so much space in discussions of social hierarchy these days. Of course the people at or near the upper end of the pyramid get a much larger share of the proceeds of the system than anybody else, and those at or near the bottom get crumbs; that’s not in question. The point that needs making is that a great many people in between those two extremes also benefit handsomely from the system. When those people criticize the system, their criticisms by and large focus on the barriers that keep them from having as large a share as the rich—not the ones that keep them from having as small a share as the poor, or to phrase things a little differently, that keep their privileged share from being distributed more fairly across the population as a whole.

We are community but we are also individuals and that is where change occurs. Reduction is the consequence of Peak Oil but we must begin to prepare and get used to less. To reduce. And for those of us bought up in western societies that is a difficult point to accept. Yet as JMG says everywhere else people do live with less. Always thought provoking and inspiring is JMG for me. Another writer and person that I hold in high esteem is Matt McCarten and he is writing very well in the NZH

The winners in our society have most of us convinced that they are financially successful because they are academically brighter, make the most of education opportunities and have superior personal qualities. Losers, on the other hand, are the opposite; with the added problems of criminal behaviour, addictions and family conflict.

But a major academic study that has tracked more than 1300 individuals was released this week. Children born to rich parents have a better chance in life to be happier, healthier and wealthier then those kids from poor backgrounds.

The mythology surrounding the poor is designed to perpetuate poorness.We must stand up for equality each and every time and I am pleased that the Mana Party are focusing on the poor. I see a real alignment with tino rangatiratanga in that approach. And great to see Hone and the Mana Party come out in support of the workers involved in the port dispute. The Standard has lots of posts on the dispute and well worth a read for the facts.


A brilliant article called 'The Exclusive Economic Zone: for sale' by Claire Browning

It says that if what you find out there in the EEZ is worth enough, it’s all for sale. What the Bill does is state its price. It does not set in place any bottom line – any fence, if you like, against risk of environmental destruction.

It is the Schedule 4 policy leftovers warmed up, in a more remote place, where the government hopes we will neither notice nor care.

Our environment is in serious danger and the government has opened the gate for the predators. They respect nothing except profit and they will try to eat us. That is what they do - they eat and shit money. But we can stop them, people can stop them and we will! Part of the way we can do it is communication and consultation - spreading the word, talking about it. Community is the answer but as I've noted earlier we, as individuals, must decide where we stand, what we believe in and what we love. It is not our place to exploit and desecrate Papatūānuku, Mother Earth - it has never been our place, yet here we are, today. And our children grow.

underreported struggles 53

Ahni at Intercontinental Cry has some very important underreported struggles this month.

Two Shipibo communities in the Peruvian Amazon broke off negotiations with Maple Gas Corporation, over the health and environmental impacts of six oil spills on their territory over the past three years. The move comes just one month after 32 Shipibo were forced to clean up one of the spills with their bare hands.

Shell and BP are mere steps away from drilling exploratory wells off the Coast of Alaska and Russia, a region that everyone's playfully referring to as the "final frontier" for petroleum development. The notion of the Arctic being "undeveloped" or "undiscovered" probably couldn't be more insulting to the Inupiat, Saami and other Indigenous Peoples whose cultures and subsistence ways of life evolved over centuries of living in the region.

The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Peoples are speaking out against a planned quarry project that threatens a key religious and cultural area. The company, Granite Construction is seeking an agreement that would allow it to mine the quarry for 75 years. Tribal officials, however, insist that they been telling county officials about the property's spiritual importance for years. They consider the land to be the site of creation. 

Heavily armed drug traffickers from Peru are believed to be hunting isolated indigenous peoples in the Brazilian state of Acre on the border with Peru, in order to make way for coca-growing operations. According to latest reports, the Ministry of Defense has organized a "permanent occupation" until the crisis is contained.  

The Indigenous Telengit Peoples in the Altai Republic are turning to the international community to help stop a new gas pipeline that would cut through their sacred lands and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cultural Survival has responded to the Telengit's call by starting a letter-writing campaign on their behalf. 

And many more - please visit Intercontinental Cry and read about these struggles.

you look like trouble

The use of Māori Wardens to target drunk Māori during the Rugby World Cup is racist and wrong and for reasons that are as obvious as the colour of your skin.

TV3

Wellington bar owners say drunk Maori will be specifically targeted during the World Cup, by a 50-year-old law that has been pulled from the archives by police and the city council.

The law allows Maori wardens to enter bars and remove drunk or violent Maori.

Many bar owners say it is a shameful, racist law and the Government now wants to take a look at it.

Bill in the comments on The Standard hits the nail on the head

Bill 10 August 2011 at 9:52 am

Since NZ doesn’t have identity cards; and since being Maori is not predicated on ‘how much Maori blood you have in you’, like in the U. States for example, where to ‘be’ or ‘designated’ or ‘recognised’ as Cherokee or whichever indigenous culture requires 25% (or whatever) ‘Cherokee blood’, then the whole thing would be impossible to implement.

A pale skinned red head person can be as Maori as the dark skinned, dark haired person next to them. Maybe even more so. Being Maori is largely about self identification, or culture here. Not appearance.

Which means attempts to enact the law would impact on all (young?) brown skinned people; not Maori.

This isn't about Māori - it is about brown skin and that is why it is racist and unacceptable.

underreported struggles 52

Ahni at Intercontinental Cry has some very important underreported struggles this month.

In recent months many Bangladeshi indigenous people have taken the streets holding meetings, human chains and rallies, demanding constitutional recognition of their population. The ongoing demand stems from an ‘indigenous' debate, in which many government representatives have denied that any Indigenous People are in the country. An illuminating talk by a Bengali citizen puts the debate into perspective.

The Ramu landowners in Papua New Guinea were shocked to learn a Judge decided to approve the controversial deep sea waste disposal plan for the Chinese-owned Ramu Nickel mine. The approval came only after the judge acknowledge the risk of irreversible harm to marine resources. The landowners say they are going to appeal against the court decision.

Chile's Aysén Environmental Review Commission approved the environmental assessment of a five dam proposal on two rivers. The approval, however, is marred in controversy and has set off protests in many cities, including Santiago. Critics say the series of dams will destroy a largely untouched region of Patagonia. Protests hit Coyhaique, the city where the vote occurred, with over 1,000 people marching. Clashes with police resulted in water canons and tear gas being used on protestors. Reportedly protestors were throwing rocks at commissioners' cars. Dozens were arrested. Similar clashes occurred in Santiago.

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake are celebrating a recent decision by Cartier Resources Inc. to suspend its mining exploration activities in the Algonquin community's traditional territory in northwestern Quebec. The decision sets an important precedent in Canada concerning the Right of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) as defined by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

After struggling for more than 30 years to protect the Koongarra region from the threat of uranium mining, Kakadu Traditional owners can breathe a welcomed sigh of relief. The World Heritage Committee recently announced that it would redraw the borders of the Kakadu National Park to include Koongarra.

And many more - please visit Intercontinental Cry and read about these struggles.

underreported struggles 51

Ahni at Intercontinental Cry has some very important underreported struggles this month.

Citizens from the Yurok, Hoopa, Karuk and other Indigenous Nations, essentially turning a traditional practice into a protest, came together to gather seaweed, mussels and clams along California's North Coast. If the state of California pushes through its proposed MLPA Initiative, the customary practice of gathering these and other subsistence resources would be outlawed.

Local populations around the world are standing up to the coal-fired power industry, resisting private and public-sector pressure to cast aside their rights, homes and livelihoods for projects that are clearly not intended for their benefit. As Grist.org highlights, hundreds of thousands of people in Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Australia, Colombia and elsewhere are standing up and saying NO.

Despite Argentina's blanket ban on evictions of Indigenous communities, the Quilmes community of Colalao del Valle is facing its third eviction attempt in three years. Police officers already tried to disperse the community on April 29th; but the community, which is attempting to reclaim ancestral lands, resisted.

Word got out that the Canadian government started spying on Indigenous people almost immediately after Prime Minister Stephen Harper took office in January 2006. Information obtained by Access to Information requests revealed that the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) was permitted to start monitoring First Nations engaged in direct action to protect their lands and communities and to gather and share intelligence on "First Nation leaders, participants and outside supporters of First Nation occupations and protests." 

Communities in the Transkei Wildcoast's Xolobeni area of South Africa successfully pressured the government to halt mining operations in the area. The Xolobeni area is considered the traditional home of the AmaDiba people who claim to have occupied the land for centuries. The AmaDiba Crisis Committee (ACC) said that, if the Xolobeni Mineral Sand mining project had proceeded as planned, the AmaDiba would have "faced permanent and significant changes to their traditional way of life and their connection to the land."  

And many more - please visit Intercontinental Cry and read about these struggles.

underreported struggles 50

Ahni at Intercontinental Cry has some very important underreported struggles this month.

The Philippines government, in a surprise move, cancelled its Financial and Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAAs) for several mining concessions in Palawan. However, the Indigenous People of Palawan are not quite ready to celebrate, given recent moves by the MacroAsia Corporation, not to mention the Health Departments near-portrayal of Indigenous People as "dirty animals".

The Goa government ordered the closure of an illegal open cast iron mine after a sustained protest by Indigenous villagers. The villagers, concerned about a mining company's takeover of a hill vital to their beliefs, wisely set up a protest camp outside the private home of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, an official who had the authority to shut down the mine.The Minister conceded to the villagers after just one day.

Hundreds of Maasai, Sukuma, Barbaig and Taturu pastoralists refused to leave the Maswa Game Reserve because of their historical ties to the land. The Tanzania government wants the pastoralists out of the reserve, which borders the world-famous Serengeti National Park, because of an all-too-familiar claim: "environmental degradation concerns".

TVI Resource Development, Inc. (TVIRDI), after years of violating the human rights and customary laws of the Subanon People, admitted its wrongdoings in a cleansing Ceremony led by the Subanon's traditional judicial authority. During the ceremony, the company acknowledged that Mount Canatuan is indeed a sacred site and that they were wrong for desecrating it. They also agreed to pay the fines as stipulated by the traditional authority.

Owners of the Arizona Snowbowl ski area began construction of a wastewater pipeline on the San Francisco Peaks, a sacred site to more than 13 Indigenous Nations. Local environmental justice organizations, Tribal representatives, and members of Flagstaff community are currently preparing a course of action to defend the Peaks.

And many more - please visit Intercontinental Cry and read about these struggles.

clash of cultures

The maori party have said that they will stand a candidate against Hone if a by-election is called. Good! As McCarten said on the radio - if they want to call Hone's bluff then go for it and we will hear what the people want. Exactly! - let's hear from the people because I don't put much weight in these polls saying that labour will come through the gap as the two main protaganists fight it out. Labour won't come through the gaps because their won't be a gap. The hui that the maori party have had over the weekend were fiesty with Hone's mum and sister distrupting by chanting and singing and insulting. I just don't know if that is tika or not - hopefully someone will blog on that aspect somewhere because tariana calls it psychological abuse and it sickened her. The maori party have to rebuild their base up north from scratch and that will take a lot of mahi. Their president says they are after the older voters not the young who are following Hone - perhaps the maori party should really consider deeply why that is. Turia says Hone is scared and that is why he sent his whanau to disrupt the hui but I would imagine Hone didn't send send them at all - they made their own choices and decisions. The maori party will have to get used to people being pretty pissed off with them because they will be hearing a bit of it this year.

leave them be

I can fully understand why Wellington wants a new motorway as I lived there for many years. For me the building of motorways is really a last gasp of a oil addicted society and unfortunately when the oil runs out or becomes too scarce, well then we will have spent a lot of money for roads that not many can afford to use. So i'd look at alternatives to motorways which really means looking at alternatives to personal cars and that is a big one. cars have become more than vehicles, they reflect a lot of us, we feel safe within them, it is our space and it will take a lot of pain for people to give that up. The silly thing is that as there are positives to having your own car, there are also a lot of negatives and the same is true for shared transport, whether that be car-pooling buses or trains. It is pleasant to sit with the same people every day, to chat eventually to them, to smile and say hello. The fanatical attraction we have for our own personal transport seems to me to be a reaction to feeling disempowered within our society.


The motorway option chosen near Wellington goes through sacred Maori Land - an urupa. And tangata whenua are rightly disappointed that the route will disturb their land.

The Dominion Post

Takamore Trustees, which oversees the urupa, met agency representatives last month and refused to endorse new adjustments to the routes near the urupa.

Spokesman Ben Ngaia said yesterday that the trustees were waiting to see the detailed maps, but it was "an understatement" to say they were disappointed the western route seemed to have been chosen.

"Out of the two options, the one that we preferred was the eastern because of the level of impact it left on the waahi tapu."

Our sacred places are too important to develop them, we should respect them and when we do that we respect ourselves and our connection to this land.

what's the point?

Oh deary dear I don't have any problems with Hone's view of bin Laden, that is his opinion but as I have outlined here, there is a time and place. My question to Hone is, what's the point? What's the point of saying what you did - to show support for bin Laden's family or those that support his philosophy or to be staunch - I can't quite work it out because the days of just saying what you want, when you want, are over - you are leading a new political force that is creating hope for many. You need to suck it up and mull it over before you say whatever you want to say. It is not about bin Laden or whether it was on a te reo maori channel, it is about the bigger picture - it's about Mana!

Footnote - whilst I stick by the post mel on Maui Street has added a comment which really made me think

Mel said... What Hone actually did was a mihi to the dead, which is a Maori custom "...ahakoa ko wai te tangata" despite who the person is. Those are the things you say whenever you hear of someone's passing. That is the tikanga.

If you listen to the video, Scotty Morrison is the one who mentions Osama being a freedom fighter ("engari he tangata tino whaiwhai mo te tino rangatiratanga o tona iwi nera? me ona whakapono") and Hone acknowledges that. But he's not saying 'oh yay he was a choice dude' but points out that he was a human being who had a family/tribe/people that will mourn him...

"no reira, he tikanga kia kaua e takahi i te mate engari me mihi atu ki a ia mo nga mahi e whai nei i a ia i te waiora"

'therefore, the custom is don't trample on the dead, but instead celebrate the good things he did'

Please please watch the article in question and read the subtitles before you go spouting the same tripe as mainstream media.

They have deliberately twisted Hone's reo me ona tikanga into saying something he wasn't.

It is a willful misuse of te reo and a twisting of our tikanga

Thanks Mel you have added good knowledge into the debate. I note also that Hone has apologised - fair enough - i'm sorry too for not getting the full story.

polluting paradise

Terrible news that they want to explore for oil off Abel Tasman National Park coastline, Golden Bay and Northwest Nelson. This is the most pristine area of this country with beautiful landscapes and undisturbed nature. They cannot be allowed to do this - simply it must be and will be stopped.

Nelson Mail

A Chinese-backed Australian mining company has revealed plans to explore for oil in the seabed off the Abel Tasman National Park coastline, across much of Golden Bay and the northwest corner of the South Island.

Speaking from Sydney, Greywolf chief executive Edward Lancaster said the company hoped to start explorations and eventual mining operations once approval was granted from Crown Minerals – and if its Chinese partners considered it worthwhile.

Mr Lancaster plans to visit the region within the next month to assess the potential for developing the area. Golden Bay was potentially a mineral-rich area and if coal and oil were found, Port Tarakohe could be developed to service those industries, he said.

Company representatives have already spoken to Tasman District Council chief executive officer Paul Wylie about their plans, including the possible development of Port Tarakohe.

"The job prospects for the region would be very good and I know he [Mr Wylie] is anxious to develop the area," he said.

Local tangata whenua are incensed

Golden Bay iwi are alarmed at the plans by Sydney-based Greywolf Goldmining NL. It is proposing drilling the seabed for oil and gas, as well as prospecting for coal in Golden Bay and developing Port Tarakohe.

Manawhenua Ki Mohua, comprising three Golden Bay iwi (Ngati Tama, Te Ati Awa and Ngati Rarua), received the company's petroleum application from the Crown Minerals department last week.

Their representative, John Ward-Holmes, said iwi were "totally opposed to any exploration or drilling of the seabed for oil on cultural and environmental grounds".

"Everyone is alarmed about it. We don't want this and we want to let people know what's in the pipeline."

He said iwi had not been informed about the company's applications to prospect for coal.

We must support Manawhenua Ki Mohua and oppose these exploiters. People power can and will stop them - we will stop them.

the old one two

We are fighting their oil exploitation on the East Coast and we will soon be fighting them on the West Coast too. News that, "US independent energy giant Anadarko Petroleum has confirmed it intends drilling a well in what is known as the Deepwater Taranaki Basin", is disturbing, already there is disquiet

Taranaki Daily News

But already environmental groups fighting oil and gas exploration in remote areas of New Zealand's exclusive economic zone are promising they will take action against the drilling project.

Recently-formed Climate Justice Taranaki confirmed yesterday it has been talking with Greenpeace about what can be done. Spokeswoman Emily Bailey said definite plans had not been formulated, but there would be protest action.

"It's crazy. It'll be mad trying to drill way out there in the Tasman. The risk of spills will be too much," she said.

"So we'll definitely be doing something. We'll also be trying to talk to the community about this project. It's definitely not the way we should be going."

It will be worth keeping our eye on these developments - action is always best if it can be coordinated and getting tangata whenua involved and the community will be essential.

Seismic surveys conducted in the block three years ago identified three major prospects: Romney, which is under 1600 metres of water, Coopworth at 1400 metres, and Corriedale, at a much shallower 230 metres. Depending on which prospect is to be targeted by the exploration joint venture headed by Anadarko, the well could be located more than 150km out to sea.

The Deepwater Horizon disaster occurred in a water depth of 1500 metres. The Taranaki well could be drilled in water at least that deep.

The risks cannot be mitigated they can only be ignored by the exploiters. Why should our land and sea be put at risk to generate profits for overseas megacompanies. it is just not good enough and must be stopped.

underreported struggles 49

Ahni at Intercontinental Cry has some very important underreported struggles this month.

The Alberta government approved a $2.7-billion expansion of the Christina Lake oilsands project, putting even more pressure on the Beaver Lake Cree Nation, their environment, their traditional way of life; and the nearly-extinct woodland Caribou. The Beaver Lake Cree are in the midst of an ongoing legal battle against all tar sands operations within their territory.

The South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment delayed its decision on whether or not to allow oil drilling near the Sacred site known as Bear Butte. The board previously approved a drilling application; but then reopened the case after determining that it had failed to consider state laws concerning the protection of cultural resources related to property with an historic designation. The Board is expected to make its decision on May 18. Bear Butte is sacred to many Plains Peoples, including the Lakota, Cheyenne, Dakota, and Arapaho.

The Mirarr People renewed their opposition to the multibillion-dollar Jabiluka uranium deposit in Australia's Northern territory, declaring their wish, in solidarity with the people of Japan, to include the deposit as part of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. Simply put, the Mirarr want the uranium to stay in the ground, where it can't harm anyone, and so future generations have it to protect.

Bolivia is getting ready to ratify one of the most radical environmental bills in global history, The Law of Mother Earth. The law, which has also been tabled at the United Nations, would give the natural world legal rights, specifically the rights to life and regeneration, biodiversity, water, clean air, balance, and restoration.

The Swedish Supreme Court upheld a decision from the country's lower courts, recognizing the rights of the Sami indigenous people and their ancestral tradition of herding Reindeer. The case had been sitting before the courts since 1997, when 104 Swedish landowners tried to sue three reindeer herding collectives owned by the Sami in the area.

 And many more - please visit Intercontinental Cry and read about these struggles.

the worse he calls it the better it is

It is generally acknowledged now that the labour leader phil goff has poor political radar or nous or as Idiot/Savant puts it, "Phil Goff has no virtù." I am sure goff disagrees but it is pretty obvious after the continued and consistent mistakes he has made, anyway we should consider carefully what Phil says because the opposite is likely to be true. Phil is saying this

NZH

He doubted Mr Harawira's party would have as much of an impact as Mr Harawira believed. "Will [Maori voters] go for an extreme option - Hone Harawira and the people he's got around him? "It's not my impression Maori will go for an extreme option."

Extreme - that is the joke of it all - policies that pander to a mythical middle, based on the latest polling, that play lip service to the disadvantaged are extreme not the Mana Party's kaupapa. That is a wonderful endorsement from goff really - the worse he calls it, the better it is.

Meanwhile Brash has taken offence at being called racist by Hone

"I find that grossly offensive. I think being called racist is almost the worst kind of insult," Dr Brash said. "To me a racist is someone who wants to discriminate against particular people. Well, my concern is that the Maori Party actually wants to create a privileged group of New Zealanders.

The Mana Party Don, not the maori party

I want all New Zealanders to have exactly the same rights under the law. He [Hone] wants to give a preference to Maori."

We are going to hear that one quite a bit. It dismisses the indigenous rights of maori, it ignores the Treaty of Waitangi, it disappears the statistics around maori which shows the truth not the 'privilege' and it is based on self interest, cowardness and racism. There are no 'same rights' Don - didn't you check out the latest replacement to the foreshore and seabed act? No equality there - the rights of maori are lessor than private owners. But this battle is not over facts but rather over ideologies and the cycloptic brash knows it all already.

many will listen

Good lineup of speakers for the launch of the Mana Party tomorrow

Tangatawhenua.com

There have been some enquires regarding who the guest speakers will be. They are:

■· Margaret Mutu

■· Annette Sykes

■· Matt McCarten

■· Syd Keepa

■· Mereana Pitman

■· Sue Bradford

■· John Minto

■· Veronica Tawhai

■· Will Ilohahia

■· Lisa McNabb

■· Nandor Tanczos

■· Hone Kaa

■· Selwyn Muru

Yes very good indeed - the momentum is building and this lineup of speakers is proof of the wide appeal of the Mana Party - and it will get even wider when the kaupapa is announced.

new terror raids being planned?

Good post by Morgan at Maui Street on potential terror raids on Te Whanau a Apanui and their continued opposition to the exploitation of their land and seas.

If the police suspect something untoward is going on then the sensible step is to engage with Te Whanau a Apanui on reasonable basis – i.e. face to face in a non-threatening situation. There is no reason to blow this issue to Mars.

Tangatawhenua.com

The proposed raids on Te Whanau a Apanui are a direct response to a community who are trying to stand up for their own rights. They oppose oil drilling off their coast and this is how they are being treated! Their concern is for ALL New Zealanders, they know if Petrobas is granted permission they are the first in a line of many who will ravage much more than the East Coast. We need to show our support.

The sources seem plausible so we will see what happens - we are watching and as we have seen with the terror raids against Tuhoe - they are just that - 'terror raids' - based on, and designed to propogate, terror. Kia kaha Te Whanau a Apanui.

Hat tip Maui St

ever evolving actions

All of the items entrusted to museums are expected to be looked after. As many of you will know, I would return all taonga to Māori, unless they specifically state they are happy for the museum to continue to look after them, but even then I'd look at other alternatives - creating iwi museums and supplying expertise and advice to iwi when they ask so that they can empower themselves in their rohe, on their land. IMO the respecting of taonga we see in museums is more an offshoot of the colonising religion than traditional respect of mana and tapu. Mana to me is like the weight in a non-tippable doll. The weight provides the base but it also provides the impetus for action and movement. Mana is derived from the Gods and whakapapa and it is also derived from action and activities. Mana does not plateau and sit at a level - it is constantly going up or down based upon what is happening - and in tradtional times everything was conducted to enhance and strengthen mana. Taonga were hidden away but they were also used, in ceremony or significant tasks - to inspire the people and enhance mana. Taonga are a living, connected part of a community and are so much more than what they appear.

anyway

Professor Mark Stocker a art historian at University of Otago has uncovered artifacts, including taonga that were entrusted to a british museum, have ended up for sale on the open market. He says, "Our heritage is being trampled on ... I think it is rather extraordinary." He tried, but was unable to stop a sale over here.

NZH

However, it was also discovered that the pare and the pataka were about to be auctioned at Auckland art dealership Dunbar Sloane in September last year. Professor Stocker sought legal advice and told the police. The pataka was withdrawn from sale, but the lintel was auctioned and sold to a private buyer. He said the items reaching the open market raised serious questions about how safe historical treasures entrusted to museum collections could be.

Professor Stocker doesn't hold back in his conclusions

There were three possibilities about how the items came to be for sale, he said. Someone may have stolen them to make money, they may have been sold by accident, or they may have been sold with permission.

The fallout has started

British newspapers have reported Bristol museum director Mr Griffiths has resigned. British police are also investigating.

And some strong, true words by Professon Stocker

There was no way of knowing how many items had been sold or were on the market, Professor Stocker said. He was particularly offended about the intended sale of Maori artefacts, which he said showed disrespect towards the technical and spiritual qualities Maori artists brought to their works.

Thank you Professor Stocker for all your work in this area. Taonga are not to be bought or sold in an auction - they shouldn't even be over there - bring them home to their people - we need them to be home.