transitions

I've managed to unfreeze my old computer which has a treasure trove of photos from a few years back. I am interested in transitions and the places where that occurs

 

We are constantly transitioning from yesterday to tomorrow

Bush - come down

A quiet start to the week

indigenous truth in argentina

A fantastic article by Marie Trigona 

Argentina's bicentennial celebration - what about the indigenous people? And how does the plight of indigenous people over there, relate to our fight for rights, over here.

"As bicentennial events commenced, indigenous groups led a caravan to the nation’s capital to demand recognition of their sovereign culture and plurality, in one of the largest indigenous demonstrations in Argentina’s history. During the march thousands commemorated the nation’s non-colonial history.

Santiago de la Casa, a Pilagá community member traveled from the province of Formosa to push for a law to recognize indigenous cultures, languages and territory. “We can’t be happy and celebrate the nation’s past 200 years as indigenous people. The indigenous people already existed here. The other, the Europeans who came here 200 years ago can celebrate. They can be happy because they have benefited from the waters, rivers, air, earth apt to produce. We are sad because we don’t have a specific law for the aboriginal people.”

The Pilagá community has faced environmental devastation and water pollution due to the construction of public water works project which has flooded indigenous ancestral lands. Amnesty International published a report on the “systematic violation of human rights.” The Pilagá community numbering around 6,000 inhabits the bordering lands of the La Estrella wetlands. The indigenous have faced constant repression from security forces and threats, in addition to the degradation of living standards due to the pollution of the wetlands. The Pilagá face food shortages and risk losing their traditional ways of life, such as hunting and fishing which they have depended on for centuries."

These issues are global. The systemic, deliberate destruction of indigenous communities and peoples has and is happening all over this world and it is an absolute disgrace.

"More than 30 indigenous nations have survived the mass immigration of Europeans to Argentina. However, the nation’s early leaders led campaigns such as the “conquest of the desert,” to wipe out indigenous communities in the Patagonia south to make room for white inhabitants. General Julio Argentino Roca led this campaign in which “30 million hectares were stolen from the indigenous and distributed among the nation’s most wealthy under what is called the campaign of the desert,” said Anarchist Historian Osvaldo Bayer."

The article includes much historic information about the fate of indigenous people in Argentina - please go and read.

And what does it say about here? Maori are not alone in being denied their rights - the right to freedom and independence and truth. The right to live on ancestral land, the right to protect ancestral waterways, mountains, and other sacred places. The right to be equal.

Is putting stolen land into national parks any better than giving it to genocidial generals?

Hat tip Upside Down World

the coast the circuit the mine the possum

Maori TV is awesome. My favorite program at the moment is The Circuit - I have been trying to imagine this type of program being made here - I hope our moviemakers look at this type of drama about us, for us.

Maori TV also have snippets on Ngāi Tahu quite often - i wonder if they would consider putting their programs grouped by iwi - it would make it easier to find things... Two items which caught my eye...

Ngāi Tahu will not support mining in Paparoa lands



Ngāi Tahu will never agree on 1080 being used on their ancestral lands



Two issues at either end of the coast that affect all people of this land. Strong words and actions are needed. leadership and inspiration are needed - these items are part of that process.

prisonwood

I think this is a good call by Metiria - it is naive for iwi groups to support private management of prisons. The multi-national companies don't care about prisioners or maori - they care about profit. Iwi groups working for profit off the prison system, when 50% of male and 60% of female prisioners are maori, is wrong.

From RadioNZ

"Waatea News reports iwi including Tainui, Ngati Whatua and Nga Puhi have investigated possible joint ventures with private prison operators in line with a Government move to open the sector to competition.

Ms Turei says the multi-national companies likely to win such contracts are driven solely by profit, and it's foolish to think they share the Maori interest in rehabilitation.

"These corporations don't care for us. They just want to make a buck," she said.

Exactly! I do not believe that prisons should be run for profit. Don't get sucked in iwi groups and please don't go there.

Idiot/Savant has a good post on the news that the disgraceful 3-strikes legislation is now law - this law is terrible. It will mean more prisioners and more maori in prison. It is so futile to just get people out of societies face, pretend there is no problem, lock them up, punish them - can people not see that that does nothing to fix the problem.

con-promise not compromise

So the mining company says let's compromise - let's not make any changes on schedule 4 conservation land before we have done some very small exploritory holes to determine if there is any minerals, like coal and gold, that we might want to dig up. Then, once we have have determined that there is something to dig, then we can have the debate on that particular bit of the schedule 4 conservation estate. This is practical and efficient - only one problem really - it is mental and it isn't a compromise at all.

We don't want ANY schedule 4 conservation land dug up - get it - NONE! - ZERO! - and all the bogus arguments about wealth creation and jobs are all lies. It is all illusion and made up and many people know it too which is why so many have marched and written submissions.

From Radio NZ

"In its submission, Newmont Waihi Gold which mines in Coromandel, has called on the Government to wait for more specific information on the most promising mineral deposits before removing any protections.

But the company says the rules would need to be changed to allow more exploratory drilling."

Big gerry didn't like that

"Mr Brownlee says Newmont has most of the mining rights for Schedule Four land on the Coromandel Peninsula, so it must not want any competition.

He says he assumes Newmont will relinquish all its mining permits in Coromandel when they expire in June."

Yes we all assume that gerry.

"Newmont says its proposal is a challenge to all sides of the debate."

Well I don't think so because it is not an idea with much merit. What actually is the compromise? That the mining company are only going to dig small exploritory holes - they will do that anyway. This compromise is all one way - what are the mining companies compromising? Nothing in my view - just another smokescreen to muddy the waters (to mix my metaphors).

righting wrong won't wreck the country

These crown negotiators, like doug graham - what actually is their claim to fame?

That they were good negotiators? That they screwed maori for the best deal for the crown? They weren't working for maori they were working against maori - i don't see why they should be considered worth listening to, unless people want to learn how to 'negotiate' with maori even more.

So when doug graham says, on NZH,

"You can't wreck the country [financially] because one group has said this is their bottom line."

about the Tuhoe negotiations and their wish to have Te Urewera returned - what does he mean? Giving a park back to Tuhoe will financially ruin the country?

"Sir Douglas was at the helm of negotiations in the 1990s when first Tainui and then Ngai Tahu signed deeds of settlement.

He said Tuhoe were now "victims" of those settlements because his Government had said national parks were out of bounds during negotiations. That set the precedent, and if broken could see the possibility of deeds being relitigated."

Ahhh now we see the real cause for concern - the paltry deals done with Ngai Tahu and Tainui would be under pressure if other iwi got better deals. The 'final' settlements would not be final. If that is the case then the question is actually, "Why are they not final?" If the settlement is so good why wouldn't iwi go thanks so much and walk away - and the answer is that the settlements are a small percentage of what has been lost, a very small percentage. Yes perhaps iwi should be happy with their tiny payout or maybe they should continue to aim for justice and equality - that's what I hope they focus on - justice and equality.

I don't think that doug graham is a bad bloke but his view is just his view and don't we have enough of his type of view already.

last day for mining submissions

Wow 35,000 submissions on mining schedule 4 conservation land so far - and i'd imagine most are against this stupid idea.

From Stuff

"Prime Minister John Key said yesterday the Government would "reflect on what we've learnt" after submissions closed at 5pm today."

Lesson number one - don't treat people like idiots. The lies and disinformation around the 'benefits' of mining have been laid on thick but the truth is winning.

"Mr Key said the Government would go away and consider its position, "then reflect on what we've learnt and what the next step is".

"We are going to carefully consider what's in those submissions, carefully consider the public reaction and try and map out the next step," he said."

Try to map out the next step - but are you going to actually listen key? Or are you going to continue with your plans but just wiggle around to try and get it through?

mother for sale

I've blogged about the crafars a few times now - from their animal abuse and constant infractions against the law, whether due to incompetance or plain cruelty. One thing I am sure about is that their farms should NOT be sold to overseas interests. The chinese are concerned that they may not get permission to buy the farms and their representative has blown a fuse.

From Stuff

"The company’s vice chairman, Graham Chin asked whether New Zealand wanted Natural Dairy to take its "huge investment in New Zealand factories and milk exports across the Tasman to Australia or to South America."

YES PLEASE

Natural Dairy (NZ) Holding Ltd’s used to be known as China Jin Hui Mining Corporation - that should tell you what their attitude to natural resources is. We don't need to sell to these overseas interests - it is not in our best interest. Give the stolen land back to maori if you want to do something with it.

joint bid to put appeals on hold

This is smelly. Meridian like getting everything sorted before the court case and they have a system worked out - a system that has worked in getting DOC and some runaka on side with them, against the river and nature.

From NZH

"Meridian Energy and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have filed a joint memorandum in the Environment Court requesting the appeals relating to the Mokihinui hydro proposal be put on hold."

Meridian chief executive Tim Lusk said the project was proposed for stewardship land administered by DOC and required the consent of the Minister of Conservation to go ahead, as well as the usual resource consents."

Taking the time to carefully work through these issues before advancing to the Environment Court is the most logical and cost effective way of simplifying a complicated process for all concerned," said Mr Lusk.

He said that in applying for the minister's consent, Meridian may have the opportunity to address some matters raised by DOC in its appeal to the Environment Court.

"It would be more efficient and appropriate to see if we can deal with those issues as part of that dialogue," Mr Lusk said.

It seems that going direct to the minister may prove more fruitful - you can negotiate all of the little things out the way before.

Meridian is committed to the Mokihinui hydro project," he said.

And we are committed to stopping this damn dam. I like the red-tape and delays - anything that ensure the decision is put off and off until eventually it is too hard and too costly to go ahead.

Dame Judith gives key a history lesson

Good to see Dame Judith Binney coming out with a historical perspective on the Tuhoe negotiations. It is a pity that john key is so underdone in his knowledge.

From Stuff

"Historian Dame Judith Binney has slated John Key's refusal to return ownership of Te Urewera National Park to Tuhoe, saying his claim that it created a precedent was "quite wrong".

Tuhoe's situation was unique, and Key "could have responded to it if he'd understood the history clearly". The Crown had not acted honourably in its dealings with Tuhoe and it was time it did, Binney said.

The Crown's confiscation of large amounts of Tuhoe land during the wars in 1866 and 1867 "was not justified and neither has it been compensated for".

Moreover, in 1896 the Liberal government of Richard Seddon had passed a law giving the tribe a large degree of self-government or tribal authority over its area – a measure that was "absolutely unique", Binney said.

After Seddon's death in 1906, the government moved further away from the concept of Tuhoe tribal authority, and by "awful pressure and brutality" had acquired about 330,000 acres of Tuhoe land by 1921.

The government passed an act in 1916 "to retrospectively legalise all the purchases up till that point". In 1958 the Urewera National Park was formed out of land that Tuhoe had owned in 1896.

The government should now "give back the land or a form of authority over the land", Binney said.

Well there it is all laid out in black and white. The land was stolen and confiscated illegally in a unfair, exploitive way. It is time to sort this out and it is time for the government to stop trying to wriggle out of it's obligations to right wrongs.
 
I am very pleased that Dame Judith is healing well from her accident.

Archey's frog verses brownlee fly - hiccup!

Can we see the woods for the trees?

We know that the mining will affect things like tourism and macro-environmental areas by putting roads in and the excretment produced by mining, the massive amount of debris that has to be put through the machines to get a tiny amount of 'valuable' mineral out. But the ecosystem is 3 dimensional - it is what we can see and also what we can't. A bit like the oil spill - the bit we see on top of the water is only a tiny fraction of the pollution - it is a big oil iceberg and the total ecosystem around the spill is doomed.

The mining of shedule 4 lands has hit a number of opponents and it is good to see another join the fight - I have to say I'd get rid of zoos but in this fight we take everyone who can man/woman the barricades.

From Stuff

"One of the world's largest zoos has drawn attention to the plight of an endangered New Zealand frog, which could be wiped out if its protected habitat was opened up to mining."

"The society is calling on the British public to make submissions on the New Zealand Government's proposals to permit mining on more than 7000 hectares of the conservation estate."

The society, which runs the zoo, drew attention to the plight of the critically endangered Archey's frog, found in the area of the Coromandel Peninsula proposed as suitable for mining.

The frog is at the top of the society's list of endangered amphibians. It is described as the "most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered amphibian on the planet."

The society's conservation project co-ordinator, Helen Meredith, said Archey's frogs were like living fossils, as they were almost indistinguishable from 150 million-year-old fossilised remains.

This year is the United Nations Year of Biodiversity, yet New Zealand was considering removing protections from land where rare and endangered species lived, she said. "In the year when reducing biodiversity loss is high on the political agenda, it is inconceivable to think that we'd put the nail in the coffin of some of our rarest and most extraordinary frog species."

What a description, "most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered amphibian on the planet." that is one very good reason to kick these mining proposals into touch. Brownlee it is time to pack up your tent and piss off from this mining idea. You are doing the environment and this country irreparable damage by your idiotic attempts to grease up your big business mates - even London Zoo think you are an idiot. It the UN year of biodiversity FFS.

budget view

One thing i noticed about the budget coverage was that john key was polished and professional. On TV1 he really was so relaxed and comfortable - like a man without too many problems, like a man whose plan had worked.

And labour fell into the trap. Labours line that this is the budget for the few was blown out the water by the announcments. All week we had goff and co telling us how the rich were going to get richer and that key and english were looking after their rich mates - that is all true but the public perception after this budget will be that labour were scaremongering, panicing, loose cannons and just trying to score political points. That is the dark art of managing public perception. Lower expectations and then beat them. Labour helped lower them and the gnats have reaped the rewards. I am not sure what else goff could have done - he really is out of his league with key.

So on close up we had the shock of hearing that all of the commenters liked the budget and no one was anti - where was goff? Why wasn't he on to counter the gnats? - because no one cares what he says, least of all the broadcasters.

The left need champions to fight the right. We need a leader, we need some inspiration because unless we focus the energy on OPPOSING we will get a few more years of Dim.B. Key

phil meet love

Song for goff

Rock on--gold dust woman
Take your silver spoon,
And dig your grave

Heartless challenge
Pick your path and I'll pray

Wake up in the morning
See your sunrise--loves--to go down
Lousy lovers--pick their prey
But they never cry out loud

Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now--do you know how
Pick up the pieces and go home.

Rock on--ancient queen
Follow those who pale
In your shadow

Rulers make bad lovers
You better put your kingdom up for sale

Did she make you cry
Make you break down
Shatter your illusions of love
Is it over now--do you know how
Pick up the pieces and go home.

stop degrading our traditions

I agree with Shane Jones on this one. A powhiri for mickey fucken mouse is just a joke. Why are our traditions and mana being degraded in this way? You got it - money - and if that isn't the weakest reason to devalue te ao maori I don't know what is.

From Stuff

"Labour MP Shane Jones has called for a debate over when official Maori welcomes are used, saying the current "dial-a-powhiri" is devaluing a national treasure.

Mr Jones' comments come after a powhiri was performed by Ngati Whatua kapa haka group Te Puru o Tamaki for Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse, ahead of the Disney on Ice show in Auckland.

The Northland-based Labour list MP described the welcome as a "joke" and "a wake up call", saying a debate about when powhiri were appropriate was "long overdue".

It is good that jones is raising this issue because with the rugby world cup coming up we are bound to see all sorts of eyebrow raising acts.

too little too late Hone

Good statement Hone but with the budget today it is too little too late.
From Stuff

"Hone Harawira has broken ranks with the Maori Party to speak out against a GST rise in today's Budget as an attack on the poor.

"...the GST decision had also put it in an impossible position with its supporters who would expect the party to challenge any tax hitting the poorest New Zealanders hardest."

The Maori Party is bound by its coalition agreement to support the Budget. Mr Harawira made it clear that a decision on opposing the GST rise had been taken out of his hands by the caucus so he would still vote to support the Budget.

But he said he could not do so without speaking out – comments that could put him on a collision course with the party. He was having difficulty supporting a tax increase that made things easier for the wealthy "at the expense of those in need".

"GST hits poor people the hardest because nearly all of their money is spent on things that you pay GST on – food, petrol, electricity – so any increase is going to really hurt them."

It was an issue that affected not just Maori New Zealanders but "poor people generally".

Yes today the day when GST is raised to 15% will be a difficult day for many people. Of course the well off won't even notice but most are not well off - most are not well off at all.

So the maori party will vote for the government. It is a sad day when pragmatisim beats conviction.

police shame

It really is difficult to get your head around. That the police would have 108 child abuse files sitting around gathering dust for a couple of years and meanwhile the brave people that made the complaints, that forced themselves to seek help - have been left without any help at all. What a terrible plight those people have gone through and are still going through today as the cases are only now being followed up.

From NZH

"Wellington police had been working to ease the backlog with a special operation, investigating more than 100 files since December and making 30 arrests."

When are we going to realise that arresting and putting people away in jail is not the answer. We need to look at the causes of this situation. Why is this happening?

The truth is we need to fix the foundations of this country up. That will support tangata whenua and also support everyone else. We won't fix this issue unless we look deeply at the cause - and the cause is partly due to injustice that permeates our society - from it's formation to today.

Update from Stuff

"In the Wairarapa, 108 cases were unallocated, files were uninvestigated on average for five years and, in some cases, victims lived with their alleged abusers all that time."

"Wairarapa's top police officer and a senior detective are facing possible disciplinary action over the mishandling of child abuse files."

"The IPCA found there was also a backlog of child abuse cases in Rotorua and Westport."

An average of five years - resign - you have let everyone down.

weta got the ju

I need some good old fashioned music.

Aoraki is Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tahu is Aoraki

It has been interesting watching the slippery lies and dis/mis-information from john key around Tuhoe and their settlement negotiations.

The line now is that if Te Urewera was given back to Tuhoe to manage then this would create some precedent that other iwi would take up. What a load of bull. Is that what has happened with treaty settlements so far - no. It is just more made up misinformation from the representative of the people of this country - shit no wonder he won the Dim Bulb award.

From NZH

"Prime Minister John Key says giving the Te Urewera National Park to Tuhoe could have opened the way for other iwi to put strong cases for ownership of national parks, including Whanganui, Egmont, Ngauruhoe and possibly Aoraki/Mt Cook."

"The Ngai Tahu settlement includes provision for Aoraki/Mt Cook to be gifted to the iwi and then re-gifted to the nation. However, that clause has not yet been acted upon and it is up to Ngai Tahu to decide when to trigger it."

So Aoraki has not yet been gifted back - well I say let us never do that. Let us keep Aoraki away from the clutches of those who would treat him with disrespect and exploit him. We must NEVER give our sacred mountain away - it is not ours to give, it is our mokopuna's and their's.

"Mr Key's justification for the decision was rejected by Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia.

"None of those cases is similar to Tuhoe so you can't compare those iwi to Tuhoe. This is an opportunity for the Crown to make good and doing what is right, not looking over the shoulder at other iwi and trying to make Tuhoe think that because of those other iwi they're not going to get their settlement."

Key is a major embarassment - I'm calling him Dim. B. Key after the new award he got.

marae hotels?

I'm not sure I see this initiative as the right way to go.

From NZH

"A tour company is teaming up with iwi to offer up to 10,000 beds at marae during the Rugby World Cup.

Tourists will be charged between $80 and $200 per night for meals, transport to and from games, and lessons on Maori culture."

I am all for marae creating innovative funding opportunities, and if it can be done via cultural tourism - even better. But something is nagging in me that if these people are coming for the rugby - are they really interested in maori culture? And if they aren't - is the marae just then a hotel with some carvings? Each marae will have to decide that case, and I have faith in the choices that will be made.

"A New Zealand Experience product manager David Tanenui said some marae will offer a "five-star" option while others will be communal backpacker-style lodgings. Some marae stood to earn $100,000 from the plan, but their main motivation was to offer overseas guests some Maori hospitality."

I hope that that remains the kaupapa. I really respect the views of Ngarimu Blair.

"Ngarimu Blair, a trustee of Ngati Whatua o Orakei in Auckland, confirmed they had been approached about hosting visitors during the tournament.

He said: "If we did, we would only offer it to high-end market and families. I couldn't see us opening our marae to the Barmy Army to come and spew all over our sacred carvings.

"We would only consider it by going the whole hog, with the powhiri and meals, sharing our histories and sharing each other's company."

Now we are talking about a whole experience. Perhaps that is the way to go, create a total immersion package for the visitors, really build the connections and context and leave people with a life-changing experience. This is a different way than the "I'm going to the rugby and need a place to stay" mentality that many visitors will have.

For a couple of different right-wing views on this matter go to roarprawn and cactus kate.