fwd: maori people occupy land
worthing eco action
A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
http://www.ainfos.ca/
________________________________________________
The following is from a flyer regarding the occupation of land by
theTangata Whenua of Te Moananui a Tairongo, a group of Maori people,
the New Zealand Natives. The occupation is in protest of the
polluting of the Ohiwa harbour, and the confiscation of ancestral land
133 years ago, around Ohiwa harbour. The protesters have issued
eviction notices to the people living and ‘owning’ the confiscated land.
This flyer was given out at a public demonstration in the business
section of Whakatane, the largest local town. Present was Maori
rights activist, Tame Iti, who was recruited by the group because of
his celebrity status as a protester.
We will be expressing our solidarity with the group, and would ask
that you would also send expressions of solidarity, which we will
forward to the group. If you wish to express solidarity, please
include your name and the name of your organisation.
-----
Mikey Brenndorfer
Christian Anarchist League, New Zealand
fatm...@yahoo.com
Te Tatau Pounamu o Mataatua
Noho Whenua
volume 1, issue 1 January
17,1999
Me haere whenua atu!
Me hoki whenua mai!
We the Tangata Whenua of Te Moananui a Tairongo, have occupied the
land at Ohiwa Harbour since time immemorial. This panui seeks to give
a better understanding of our recent actions to reclaim our ancestral
lands. For generations Ohiwa has sustained numerous hapu of the
Mataatua Waka who can all place thei origin within the ebb and flow of
the harbour waters. This unique relationship that tangata whenua
enjoy with Ohiwa was gravely impacted upon by crown confiscation which
took effect on Jan 17th 1866.
We have returned to our ancestral lands today to commemorate the day
of shame 133 years age when our land was confiscated be application of
the New Zealand Settlements Act. Since that time our ancestors have
been fighting for the return of the land through a variety of
mechanisms including; legal battles in the Native Land Court and other
courts of the Crown; the taking up of arms to protect the whenua for
future generations and diplomatic appeals to various representatives
of the Crown. The history of this struggle is well known. We are
concerned that it not be forgotten in the current climate of Crown
Imposed Treaty Settlements that would have Maori accept money for
mana, and money as a substitute for whenua. We as descendants of
those who fought and died for our land will not buy into this illusion
of restoration of rights and obligations particularly as we watch our
lands being privatised and sold to the highest bidder.
We are determined that our whenua will not become a playground for the
rich absentee owners who visit two or three times a year. We are
determined that those lands wrongfully taken should be restored to us
the tangata whenua to care for the present and future generations of
the peoples of Mataatua Waka.
Our stand is about:
a) Unifying under the Waka o Mataatua
b)Expressing our distaste for the privatisation of land into foreign
ownership
c)Expressing concern for Treaty Settlement Frameworks that substitute
money for mana
d)Challenging Crown agencies who think they know better than the
tangata whenua who live with the land
e)Expressing concern at the ongoing decimation of wahi tapu and sites
of extreme historical and spiritual significance
d)Protecting taonga for future generation including ensuring that our
food baskets are free from pollution and exploitation
What do we want?
Contrary to media reports our aims are simple and consistent with the
historical demands of our tipuna.
We seek to:
a) Educate the public Maori and non Maori alike of the historical
attachment by all of the peoples of the Mataatus Waka to the Ohiwa
Harbour
b) Educate crown appointed and mandated representatives of Maori
(Kupapa) of the real effect of the current Treaty Settlement Framework
c) Effect constitutional change to ensure that our rights and status
as tangata whenua is protected for all time and incorporated at every
level of government policy and decisionmaking that impacts on our way
of life
d) Have our land restored to the rightful guardians to preserve and
care for present and future generations unborn
Ignorance is the oppressor
Vigilance is the liberator
Know the enemy
Know the destiny
Determine our own destiny
He aha te kaupapa?
Contrary to media hype and manipulation our stand is not about:
a) Undermining hapu rights and obligations as kaitiaki
b) Maori bashing Maori
c) Maori bashing Pakeha (Maori for white people)
d) Hidden agendas
e) Mana munching
f) Bad Maoris not listening
g) Divide and Rule
h) Rangatahi havin no respect for their elders
What can you do to help?
a) Photocopy this and send to your whanau and work mates
b) Join the occupation and bring a tent and provisions
c) Korero with your whanua; hapu and iwi about these issues
d) Challenge your Trust Board or Runanga if they are signing away
your rights
f) Challenge the concept of private ownership as a substitute for
kaitiakitanga
e) Write to you local MP expressing support for our action
g) Organise direct actions in your own rohe around your own issues
h) Make a donation or a koha to our ropu
"We do want a settlement! We want our land back!"
"Our stand is about right and wrong. We know we are right!"
Contact Phone Numbers
025-917-635
07-315-4717
--
worthing eco action
http://www.worthing.eco-action.org