BEHIND THE SMOKE AND MIRRORS

A couple of weeks ago I had a messenger exchange with a friend whose hapū have been badly affected by the Crown’s divisive settlement processes; they are looking for a way to get their land back and have their right to self-govern respected and upheld without having to go through those processes

The exchange was triggered by my friend’s interest in Margaret Mutu’s recent article in the Journal of Global Ethics.  Titled Behind the smoke and mirrors of the Treaty of Waitangi claims settlement process in New Zealand, the article draws on the experiences of more than 100 claimants from across the country and discusses why there is no prospect for justice and reconciliation for Māori without constitutional transformation that entrenches and protects our right to self-govern.

As my friend noted in his initial message to me, “It's obvious it [the settlement process] is all about covering up with a 'blanket iwi settlement' for the crown's sole benefit, not for the whānau and hapū who have been blatantly ripped off.  All we want is our land returned unencumbered by tauiwi law. Surely, there must be a way for this to happen.”

In reply I reminded him that, under tikanga (law), there is a way.  The good news is that many people in this country from different ethnicities, creeds and colours are already willing and able to practice that way as post-colonial Pacific nations.  The even better news is that many more are currently travelling the road to post-colonialism.  And the best news is that even more are willing to do so.

It is not a comfortable road or journey to be on, but the destination is well worth it.  The briefest way to describe that destination is, self-government: tauiwi govern themselves, Māori govern ourselves, and on those things where we need both sides to decide, we come together and work it out.  It’s more complex than that of course, but it’s a good starting point for those who are willing to start the transformation journey.

Many intellectuals get the need for and inevitability of that journey and put their bodies on the line for it. A lot of politicians also get it, but only a few of them have the kaha and manawanui to publicly embrace and promote it.  

Then there are those who promote the myths of white supremacy and white genocide as reasons to oppose it.  For an excellent primer on those myths and some of their promoters, I recommend you read Ross Webb’s article published this week by The Spinoff at https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/24-03-2019/ex-pat-south-africans-need-to-stop-pedalling-the-myth-of-white-genocide/

Hei aha (whatever).  None of those who oppose, ignore or obstruct our right to self-govern created that right, so they can’t ultimately control or stop our innate desire to claim and exercise it. 

The worst they can and already do is corrupt it, which is essentially what the Crown’s settlement processes are about.  For deeper insights into those corruption processes, read Margaret’s article at https://www.docdroid.net/cSVvZsH/appendix-3-behind-the-smoke-and-mirrors-of-the-treaty-of-waitangi-claims-settlement-process-in-new-zealand-no-prospect-for-justice-and-reconciliation-f.pdf