Te Putatara
Letters to the Editor
[Emails to the editor welcome. Please send to editor@maorinews.com , and indicate whether you wish your letter to be published]
From: richard.goodwin
To: editor@maorinews.com
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2000 12:34 PM
Subject: Reply on e-activismKia Orana! Ross Himona (Editor)
I just read your E-Activism article in Te Puutaatara:
As a NZ Labour Party member, I can vouch for the effective use of email sent to Party Activists like my self. The NZLP hired Mike Williams as the Partys National Campaign Manager. He had come on board the waka after running a very strong campaign in Australia for Labour. Also he wanted to take out the Nats. and didn't mind spending some of his millions to do it.
Also from other Party sources, email contact was powerful and gave us a sense of wining the General Election, so our combined efforts didn't stop
I was impressed with Mikes weekly email, which felt personalised and frank! The Party activists were encoraged to turn out at every public meeting and forum. As I was keeping a closer eye on internal Party goings on, at Regional WLRC committee meetings in the Labour caucus room
Email was part of my job, to inform the delegates of meetings, forums, rallies, minutes/agenda
The British Labour Party used email to boost their ratings/PR as well
Regards / E kia manuia
Richard Makea Goodwin
NZLP Te Whanganui a Tara Branch
email: richard.goodwin@xtra.co.nz
11 May 2000
Kia ora Ross,
Thanks for a most informative edition.. I must commend you for taking the time to prepare and send out the information to us.
It is also good to see the resurection of the 'dungeon'. Just last night some of us were having a few drinks in 'The Old Bailey' recounting those most interesting and at times, hilarious moments at that famed 'den of iniquity'.The Dungeon was the board room for some of our most notable events Wellington and around the country. I can recall that some of the key note speakers for the first Hui Taumata were discussed and confirmed in that hallowed place. There was something special not only about that place but also the 'drinks' which had a unique blend of intrigue, humour, indiscretion, wisdom, intellect and embracingt authority. But more importantly the many colourful characters that made the 'dungeon bar' their social gathering place made it one of the most unique landscapes in the country. And finally, despite the 'ups and downs' of those times we never ever lost what is inherently a gift, our Maori 'sense of humour'.
Many Maori are becoming are far too serious and self-centered nowadays. What has replaced the dungeon? Well there is the 'Old Bailey', a sanitised version of the Dungeoun' and the 'Thistle Inn' to name a few. The other is the Maori Cocktail Circuit in Wellington.
They may be more intriguing than either "Ko Huiarau' or the various security intellegence groups. But then again they might simply be a 'huff and puff' group.
And there are those, mainly Maori men who over time, have secured key positions in the public service and private sector, who gloat about their employment package, how much money they make and trips overseas. Ross we are doomed if these people ever gain leadership roles in Maoridom..
Your work on Security Inetllegence is greatly appreciated and provides an insight very few of us give much thought to. Thanks for that. I will re - read it again because it is an important article.
Finally Ross, keep up the good work. I thought I would respond with some of my thoughts because you have obviously put a lot of time in completing this edition of Te Putatara.
Ka mutu atu i konei.
Naaku nei raa,
Tumanako Wereta----------
8 May 2000
Name: Lori Paul
Comments: To R Himona, Have you spoken yourself to Mary Forbes or the Taiopuru. You do alot of criticising but I bet my house you havn't had the decency to talk to the source of whom you make libellous comments. You don't even have the decency to leave an email address. You seem to speak from a place of fear. What are you hiding from, why do you fear a structure that can deliver better outcomes for our peoples. Don't rubbish something you know very little about, you are doing more damage than good. If you've got solutions, then stand on a platform and voice them to the world. That is what supporters and members of Ko Huiarau are doing? Nothing secretive about that. Don't shoot the messengers, focus on the message - i.e A BETTER WORLD. Don't use the backdoor, have the decency to use the front door. It is easy to criticise and hide behind a wall.----------
4 May 2000
Tena koe Ross,
I attended te Kohuiarau gathering at the Lake-side Convention in Mangere last June, by six p.m. i had enough. I was so angree with what was going on me and one of our kaumatua from Tamaki walked out You just confirmed, we were not the only one feeling bad about this so called king and his cronies.
Waiting for someone to reply to his lack of considiration and rudeness to the people had my back up, i have attended a lot of maaori hui and noway you can get away with that sort of attitude no matter who you are.
This is the first time i have heard the full story behind this Kohuiarau movement, although i feel the original kaupapa deserve the recognition its due, from the people view not from some group who want to better themselves by useing the people for their personal gain.
Kia kaha ka pai to mahi, Haki.
-----------
30 April 2000
Tena koe Ross
I am some what discouraged with your report on Ko Huiarau, but have concluded that the Korero you have received has not been the entire picture to which Ko Huiarau is but only one peice to the puzzle. I have had close dealings with some who are very close to Mahinarangi and we too have strong concerns about the movements and intentions of those within this organisation, I honestly believe this is the right vehicle but is currently being driven by the wrong people. The Taiopuru is not a man that I will bow to he is not my King so do not put him their as such. Each tribe has their own Ariki lines who should be supporting this Kaupapa but they are not, why because the Kaupapa is not yet complete. They are missing one Key factor from their Korero, and that is the spiritual dimension. Until people pick up both the physical and spirtual realms of this Kaupapa nothing will move, and we will remain within a system that does nothing, but in the process continue to destroy the potential for a new system that will work with the right people navigating the right waka for the right reasons.
Both the light and dark side of the world are watching Aotearoa in great anticipation. The time has come for Maori to stop fighting and unite all people who live on these lands to stand proud as a Maori nation. Through using the Taonga and signposts our Tipuna left for us properly with a true intent will allow peace avail which will begin our journey back to Hawaiiki Tapu.
To acheive such things their must be a total system overhall developing a new one based on the above Kaupapa, designed by the people for the people. It is time for Maori to step out of the box that for so long has been detrimental to our nations wellbeing and lead the country not by control but through cooperation and active involvement.
The Structure and Taonga of Ko Huiarau gives us the legal right to step out of the box, but the Kaupapa of Kohuirau is one of peace and unity, here in Aotearoa but by example leading the rest of the world. I do not believe Mahinarangi would have been led by our ancestors to devote the past 10yrs of her life to a korero that was not tika, what she has done is build us a foundation in which to shape our own destiny for our Tamariki here and those to come. The korero of Waitaha is Whakapapa that will unite many New Zealanders by blood, and one which carries in it Tapu korero of our creator destined for all to know.
Kohuiarau 2000 should be a system that allows the unorthodox to become norm and to allow things that are actually good for us instead of supporting/funding a system that has never worked with our hard earned dollars. There are so many talented Rangatahi working within this defunct system who are ready to accept this kaupapa and carry it forward into a successful system measured only by outcomes evaluated by the community as to its effectiveness. This Kaupapa must get out to the people and is one which should be felt in ones heart. If unity is the foundation then the design of a system that works will flow from each community.
Their is much korero held by many people which is slowly surfacing and the time is right for all of the Keys to be united to allow peace on earth once again. May your heart always be open to hear the korero of our Tipuna.
Their is much mahi to be done for a greater purpose other than our own egos and empires. We must unite and work effectively and efficiently on this great purpose. Would love to Korero more with you, and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Arohanui
Krissy
-----------24 March 2000
Tena koe,
Absolutely fabulously delightful, truthful, motivational, stimulating, full of katakata and on reflection, in some cases, sad. Sad for the ones who think there is only one road to freedom.I am talking about the latest issue of Te Putatara of course. So what am I going to do about it? How am I going to make a difference? I have photocopied over 50 copies of this months issue and have begun to hand them out to whanau and hapu members. Korero like this needs to go out to our people, not so much what to do about the issues of this months edition, more so to provoke thought. Provoke thought and stimulate action by beginning at home......starting with myself.
No reira he mihi kia koe kia koutou hoki hei whakaohooho te hinengaro o tatou te iwi maori.
Greetings to those whom awakens the sleeping giant within.
Ngarangi----------
22 March 2000
Though you flippantly admit to being porangi, you also ask if you are right in your view about gap analysis, and you make quite an effort with coloured diagrams no less to explain to us policy makers your perpective. Now I'm not going to own up to being an "idiot" as you so eloquently put it, but I would suggest you may may have misinterpreted the reason for identifying and analysing gaps. You interpret it as a suggestion that Maori should aspire to the same levels of [health, education etc] as non-Maori. We have never suggested anything other than that Maori should aspire to be the the best that they can be.
The issue for public/social policy analysts however is to constantly review - What is the proper role of government? The best response that is gaining broad support within government agencies is that minimum (not low) standards need to be established so that any identifiable groups (ideally individuals too) falling below these standards (in, for example, health and education, possibly income support and housing etc too because these are related - social policy) become potential targets for intervention policies. On the one hand we need to provide flexibility and support of the kind that allows communities to do whatever they wish (with minimum but adequate requirements to account for public funding) to aspire to whatever dizzy heights they wish. On the other hand, we need to have some idea of what the minimum standards should be, and how we should measure or assess Maori against these standards. Any disparity or "gap" between the standards and the assessments becomes our business. It's possibly a combination of providing good navigation signs/safety nets AND the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.
There comes a time when policy must be turned into practise. The ideologies of different theoretical paradigms must eventually be integrated into the harsh and sometimes whimsical reality of political dynamism and Ministerial decree. Then there is the challenge of public servants (600 in our Ministry) interpreting and implementing these decrees. So there's no guarantee the results will always match up with the stated direction.
You might disagree with the direction, but the Labour manifesto signalled it loud and clear before the election, and now there is a Closing the Gaps Cabinet Committee. So us public servants must dutifully go down that road. However, as a public servant and a Maori, I think it is not without appeal in light of some of the alternatives and particularly in light of dubious past policies and practices.
Otira he pai hoki kia korero ake nei tatou ki a tatou ano, nera? Me mutu atu i konei
David----------
21 March 2000
As for the GAPs thing - I'm no political analysis! I find that there are gap's within our society. Those gaps are reflected in the differences between the have's and the have not's. The have's - are people who have access to social/economical/cultural capital. They are very often born into this advantage. The have not's are the people who lie in that to hard basket - catagorised as "a health disparity", and or trying hard to be invisible in mainstream society. To have not is a mind set within their reality. They do not have the ability or desire to achieve or maintain economic stablity. They have their own social connections and they do self identify into the culture or subculture they feel strongly tied to. Unfortunetly they are a risk in society because they have values and beliefs that belong to the animal kingdom. Survival is the name of their lifestyle.
So to me their lives are not a political or intellectual debate. They are real people that have been effected by a disease that began to impact well before their fathers and mothers where born. How does government address the disparities caused by colonisation? What would happen if new heads addressed old issues in a different way and within the governmental system brought about a form of 'de-colonisation'? As we go into the next cycle of government co-operation perhaps it is a good idea that government focus on Maori disparities. In that way the issues of tangata whenua will be taken up by Maori MP's and that gives people like me an idea as to the calibre of Maori leadership in that particular forum. I think that people like Sandra Lee have yet to shine. I also think that it is immoral to address the social issues of others before the social issue's of the tangata whenua. We are heading towards a republic and as 'fiscal envelopes' are taken up by each mandated iwi authority there are big issues that surround the holding and distribution of funds. There are also big issues surrounding 'hapu' rights to participate in the distribution process. I believe that hapu rights will be negated by the powers that be. I find it interesting that the only class structure that is on the population rise in this country is 'Maori middle class'! So it is to that population base that your magazine will reach. I'm sure you'll recieve plenty of stimulating rhetoric. As for me I just amble along, get stuck in my routines and sometimes pop my head up to smell the roses. To me the vision of a unitied pacifica in Aotearoa is an interesting one - I'll comment on in my next email pea.
Take care and kia kaha re: Te Putatara.
..............R.....................
----------Wednesday, March 15.
Why do you have big grudges against Maori?
Why do you carry on with your grudge against Ko Huiarau?
E mea mai ana koe ki "nga pitopito korero mo Ko Huiarau: scam methods unveiled".
Kahore koe e pirangi ki te titiro mehemea e tike ana a Ko Huiarau nei?
E pai ana a Ko Huiarau mo nga Maori katoa, aata whakaaro koe, piripiringia te hohonutanga o te iwi Maori.
Tena Koe mo to tuhituhi mai.
Be proud to be a Maori.Ben Ranga
Tena koe Ben
Thank your for your email.With others, I have looked and thoroughly investigated Ko Huiarau, and we have thoroughly researched our history, and found that Ko Huiarau tell lies about our history. We have worked for years to rid our own hapu of their evil influence, and we are succeeding. We have people on the inside who tell us everything that goes on in Ko Huiarau, and we know much much more about Ko Huiarau than almost all their members. We know that what we are saying is the truth.
Ko Huiarau tell lies about our history.
Ko Huiarau tell lies about the funding they are accessing.
Ko Huiarau tell lies about their true kaupapa.Those who choose to believe their lies have a problem.
I do not have a problem,
nor do I have a grudge against Maori,
or against Ko Huiarau.
I merely tell the truth,
and the truth is this,
that they build their kaupapa on a mountain of lies.Their lies will imprison your mind
And only the truth will set you free.
Open your mind to the truth.And do not preach to me about being proud to be Maori.
For we do not have to believe lies to be proud.Heoi ano
Ross Himona----------
Saturday, February 19, 2000 9:14 PM
Ross. I commend you on the work you have put into your website and especially Te Putatara. Some well researched subjects and many opinions stated which I share. I enjoy reading your articles as some are not only interesting, well written and humorous at times, but in many cases they are very close to the mark
Kia kaha tonu koe ki te tuhituhi korero i roto i te Putatara.
Kia ora mai,
Tumanako Wereta.
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