Elders rally behind Solomon
A former Southern Maori MP and Ngai Tahu kuia says tribe members are sick of the efforts by a faction on the Ngai Tahu runanga to oust chairperson Mark Solomon.
Mr Solomon last week offered to resign, but withdraw the offer because his conditions weren't met.
Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan says the runanga has been paralysed, because half its members bloc voted against Mr Solomon.
She says Ngai Tahui whanui members from round the country are supporting a call for all 18 members to step down so new elections can be held.
“They are sick of these, well unconstitutional, behind the scenes antics. They’re too secretive. And they seem too manipulative. And the people want to know, they want them to come out and say ‘This is why we're doing it,’” Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says.
She says Ngai Tahu's governance structure is flawed, because runanga members are appointed by an electoral college rather than being voted on by tribe members.
ENVIRONMENT EXCITES CANADIAN COMMISSIONER
A Canadian environment commissioner says his country has a lot to learn from the way New Zealand has integrated Maori into its political and social frameworks.
Gord Miller from Ontario was in the country for a conference on environmental sustainability hosted by the Parliamentary commissioner for the Environment.
He says a lot can be learned from the way indigenous peoples relate to their environment.
But he says many nations, including Canada, have significant challenges relating to their own its first nations people.
“We're way behind you. You guys have come to some kind of social contract her where from an outsider’s point of view you seem to be merging the cultures and coming together much better as a combined nation with the influences of both traditional cultures than we've been able to do,” Mr Miller says.
He's impressed with the way many non-Maori have recognised and adopted Maori value systems.
HONGI HIKA STILL TOO MUCH FOR TE ARAWA
A two metre picture of Ngapuhi chief Hongi Hika at the new Rotorua Events Centre will be shrunk because of protests from Te Arawa.
A Rotorua District councillor likened the image to flying of a flag of Hitler outside the RSA on ANZAC day, because of the memory of the Ngapuhi rampage through the Rotorua lakes in 1823.
Te Arawa kaumatua Rangipuawhe Maika says he supports the change to the portrait, which is part of a mural depicting Te Arawa history.
“I tautoko. I think there is a place for him. While he’s a great person, Hongi Hika, it has to be related to Te Arawa mainly. A painting will be there, but not as big as there is now,” Mr Maikas says.
David Rankin, a descendent of Hongi Hika, says is deeply offensive to compare Hongi with Hitler, and he wants an apology from Te Arawa.
WALKING PLAN GETS CAUTIOUS THUMBS UP
The Federation of Maori Authorities is giving cautious support to a new policy on recreational access to private land.
The Outdoor Walking Access report released yesterday marks a significant climb-down by the government to proposals floated before the election.
It includes a promise that public walking tracks across Maori land will only be created if Maori landowners agree, after a negotiation process.
Federation executive vice chairperson Paul Morgan says it's a big improvement on the earlier proposals.
“If they wanted to legislate the change it wouldn’t be accepted by the rural community. It certainly wouldn’t be accepted by Maoridom. And we’ve already seen the outfall of that in the previous election when Jim Sutton lost his seat,” Mr Morgan says.
Maori could benefit from the policy by opening up lands for eco-tourism and from negotiating access to waahi tapu which may be on other private land.
FRESH ELECTIONS WANTED IN SOUTHERN TRIBE
Former Southern Maori MP Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan is backing a call from Ngai Tahu elders for the tribe's executive to face fresh elections.
Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says the call comes from her fellow elders around the country, who are upset at the latest coup attempt against Ngai Tahu runanga kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon.
Mr Solomon is under pressure to resign from a nine-member faction on the board.
Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says Ngai Tahu whanui are ashamed and frustrated by what's happening in Christchuch.
“They want a whole new election for all of the 18 members because it seems to be the only way to break the stalemate. You can’t keep going like this for year after year. The people want to make their stand clear,” Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says.
She says Mark Solomon has a lot of support among rank and file Ngai Tahu.
WINIATA LEAVES TASK FOR NEXT GENERATION
One of the pioneers of the wananga movement says there is still a lot to be done to strengthen the Maori tertiary sector.
Whatarangi Winiata is retiring as tumuaki of Te Wananga O Raukawa, which he founded in 1981.
The wananga was created by Ngati Raukawa as the central pillar in a 25 year strategy to revive Maori language, tikanga and knowledge within the tribe.
Professor Winiata, who for many years had a double career in Victoria University's accountancy department, says what's been achieved so far is just a beginning.
“The continuity of the development of the wananga as a kaupapa tikanga Maori institution is one that will need to be worked on. The staff are pretty familiar with what the challenges are,” Professor Winiata says.
He hopes to complete some research interests which had to take a back seat in recent years.
Mr Solomon last week offered to resign, but withdraw the offer because his conditions weren't met.
Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan says the runanga has been paralysed, because half its members bloc voted against Mr Solomon.
She says Ngai Tahui whanui members from round the country are supporting a call for all 18 members to step down so new elections can be held.
“They are sick of these, well unconstitutional, behind the scenes antics. They’re too secretive. And they seem too manipulative. And the people want to know, they want them to come out and say ‘This is why we're doing it,’” Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says.
She says Ngai Tahu's governance structure is flawed, because runanga members are appointed by an electoral college rather than being voted on by tribe members.
ENVIRONMENT EXCITES CANADIAN COMMISSIONER
A Canadian environment commissioner says his country has a lot to learn from the way New Zealand has integrated Maori into its political and social frameworks.
Gord Miller from Ontario was in the country for a conference on environmental sustainability hosted by the Parliamentary commissioner for the Environment.
He says a lot can be learned from the way indigenous peoples relate to their environment.
But he says many nations, including Canada, have significant challenges relating to their own its first nations people.
“We're way behind you. You guys have come to some kind of social contract her where from an outsider’s point of view you seem to be merging the cultures and coming together much better as a combined nation with the influences of both traditional cultures than we've been able to do,” Mr Miller says.
He's impressed with the way many non-Maori have recognised and adopted Maori value systems.
HONGI HIKA STILL TOO MUCH FOR TE ARAWA
A two metre picture of Ngapuhi chief Hongi Hika at the new Rotorua Events Centre will be shrunk because of protests from Te Arawa.
A Rotorua District councillor likened the image to flying of a flag of Hitler outside the RSA on ANZAC day, because of the memory of the Ngapuhi rampage through the Rotorua lakes in 1823.
Te Arawa kaumatua Rangipuawhe Maika says he supports the change to the portrait, which is part of a mural depicting Te Arawa history.
“I tautoko. I think there is a place for him. While he’s a great person, Hongi Hika, it has to be related to Te Arawa mainly. A painting will be there, but not as big as there is now,” Mr Maikas says.
David Rankin, a descendent of Hongi Hika, says is deeply offensive to compare Hongi with Hitler, and he wants an apology from Te Arawa.
WALKING PLAN GETS CAUTIOUS THUMBS UP
The Federation of Maori Authorities is giving cautious support to a new policy on recreational access to private land.
The Outdoor Walking Access report released yesterday marks a significant climb-down by the government to proposals floated before the election.
It includes a promise that public walking tracks across Maori land will only be created if Maori landowners agree, after a negotiation process.
Federation executive vice chairperson Paul Morgan says it's a big improvement on the earlier proposals.
“If they wanted to legislate the change it wouldn’t be accepted by the rural community. It certainly wouldn’t be accepted by Maoridom. And we’ve already seen the outfall of that in the previous election when Jim Sutton lost his seat,” Mr Morgan says.
Maori could benefit from the policy by opening up lands for eco-tourism and from negotiating access to waahi tapu which may be on other private land.
FRESH ELECTIONS WANTED IN SOUTHERN TRIBE
Former Southern Maori MP Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan is backing a call from Ngai Tahu elders for the tribe's executive to face fresh elections.
Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says the call comes from her fellow elders around the country, who are upset at the latest coup attempt against Ngai Tahu runanga kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon.
Mr Solomon is under pressure to resign from a nine-member faction on the board.
Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says Ngai Tahu whanui are ashamed and frustrated by what's happening in Christchuch.
“They want a whole new election for all of the 18 members because it seems to be the only way to break the stalemate. You can’t keep going like this for year after year. The people want to make their stand clear,” Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan says.
She says Mark Solomon has a lot of support among rank and file Ngai Tahu.
WINIATA LEAVES TASK FOR NEXT GENERATION
One of the pioneers of the wananga movement says there is still a lot to be done to strengthen the Maori tertiary sector.
Whatarangi Winiata is retiring as tumuaki of Te Wananga O Raukawa, which he founded in 1981.
The wananga was created by Ngati Raukawa as the central pillar in a 25 year strategy to revive Maori language, tikanga and knowledge within the tribe.
Professor Winiata, who for many years had a double career in Victoria University's accountancy department, says what's been achieved so far is just a beginning.
“The continuity of the development of the wananga as a kaupapa tikanga Maori institution is one that will need to be worked on. The staff are pretty familiar with what the challenges are,” Professor Winiata says.
He hopes to complete some research interests which had to take a back seat in recent years.
posted by Adam | 11:56 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home