Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Monday, March 21, 2011

Hikoi outmarches coalition’s bill push

The second foreshore and seabed hikoi makes its way down the Kapiti coast today from Otaki to Porirua, with the intention of marching on Parliament tomorrow.

Independent MP Hone Harawira says the aim of the hikoi is clearly to shame the Maori Party into withdrawing its support for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill at the final stage.

He says efforts by National and the Maori Party to get the bill passed before the hikoi arrived were foiled by spirited opposition by Labour, ACT and himself.

“Now unfortunately that hikoi is going to get to town before the third reading so I think what this is all about is maintaining pressure on the Maori Party, positive pressure I would like to think, positive and polite pressure,” Mr Harawira says.

He’s written to his former Maori Party colleagues asking them to withdraw their support for the bill.

ORAL HISTORY PROVIDING INVALUABLE FUTURE RESOURCE

Oral historian Paul Diamond says those collecting the stories of the dwindling numbers of fluent native speakers are providing an invaluable resource for the future.

Indigenous voices is one of the themes of next month’s National Oral History Association in Rotorua.

Mr Diamond says the historians will hear about some exciting projects in the Bay of Plenty, such as the Anglican Church’s effort to record native speakers.

He says the aim is to turn around the decline in the reo, so it does not become like Latin, which is only used as a ceremonial language.

The hui will also discuss Rangimarie Mahuika effort to strengthen Ngati Rangiwewehi’s tribal identity through collecting interviews, and there will be a tribute to the late Rotorua Historian, Don Stafford.

TE MATATINI GUNS RAISE $100K FOR CHRISTCHURCH

A concert featuring the country’s top kapa haka roopu has raised more than $100,000 for Christchurch earthquake relief.

The finalists from last month’s Te Matatini national championships reconvened in Rotorua at the weekend to encore their battle.

Organiser Trevor Maxwell the audience of more than 4000 was enthralled, and the teams were able to perform without the pressure of competion.

PAKEHA SUPPORT PLEASES FORESHORE PROTESTERS

Organisers of the second foreshore and seabed hikoi say marchers have been bouyed by the number of Pakeha showing support.

The hikoi is will travel from Otaki to Porirua’s Takapuwahia Marae today, and on to Parliament tomorrow.

Wikatana Popata says 250 people joined the hikoi yesterday to marched through Palmerston North, including a number of Pakeha.

He says the Marine and Coastal Areas - Takutai Moana Bill – is a threat not just to Maori customary rights by to environmental protection.

PAUL SEEKING BICULTURAL FACE TO FOREST CLAIN FUNDER

The newest member of the Crown Forest Rental Trust says he wants to see the bicultural organisation show more of its Maori face.

Maanu Paul from the New Zealand Maori Council was appointed to the 22-year-old trust on the retirement of Sir Graham Latimer.

Long-serving Crown appointee Angela Foulkes was elected to the chair.

Mr Paul says many Maori still are unaware of the trust, despite the fact it has disbursed more than $150 million to claimants to research and negotiate their forestry claims.

“At the moment I seems that if you didn’t know the history and you were looking at the Crown Forest Rental Trust you would have to come to the conclusion that you could only see the Pakeha face on it but this is a joint effort between Maori and the Crown,” Mr Paul says.

He says despite the settlement of claims to the largest set of Crown forests in the central North Island, there is still a lot of work the trust needs to complete.

HOANI WAITITI ASSERTS SUPERIORITY IN POLYFEST

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Hoani Waititi has returned to the top spot in the annual Auckland secondary schools cultural festival.

Polyfest spokesperson Dean Wilson says the four-day event now in its 36th year drew more than 9000 competitors and 90,000 spectators to the Manukau Sports bowl.

He says the division one win by the West Auckland kura was a popular one, with last year’s winner Nga Puna o Waiorea fromWestern Springs High School pushed into second.

The other division one runners up were Auckland Girls Grammar, Te Kapunga from James Cook High School and Massey High School.

In the Samoan section, Avondale College was finally trounced after nine years by Otahuhu College.

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