We're drawn to the things that interest us most. Waitangi day is all about cultural and political issues isn't it?
But there's a detail that caught my eye in the various reports on the events at Waitangi Marae.
Swimming and shellfish collecting was off the programme, as the water at Wataingi is polluted and therefore unsafe for those seemingly basic activities.
I wonder how many from the media reported on that aspect of the celebrations.
* Hat-tip Bunji at The Standard
Monday, February 7, 2011
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22 comments:
Strange, saw them diving off the bridge leading into the treaty grounds and swimming in the tide in front of, under and behind the bridge all the way back to the camping ground.
Either the locals can read, are unprepared to listen to health warnings OR (most likely) there was no warning.
People in Wellington making stuff up to suit a demented cause?
should be locals CANT read
It may be so Gerrit, though I did see on the television news images of people swimming at a Christchurch beach that had explicit warnings up about a sewerage spill and the dangers involved. When asked if they were concerned, the response was nah!
I couldn't help but think about the 'tide mark' that is sometimes left on the bath and where that poo-line might be on the bikini-clad girl they interviewed.
Btw - what 'demented cause' are you refering to?
Demeted as in the posting at the standard.
There was no health warning, it was a made up story to fit into the commentators notion about the foreshore legislation.
Not sure if he meant that Maori could not be trusted to keep it clean (after all it was Labour that bought in the contentious legislation) or what.
A completely strange posting on the standard when Labour leadership in the past has been to scared to visit on Waitangi day.
Perhaps so Gerrit.
This guy thinks differently.
http://mars2earth.blogspot.com/2011/02/dirty-truthy.html
Goff and the Greens were received especially well at Waitangi, so far as I can see from my distant grassy knoll.
Key and his bro in arms Sharples, were not so much. I'd expect that Labour would have been well pleased by signs of discontent over Nationals management of issues that affect most Maori - employment, justice and so on.
Not to sure that Honi's radical postion fits in well with the socialist movement. Sure he wants more social intervention much like the Greens, however I remain unconvinced that he speaks for ALL the Maori people.
And can a true socialist movement accomadate seperatism for Maori?
After all is socialism not one for all ands all for one?
There are many that do not support him and as I said on frogblog, a seperate Maori party based around Hone's ideas (Liberal Maori?) can coexist with the conservative Maori party led by Sharples.
The time has come where Hone just has to form a seperate Maori party, he has burned to many bridges with the existing Maori party for any form of coexistence.
Hone can't and doesn't speak for 'all Maori people' (who are they anyway?
As for forming a new Maori party - I don't think so. I find talk of Hone and his secure electorate somehow aligning with the Green party very amusing and if something were to develop there, I'd not be at all disturbed, despite our differences. There's something else that connects Hone and the Greens.
I didn't see any signs at the beach at Waitangi telling people not to swim, and there were no officials on the beach giving instructions either.
Some of the ocean looked brown. Perhaps that is why a section of the maori party really feels nationals relationship with the maori party is really failing therir communities.
Neither the National nor the maori Party have made the environment the top priority so I'm not surprised at this symbolic oversight.
It's not a phenomenon confined to the waters of Waitangi either.
No doubt the Hone led Maori party will be closely aligned with the Greens.
My feeling is that it wont be the conservative Maori party as we know it today, it will be seperate from them.
No reason why there should not be two or more parties to represent the various interested parties that make up Maoridom.
Time will tell.
There's something else that connects Hone and the Greens.
Such as?
A real awareness of the need to care for each other and the planet that sustains us (for one).
Is he really like that? I get the feeling he is not too friendly to pale faces such as myself.
When I hear some Maori activists speak it leaves me wondering just what in the hell my place is in this land, what is my identity, there is no future in despair.
Unfolding as we speak
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10704720
Hones options are but one. Start a new Maori/Socialist party
He is Shunda, in my experience.
Your view is coloured by not having met the man.
He would not frighten you and you would like him very much.
Fancy dumping him for speaking the truth!
Politics eh!
Kei te tika koe Hone!
He also has the opportunity to start a Maori Party, since our country's seems to be infected with a generous dash of 'blue' at the moment.
Do you think Pita Sharples is a bad guy Robert? did you watch him on Cambell live? if so, what did you think?
I don't think he is a bad guy at all Shunda. He does seem, disapointingly, entranced by Key, like so many others. I didn't see him on Campbell as I was at a community meeting. Can you tell me what you thought?
I thought he made some reasonable points, and I can respect him for wanting to maintain credibility with the political system we operate under.
I now think the media have got this wrong. I don't think the rift is anywhere near as bad as they are making out, I think Hone is simply making a stand in a way that a Pakeha politician wouldn't dare.
I am really interested in how this is going to turn out.
Still much to learn on this issue me thinks.
Indeed Shunda - check out the claim that Hone made a 'state of the Maori nation speech' and usurped Sharples' own.
Where did Hone do this?
Who was there to listen?
The truth lies in a different place to where most people get their news.
So, you don't even know what the pollution is nor where it came from.
Typical of the greens.
Lots of noise but no substance.
Marty Mars suggests that it was the result of stormy weather anon.
The Chch one was however, human poos.
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