Post by Kiwi Frontline on Sept 19, 2020 14:12:52 GMT 12
Dear Editor, (Sent to the Northland Age 15/9/20)
Pakeha have been blamed for stopping Maoris speaking their native tongue in school, many times they say they were strapped for doing this. But it was not the Pakeha, it was the Minister of Education Sir Apirana Ngata the great hero, who stopped them doing this. He knew that the only way maori could make progress was to learn English. Thousands of Maoris live in Australia, what do they speak?
Maoris are to be found all over the world – their language is English or local idiom. The Dutch have given up teaching Dutch in many cases: Russians speak good English. The international language is no longer French but English.
In a similar vein the Pakehas have been blamed for not observing tapus and stopping ‘tohungas’ practising native medical cures. Who did this The Minister of Health sir Maui Pomare – another famous Maori, so it is that prominent Maoris and Pakehas have been concerned over all New Zealanders education, health and welfare for many many years.
IAN BROUGHAM, Wanganui
Dear Editor, (Sent to the River City Press 13/9/20)
I came across Maori Language Week in your River city Press paper about “Maori words that you are likely to come across’ and found two mistakes that you have made
Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud” (the Maori name of NZ.
Fact 1 New Zealand has never been called Aotearoa. Aotearoa is totally absent from the Tiriti of Waitangi and so in any situation or law which refers to the Treaty, use of “Aotearoa” is inconsistent and must be unacceptable. It betrays the history and origins of new Zealand and should be treated accordingly.
Old records show that the Aotea waka brought the Moriori to New Zealand not Maori.
“Nu Tirani appears in the Treaty 8 times.” Aotearoa did not appear.
Tangata Whenua (local ) people of the land)
Fact 2 Professor Ranginui Walker passed head of Maori Studies at Auckland University had this to say. The traditions are quite clear on one point, whenever crew disembarked there were already tangata whenua (prior inhabitants). which means ancient people.
The true meaning for tangata whenua is the “Ancient ones” or “The people before us”. He didn’t say his people.
IAN BROUGHAM, Wanganui
Dear Editor, (Sent to the Northland Age 7/9/20)
The greatest treasure the Pakehas have given to the Maori, is their language in written form, patiently written down from chiefs, tohungas and wise men. “Their oral history had been a strictly factual record, passed inviolate down the generations. Each preserved what was important to it at the time, magnifying its own success, passing over its failures, justifying its present actions”,
“In court the overriding concern of the “Hapu: was to gain a final grant of as much as possible of the land to which they prefer a claim and the elders used al their ingenuity in arguing the case”
The native Land Court “IN the last decades of the century the Native Land Court became a national institution which touched the lives and interest of Maoris”
“The old people became almost professional court-goers within their district. This constituted a great re-union where people camped with their families, dogs and horses”
The Court became the instrument of major social change. A new generation (from Treaty days) need not know their history but only remember the names of the block in which they had an interest.
The old Maori tribes had no idea of owning land, but held to the territory by conquest or defence the bush was their fighting territory and the “trails” their claim in the Treaty of Waitangi.
IAN BROUGHAM, Wanganui
www.kiwifrontline.nz/media/letters-to-the-editor/unpublished-letters
Pakeha have been blamed for stopping Maoris speaking their native tongue in school, many times they say they were strapped for doing this. But it was not the Pakeha, it was the Minister of Education Sir Apirana Ngata the great hero, who stopped them doing this. He knew that the only way maori could make progress was to learn English. Thousands of Maoris live in Australia, what do they speak?
Maoris are to be found all over the world – their language is English or local idiom. The Dutch have given up teaching Dutch in many cases: Russians speak good English. The international language is no longer French but English.
In a similar vein the Pakehas have been blamed for not observing tapus and stopping ‘tohungas’ practising native medical cures. Who did this The Minister of Health sir Maui Pomare – another famous Maori, so it is that prominent Maoris and Pakehas have been concerned over all New Zealanders education, health and welfare for many many years.
IAN BROUGHAM, Wanganui
Dear Editor, (Sent to the River City Press 13/9/20)
I came across Maori Language Week in your River city Press paper about “Maori words that you are likely to come across’ and found two mistakes that you have made
Aotearoa Land of the long white cloud” (the Maori name of NZ.
Fact 1 New Zealand has never been called Aotearoa. Aotearoa is totally absent from the Tiriti of Waitangi and so in any situation or law which refers to the Treaty, use of “Aotearoa” is inconsistent and must be unacceptable. It betrays the history and origins of new Zealand and should be treated accordingly.
Old records show that the Aotea waka brought the Moriori to New Zealand not Maori.
“Nu Tirani appears in the Treaty 8 times.” Aotearoa did not appear.
Tangata Whenua (local ) people of the land)
Fact 2 Professor Ranginui Walker passed head of Maori Studies at Auckland University had this to say. The traditions are quite clear on one point, whenever crew disembarked there were already tangata whenua (prior inhabitants). which means ancient people.
The true meaning for tangata whenua is the “Ancient ones” or “The people before us”. He didn’t say his people.
IAN BROUGHAM, Wanganui
Dear Editor, (Sent to the Northland Age 7/9/20)
The greatest treasure the Pakehas have given to the Maori, is their language in written form, patiently written down from chiefs, tohungas and wise men. “Their oral history had been a strictly factual record, passed inviolate down the generations. Each preserved what was important to it at the time, magnifying its own success, passing over its failures, justifying its present actions”,
“In court the overriding concern of the “Hapu: was to gain a final grant of as much as possible of the land to which they prefer a claim and the elders used al their ingenuity in arguing the case”
The native Land Court “IN the last decades of the century the Native Land Court became a national institution which touched the lives and interest of Maoris”
“The old people became almost professional court-goers within their district. This constituted a great re-union where people camped with their families, dogs and horses”
The Court became the instrument of major social change. A new generation (from Treaty days) need not know their history but only remember the names of the block in which they had an interest.
The old Maori tribes had no idea of owning land, but held to the territory by conquest or defence the bush was their fighting territory and the “trails” their claim in the Treaty of Waitangi.
IAN BROUGHAM, Wanganui
www.kiwifrontline.nz/media/letters-to-the-editor/unpublished-letters