Post by Kiwi Frontline on Jun 28, 2020 4:38:03 GMT 12
AOTEAROA NEEDS TO DEBATE COLONISATION, RACISM - NEW COMMISSIONER
The new commissioner of the Royal Commission into historical abuse in state care says she was an adult before she realised the hugely negative impact of colonisation on Māori.
Steenson said her major focus is on the survivors and she can bring a mosaic of skills to the job covering law, governance and te ao Māori. At any one time 60 percent of those in state care are Māori despite making up just 16 percent of the population.
She put this down to the effects of colonisation.
She said she was "shocked to her core" to realise as an adult the impact of colonisation on Māori resulting in widespread racism.
The racism took several forms - systemic racism, the unconscious bias of some people and the blunt straight-out racism of some.
"All of these sorts of experiences add up to a much wider issue in Aotearoa that we need to address."
Asked how and when would be the best way to tackle colonisation's effects, she said there needed to be a review of the system that was set up with colonisation in mind. The other avenue was education - when she was at school she learned English history but not New Zealand history.
The health and crime statistics were among the numbers showing the results of how the system was stacked against Māori, she said......
www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018752514/aotearoa-needs-to-debate-colonisation-racism-new-commissioner
The new commissioner of the Royal Commission into historical abuse in state care says she was an adult before she realised the hugely negative impact of colonisation on Māori.
Steenson said her major focus is on the survivors and she can bring a mosaic of skills to the job covering law, governance and te ao Māori. At any one time 60 percent of those in state care are Māori despite making up just 16 percent of the population.
She put this down to the effects of colonisation.
She said she was "shocked to her core" to realise as an adult the impact of colonisation on Māori resulting in widespread racism.
The racism took several forms - systemic racism, the unconscious bias of some people and the blunt straight-out racism of some.
"All of these sorts of experiences add up to a much wider issue in Aotearoa that we need to address."
Asked how and when would be the best way to tackle colonisation's effects, she said there needed to be a review of the system that was set up with colonisation in mind. The other avenue was education - when she was at school she learned English history but not New Zealand history.
The health and crime statistics were among the numbers showing the results of how the system was stacked against Māori, she said......
www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018752514/aotearoa-needs-to-debate-colonisation-racism-new-commissioner