[Oceania-video] Re: Newsreal clip from Aotearoa

[Geraldene Peters]

Hey all, posted this to Tim, but forgot to send to the loop.
Matt's just sent his ten minute documentary on the hikoi in  - should be in
melbourne by next week.
By way of background to the piece, an article I put together with Matt is on
the aotearoa site - check out the URL for pics:
http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display_any/17373

Best to everyone, G

_____________
 MANA MAAORI ­ FOR SURE!

On the 27th of April 2004, an estimated five thousand people marched from
Northcote across two north-bound lanes of the Auckland Harbour Bridge,
marking the start of the Tamaki Makau Rau leg of the 2004 Seabed and
Foreshore hikoi. A dense crowd of rangatahi, kuia, kaumatua, tamariki,
people in wheelchairs, and supporters of many ethnicities backed up the
advances of a barefoot warrior / kaitiaki. Proudly bourne Confederation,
Independence and Tino Rangatiratanga flags bordered the crowd, and passing
traffic signalled emphatic support.

Police cited safety as the reason for separating the hikoi into two -
apparently to lessen the weight of the concentrated people on the bridge,
(although some suspected it was an old colonial strategy of divide and rule,
akin to cheeky Paul Holmes turning up as part of the media vanguard.-eds).
One media source noted a cohort of 5 thousand runners in a recent marathon
didn¹t require shepherding in this way. Hikoi martials were more than
competent at keeping everyone moving, and within the boundaries. Police
presence was heavy, and towards the end, pressure was somewhat officiously
put on the martials to keep the hikoi moving ­ Œor else¹ ­ and - Œfor your
own safety¹.

By the time the rear guard reached the middle of the bridge, drizzle had
turned to hard rain. Parents responded by wrapping their tamariki up warm
and keeping them moving, as the sky cried above.

Two key messages from The 2004 Foreshore and Seabed Hikoi, were clearly
articulated by people walking:
- That the Seabed and Foreshore debate is not just a Maaori issue, it¹s an
issue for all people living in Aotearoa.
- That this is an argument about the right to bring your grievances to a
court of law and get due process.

John Wanoa of Ngati Porou, has been part of the hikoi since leaving the Far
North last Friday. He describes himself as part of a generation of people
keeping vigilance over the Maaori culture:
³To see the Foreshore and Seabed go would be too much to bear².
³Rather than a protest, this Hikoi is a statement of indigenous rights - to
the government, and to the people of the world...²
Šit¹s an opportunity for all cultures to unite ­ other indigenous cultures
are watching.²

John hopes to see many tribes working towards the consensus needed to
negotiate effectively with the government. ³Šotherwise people will have to
go in on their own.²
³United we stand, divided we fall.²
He hopes that people witnessing The Hikoi will come to share the concerns of
Maaori for the land.

Maikara Ropata (Ngati Huia ki Kati Hiku/Ngati Raukawa/Ngati Rangi/Nga Puhi)
was also one of the people bringing up the rear of the hikoi.
Mikara has travelled with whanau/friends from Rerenga Wairua and will keep
walking to ki Whanganui a Tara (Wellington).
³following the pou ­ making sure it¹s kept warm and safe.²
The pou whenua is Dame Whina Cooper¹s carved flagpole, bourne from Te Hapua
to Poneke during the 1975 Land March.
As Maikara says:
³Šour Tipuna help us to carry this.²
Maikara wants the government and people to look and listen to what Maaori
say about the value of their taonga, and to pay attention to the growing
union of different iwi and hapu across Aotearoa. ³We are intelligent enough
to put forward our whakaaro (thoughts)².
² ..we¹ll definitely not just lie down and rolloverŠ² ³Šwe know what¹s best
for us²
Maikara is also conscious of carrying the wairua tautoko of the people who
wanted to walk the hikoi, but for various reasons couldn¹t. ³We¹re not here
as individuals, we¹re here as a collectiveŠand that¹s awesome.²
Tau kee!