[Oceania-video] Re: Newsreal clip from Aotearoa

[anna]

geraldene,
brilliant, thanku! we'll be compiling as of next week.
anna

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 20:30:11 +1300, Geraldene Peters wrote
> 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!
> 
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Thanks,
Anna