Our government structures are based on those of England, unsurprisingly. Early settlers from England, Scotland and Ireland assumed their right to install the systems of government they were used to. After the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, they flooded the country with immigrants (historian James Belich describes the settlement process as a […]
Protest Action…Saving Trees
October 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Save Canal Road Native Trees… For more than 100 days now, protesters have been occupying a property in Canal Road , Avondale, to prevent the felling by a property developer of the remaining twenty-three 100-year-old native trees. The surviving trees include rare natives like black maire and kawaka; half the trees which grew on […]
Out and About
October 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Bubbah at the Basement Theatre… Our first theatre outing after Covid Lockdown was a Basement Theatre production: Bubbah: My Ode to South Auckland, described as “South Auckland stories by South Auckland people”, written by Bubbah in her garage with her team of Maori and Pasifika mates, describing life as it happens in their ‘hood – […]
Books and Writers
October 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Four more really interesting autobiographical books by women authors in Aotearoa have been published this year: Alison Jones, a Professor in Te Puna Wānanga, the School of Maori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Auckland, and early in her academic journey she did important research at AGGS , which helped to change […]
1.Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori: The Māori Language Moment
September 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
This month’s most creative event in Aotearoa was undoubtedly Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori: This year,Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori , the Māori Language Commission, decided to celebrate Māori language Week in a new way because of Covid-imposed limitations. Their goal was to encourage one million New Zealanders to sign up to […]
2. Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori
September 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The Maori Language Moment signalled the beginning of Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori , our annual Maori Language Week, which was celebrated in a variety of ways. The media… All media made special efforts to highlight te reo this week. It was great to listen to fluent te reo on radio, to watch a […]
3. Keeping in touch..
September 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Over the last few years we two have developed some favourite activities to help us understand our changing country: an hour or two each morning listening to Dale Husband on Radio Waatea (603 AM)- his news and interviews from 7.15am onwards include a wide range of Māori contributors. Dale is always thoughtful, courteous and informative, […]
4. Tanya’s Journey in Te Reo me ōna tikanga
September 19, 2020 by 1 Comment
As a 75 year old Pākehā woman I feel privileged to be able to continue my journey of learning Te Reo me ōna tikanga. I have appreciated many different opportunities to learn te reo over the last 50 years, but the last 2 years have been different. I have had the good fortune to participate […]
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