Time for a Colourblind State
by John Ansell
Last night’s Close Up piece on Hone Harawira’s militant nephew shows what happens when a government pursues a policy of endless appeasement.
It’s time this chamber of Chamberlains started running New Zealand as though it were a democracy.
I propose to ensure it does this by launching a petition for a referendum on a colourblind state – a referendum that it can ill afford to ignore.
To ensure that the government listens to the will of the people, I’m fundraising for a major public education campaign to expose the 40-year brainwashing campaign that has denied New Zealanders their right to know the truth about Crown-Maori history.
I’ve spent the past year doing little else but studying this history, and believe me it is a very different history from the one we’ve been forcefed by our schools, universities, politicians and media.
Helping me prepare for this campaign have been nine authors who between them have written over 30 books on this subject.
Very soon I’ll be setting up a site where you can read the documents I have read. Prepare to be amazed – and enraged.
One of these documents is Governor Hobson’s final English draft of the Treaty, missing for 149 years and found in 1989 – but covered up by an embarrassed government and minimised by its tame historians.
Why?
Because, like the Maori ‘Tiriti’ into which it was translated, it makes no mention of Maori owning forest and fisheries, and makes it clear that the Treaty was with all the people of New Zealand, including settlers.
Tonight it’s my turn to appear on Close Up — with Hone Harawira and another Maori, Morgan Godfery.
(I’m getting used to these two-on-one ambushes, but will do my best to get a word in edgeways.)
More on the campaign when I return from Auckland.
If you’d like to donate to the very considerable costs of a high-profile advertising campaign, please do so here.
Before long, there will be a trust, Facebook page and website. But the first step is fundraising.
Dear John
So enjoyed Close Up….if we are a racist society may I say it is because of Maori themselves.
We came here to make a better life for ourselves and that entailed a better life for Maori because everyone made an effort for a better growing New Zealand. And all fought for its safety.
I don’t care which/what/where/who Treaty – years ago – the whole world has moved on from far worse situations.
Colour blind is what it should be but cannot be with Honewera encouraging Maori to talk independance, violence and other rubbish.
We all know wonderful Maori but their people are becoming more and more racially violent (in words for the moment) when their own people, the Iwis, have more money than the NZ government itself.
If the Iwis (rich through investments a la Pakeha from Treaty payouts)won’t help their people but expect Pakeha to do so through little people Pakeha taxation, nothing makes sense.
So racism grows. So sad. Such a beautiful country, loved by all who live here, pushed and bullied into disagreement becoming anger becoming hatred and leading where…..
[JA: Thank you Deborah.]
Good show John. Back you 100%.
[JA: Thanks Don.]
Dear John.
I am a Maori and Libertarian political activist who has been working for over a decade to end waitangi apartheid and get a New Constitution of freedom and equality.
I would like to join forces with you to achieve this vital end. Please contact me twikiriwhi@yahoo.co.nz
Thank you for having the courage to stand up for what is right.
Tim Wikiriwhi Libertarian Independent.
[JA: Tim, I would be proud to have you on my team.]
Good for you John.
I just wish they’d given you more time to say more and get your points across. Such a huge issue cannot be best explained in such a short time.
As always, you have our support 100%.
[JA: Thanks Brenda, you and yours are rare gems indeed.]
“I don’t care which/what/where/who Treaty – years ago – the whole world has moved on from far worse situations.”
Deborah, that is a great point you have made. I agree 100%!
I guess it’s easy to forget the past, especially if you benefit from it.
you my friend need to put a PayPal donate button on this site so that those of us that want to say thanks for the effort can do so!
Your wish is my command, JP. Much appreciated. We’re setting it up now.
(The Close Up interview came out of the blue — before I was ready to strike — but the website, trust, donation facility, Facebook page, etc. will be up as soon as poss.)
John, I salute you and your courageous efforts in standing up for the silent majority.
As I read through the 2,000 plus posts on the Close Up Facebook page on this issue it leaves me breathless how little most New Zealanders know about thier own history and how badly they have been misled.
The truth regarding the Treaty of Waitangi must be exposed and its mana restored or anarchy will prevail.
[JA: Anarchy may prevail when it is exposed, Kevin! But we've got to do it anyway. Appeasement is soul-destroying, a fate worse than death. Appreciate your support as always.]
There you go JP, donate away!
Once again, two on one on Close-up, but you managed brilliantly.
I know it was all out of the blue for you and before you were fully prepared – and the time was far too short to get much across especially as Hone was allowed to speak at length, but this is just so important that we must continue until this country starts going down the right path of equality for all and all of this separatist nonsense is halted in its tracks.
So many in this country have absolutely no idea of the true facts. I’m sure you will enlighten them.
Good luck.
[JA: Thanks Helen for all your support.]
I so enjoyed the CloseUp programme and particularly enjoyed finding such an articulate speaker as yourself.
I moved to NZ from Australia almost 10 yrs ago and was astounded at the level of self-pity from certain aspects of the Maori community.
Hone’s comments about ANZAC Day at the end of the segment left me speechless.
Until the CloseUp programme I had not heard/read anyone who could articulate how I felt about it, but here you are!
What a relief that you’re out there John.
Good luck with all of your plans, and I look forward to seeing and supporting a push for a Colourblind State.
[JA: Look forward to having an Aussie on the team, SC - from a positive country whose optimism we'd do well to emulate.
NB: Emulate does not mean impersonate an emu. An emu is not a person.]
NZ so needs an hour long in-depth one on one interview program like we once had….and as Lindsay Perigo tried to bring back partly last year.
Colourblind State
And still they fight, rave and struggle,
ignorance rife.
They see us as others;
themselves as separate.
Identified and tarred by the minority,
divided and segregated by their own.
To what purpose, this label they attach?
Will it alleviate their young in poverty?
Educate their adolescents?
Fuse their whanau?
The past by-gone in all but story,
like faded photos in musty shoeboxes.
Protest and object!
Rally and march!
Waste thy energy
within one hand.
Within the other:
Educate and comprehend!
Recognise and value!
Explore and discover!
We do not want to paint you white;
You do not want to paint us brown.
We are one, this Land of the Long White Cloud.
The shore and sea,
sky and air,
land and resources belong to all.
Not the minority
or the majority.
We with colour in our eyes
only destroy the individual,
who is you and I,
not creed or race.
So from ‘they’, ‘their’, ‘us’, ‘them’
to ‘we’ and ‘one’;
We are one -
all New Zealanders,
all proud.
Yes to a Colourblind State!
Yes to progress and evolution!
Thank you John Ansell for opening our eyes.
[JA: Astonishing, Maeve, truly astonishing. Thank you for your kindness and lyrical genius. Irish, I presume?]
I raise my glass to you Maeve Allen! Hear Hear
Spoken like a Scholar and a Saint good man, well done!
I too applaud you Maeve. We need to open the eyes of many more people like you. (Isn’t Maeve a female name, Trina?) Let’s hope that’s not long in happening.
Oops! Oh no – if it is I am very sorry Maeve.
Damn interesting name if it is a Female. I was thinking of it like the male name ‘Merve’.
Cheers for correcting me if I got it wrong, Helen.
I think it’s Irish, Trina.
Thank you John, I was alittle apprehensive about sending this. Keep going, you are great! Yes Irish, I was named after my fathers favourite sister. He immigrated to New Zealand from Dublin not long before I was born. Maeve means intoxicating – for Trina
Thankyou for that, Maeve. I do not think I have ever known anyone with that name.
“We with colour in our eyes
only destroy the individual
who is you and I,
not creed or race.”
I love that bit, Maeve. Very clever!
Maeve, I’ve written you an email asking for a chat. I’m away at a friend’s place and can’t send it till I return.
But are you OK that I rejigged your paragraph of prose into the shape of a poem?
As a bit of a poet myself (the nutty rhyming kind), I think it’s a very fine poem, and I think the separate stanzas and line breaks do it justice.
In fact, I’d like to read it to meetings, if I may (minus the embarrassing last line, of course
).
When I read it to my friend last night, I performed it with an Irish brogue, as it just reeks of Celtic passion. Please to hear my instincts were correct.
Also, in the bit that Trina quoted, I changed ‘whom’ to ‘who’, thinking that’s probably what you meant.
If not, I’ll change it back.
Thanks again for making my day yesterday. I’ve caused a lot of trouble, but never a poem.
Thought some of those lines would look good with exclamation marks, Maeve. I’ve had a go – what do you think?
Again, will remove if you don’t approve.
John
Hello John, this is a huge compliment from you, I feel very humbled thank you.Firstly I wrote it from the heart; I am by no means political however I am a proud New Zealander. Your interview touched a nerve with me, what you said was I’m sure what most educated and forward thinking New Zealanders believe. I originally wrote it similar to how you have set it out, I posted you a copy the same day.
Thank you for rejigging it, my grammar never was that great!
John you are welcome to use it where ever you wish, it is for you and your cause – for the want of a better word.
Kind Regards Maeve
[JA: You're a gem, Maeve. Nurture your writing talent - and to hell with the grammar. The idea's the thing.]
written with meaning & a wisdom that comes from ones lifes experiences, well done beautiful sister of mine.
[JA: Another with the gift, I suspect.)
Hi John,
Here it is! Did you notice how Hone laid claim to the negative statistics of how Maori feature politically, socially and economically? Don’t you just get sick of this old and somewhat antiquated reference towards supporting their argument ( the Maori come back line )
If I were him I would stop falling back on this misguided reference. Why? Because I would be ashamed if I were representing Maori politically and how the negative statistics have not changed for how many years? Then what the hell have they been doing, while they have had the mandate to change the course of action for Maori?…. I suggest to you ………absolutely nothing.
They have no argument at all. I would like Hone, to take a look at his own back yard. Concentrate on Northland make it a place where people want to visit, live and be proud of.
Take your people out of the victim mode and let them see clearly this is a wonderful country a wonderful place we all call home. New Zealand our country our place, our people. His nephew has passion, inform him Hone. make him aware the past is in the past the future is where he will make the biggest contribution to all New Zealanders and for this we will all, be so much better off.
Keeping it simple, he ( Hone ) could start in Morewa and look at a community project titled “Beautify our main street” or “Main street upgrade” Make it a town to be proud of.
You are on the right track John. There is enough nonsense in this country without ignorance and naivety being continually supported and justified.
I hope you get the picture.
Hari
[JA: Thanks Hari for your support. When I say these things, it's 'racist'. When you say them, it's real. So good to have you on-side. I hope you'll keep saying them.]
What a breath of fresh air, hearing from someone whom I’m taking to be part-Maori, actually supporting our cause for a Colourblind State. If only more like you would come forward like this, Hari.
I’m rather thinking we could/should(?) adopt the following from the preamble from the South African Constitution, as the starting point for New Zealand to abolish all the divisive racial-based systems and become one people as the Treaty decreed.
“We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of the past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.”
I like it. What do others think?
[JA: Yes Helen, I think it would be great if New Zealand could emulate the Rainbow Nation in this respect.
(Though not in certain other respects, like the demeaning imposition of racial quotas in sports teams.)]
Hari, your presence in the debate is valuable. It helps my argument that this debate is not Pakeha v Maori, it’s Achievers v Grievers, Forwardists v Backwardists.
Many Maori, from Hone Heke to Hone Harawira were and are Grievers/Backwardists.
And they’ve been joined by many fashion-focused Pakeha, including almost the entire political, bureaucratic, academic, judicial, legal, media and iwi elites.
But many other Maori, from Tamati Waka Nene to Sir Apirana Ngata, Sir Maui Pomare, Sir Peter Buck and Sir James Carroll weree Achievers/Forwardists.
But which Maori leaders today have inherited their mantle?
All I can see are Grievers/Backwardists like Ranginui Walker, Margaret Mutu, Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia – people who parrot the words of communist Anton Gramsci – words like ‘hegemony’ and ‘subaltern’, and concepts like infiltrating the institutions.
People who agitate for the Bolivian constitution, and who tell lies about imaginary Pakeha holocausts while covering up real Maori ones.
Yet we know that so many ordinary (really: extraordinary) Maori like you and Jean Jackson and Tim Wikiriwhi, have an Achiever mentality.
We know that a staggering 120,000 Maori have had to escape to Australia to live the lives of equal, unpatronised citizens.
Now we need these people like you to stand up to the Hone Harawiras and their cargo cult of Backwardist Grievers.
Tell them they do not speak for you.
Tell them that you are proud to be Maori, but even prouder to be an equal citizen of a vibrant, modern country at the best time in human history.
Tell them you want to go forward to a shining future as an equal member of the greatest and most ingenious race of all – the human race.
People like you can achieve so much more than people like me.
I hope you will.
That is exactly who we are and who we all need to become.
This is the perfect platform for this to happen. Should they (the whingers, the non achievers) argue, then one must ask the question why do you want your people (Maori) to stay in a state of grievance mode? Change their mindset and let them change their world.
I bet you all the tea in china they will resist it (the grievers, the backwardists).
Hari
[JA: Yes Hari, they will resist like mad, because there's money in resisting.
But they must be opposed by those like you.
Those who set the bar higher.
Those who realise there's vastly more money, and surely vastly more mana, in charting a course for a proud and glittering future, and hauling up the crusted anchor of the past.
The image of Maori is being dragged through the mud by these backwardists, aided and abetted by their Pakeha enablers - appeasers whom they surely despise.
Once were warriors, yes. But once were also scholars and gentlemen - Ngata, Buck, Pomare, Carroll.
What turned off the flow of those shining brown knights?
Now the only Maori scholars, the only Maori leaders, are Grievers.
Where are the Achievers? Where, for that matter, are the gentlemen?
There's a vacancy on the Maori throne, Hari. Not that throne in Ngaruawahia, the real throne.
The throne of inspiration.
Who will seize it?
Back in the 80s, a young girl, Tanya Harris, led a march down Queen Street. I forget why. Violence, I think.
"Kiwis Care", that was it. Maybe there'd been one murder too many.
I just remember how inspiring it was that a young kid like that could feel so strongly about her country as to risk all and lead a march. Touch of the Joan of Arcs.
But, of course, radical Maori do this sort of thing so much better.
Just a shame they're always marching to line their own pockets.
I watched that rabble snake through Wellington on Friday with their sovereignty flags and their "We are the power!" chants.
Bringing up the rear, leading from the back, was Hone.
Claiming to speak for us all against letting funny-looking foreigners get their hands on our joint assets.
But there wasn't a New Zealand flag in sight.
And we all knew whose hands Hone's mob thought should be on the assets.
Would it be too much to hope for that one day an Achiever Maori will lead a hikoi for a Colourblind State?]
Hari . . . you are awesome!
I missed your interview John and wasn’t aware of a “color blind state” but throughly agree with all that you and others have said here.
Thanks to an old friend of mine for making me aware.
[JA: Thanks Mary, good to have your support.]
Everything my parents and I have ever hoped for, love, compassion and inspiration. You will be surprised how many more Maori have this mindset.
I have always lived by the statement -”free your ass and your mind will follow”
Debating chamber is where this needs to go. How are we going to get to those Maori – who need to hear what you have to say? On the Marae is where we need to go.
Scary I know challenging indeed, however it can be done. We must be fully in tune with what we want to achieve. We need to know our historical information for know other reason, but to combat the ignorance and arrogance of some.
However John what, will win this battle for us is motivated by one people, one country. Let inspiration, ambition and the will to believe, be the common denominator among the one people, the one country ethos of understanding. Let this be the pinnacle of change.
COLOR blind STATE – is the future of New Zealand
It will happen John.
Hari
I love your writings Maeve. But you know I am bias.
Hari
Our founding document was written in two languages, meaning different things, in which neither side understood the other’s text, and in which each side had their own interests at heart, as they stood at the time. There was no shared vision for Aotearoa/New Zealand. This is an inappropriate approach to building a nation, particularly given the passage of time, and evolution in political theory and practice. For one thing, we are now an independent nation governed as a Parliamentary democracy. That was not the case in 1840, when iwi were still living in fortified villages to protect themselves from hostile, rival tribes, with a few British subjects up north. The result is the entrenchment, and elevation of status, of non-elected, aristocratic tribal elites (which are an anachronism), and racial inequality. The reality is we all got here in a waka. We are all human beings, originally from Africa.
But in saying all this, changes to the name of our country, and our flag also need to be considered. On the first, what we have is a mis-transliteration by Cook of the northern coast of the Netherlands, an ego-driven name bestowed on us by a Dutch explorer who developed no rapport with the local people. That, surely, is nonsense. The flag has the British flag in one corner, which is a one-sided display, and a southern constellation, which is ok as far as it goes.
Solution? Queen Elizabeth II ought to be New Zealand’s last monarch. We should be the Republic of Aotearoa, or the Aotearoa Republic, with a Constitution that recognises the equality of all New Zealanders. (Siam became Thailand with no lasting adverse effects.)
Why Aotearoa? For a subtle reason. In legend, the name stems from the exclamation made by Kupe’s wife in sighting land – he ao! he ao! meaning, a cloud! a cloud! Of course, Kupe et al. , or their counterparts in reality, were not Maori, they were travellers to New Zealand from elsewhere. According to Joseph Banks’ diary Nicholas Young reputedly shouted Land! Same idea, expressing the joy of arrival, regardless of ethnicity. To conclude, Aotearoa is an equalising term, if I can put it like that.
As for the flag, that’s up for debate, as long as it is something other than the inappropriate thing we have got, and as long as it is not the Maori sovereignty flag, which is menacing and anti-democratic.
I applaud what you are doing, in principle, John. I don’t know about framing the debate as iwi versus Kiwi. That seems unnecessarily divisive. There’s nothing wrong with iwi – as long as they don’t wield inappropriate political. legislative or regulatory powers, and as long as taxpayers’ money doesn’t go towards perpetuating tribal elitism, racism, and sexism, which I would have thought would be unlawful anyway.
Bernie, I think there was a shared understanding, but it suits the present-day ‘grievers’ to pretend there wasn’t.
Certainly at the Kohimarama Conference of 1860, the 200 chiefs were almost unanimous in their appreciation of British colonisation.
Did you know that we’ve been using a fraudulent document as our ‘official’ English Treaty, when Hobson made it plain that the only true Treaty was the Maori one?
As for the English version, did you know that Hobson’s final draft (from which the Maori Tiriti was translated) was found in 1989, but hushed up by the government’s tame historians?
And did you know that neither the final draft nor the Maori Tiriti say anything about Maori owning forests and fisheries – but do say that the Treaty is with “all the people of New Zealand”, not just Maori?
As for the much-used ‘Aotearoa New Zealand’, I will accept that as the name of my country when a majority of its citizens vote for it, and not before.
It is another myth that Aotearoa was the Maori name for New Zealand.
In the Treaty, it was Nu Tirani, and as late as 1922 Apirana Ngata was using Aotearoa to describe the North Island.
On the flag issue, I have what some might regard as a contradictory attitude.
I have designed a silver fern flag which I believe will one day become our flag – but probably not before we become a republic.
At the same time as I believe we now deserve to see our own identity on our flagpoles, I’m immensely grateful for the benefits of British civilisation.
I wish more Maori would acknowledge them too.
How do we make a donation to help get this ball rolling, it needs to be done asap. Im with you all the way, Maori are not the indigenous people, end of story. Why?, when the Govt know full well that this is correct, do they keep on letting Maori screw us all over,. Ask any Maori on the street if he or she have ever seen any of the money that has been paid out in settlements, Ihave asked and the answer is no every time.
Hi Dave, you can go to the following blog page where there is a Paypal button to give donations.
http://johnansell.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/treatygate-time-to-expose-the-con/
Every little bit helps so thank you very much!
If you go to this page: -
http://johnansell.wordpress.com/2012/09/15/nbr-claims-amount-to-licence-fee-for-use-of-nz/#comments
you will find a comment I posted near the end of the thread which pulls out select bits of academic writing by Elizabeth Rata that validates what you posted about the average maori not recieving any of the money that Tax payers are forking out on ‘treaty settlements’..
What started out in the 80′s to rectify past wrongs has turned into an onslaught by groups of Iwi elitists who emerged during that intial settlement period and now have vested political interests.
There are also internet addresses so you can read her work and the work of Mike Butler.
I feel that as Maori we are in a very good space right now. Non Maori (particularly middle aged Pakeha) reveal their hate of those who are not of the same colour as they are…..pastie white. Most hate this colour and go out of their way to sit in the sun to get a tan. Whoa brown is best! But the future looks good. Researchers say that by 2050 most of our grandchildren will be blue eyed, blonde have flat feet and a flat nose. Lots of those around right now. They will all own the water, sun, moon, air and will look back and think “what the hell were those nut cases thinking about”? Aotearoa is the bestest place in the world almost screwed up by Hone Coleman
Of course you are in a very good space right now, Rihari. If I was funded by the taxpayer for everything that opens and shuts, I would also feel that way.
However you are quite wrong to think that middle aged non-Maori ‘hate’ those of Maori descent. They most certainly do not because there are many part-Maori who actually fend for themselves without any trouble at all and are widely respected.
However, they do resent continually funding those with never ending upturned palms.