Around the country people have started to gather for a nationwide protest against the Government's policies for Māori. Video / NZ Herald
Former New Plymouth mayor Andrew Judd, is a 50-something Pākehā who began examining his beliefs about race relations. He spoke in Napier on Thursday to start The Treaty & Me free lecture series.
Thursday, May 30 was not just the first Budget day for our new coalition Government, but also a nationwide activation to Toitū te Tiriti/Honour the Treaty.
For most of my life those three words “Honour the Treaty” would have triggered a deep sense of rage and frustration.
Watching yet another protest by Māori would have me shaking my head and feeling an overwhelming desire to see the removal of all things that referenced the Treaty.
The truth is, I was raised by my country to hold these views. I’m a Pākehā, born in Masterton, and at 59 I am a recovering racist. So here I was on that Thursday, standing alongside tangata whenua calling for our Government to honour Te Tiriti.
In 2013 I was elected mayor of New Plymouth and the question of Māori representation was to be a defining issue in my tenure.
Let’s be honest; the challenge to establish Māori wards is a symptom of deep-set, unresolved questions in our country.
These issues arise from the way this country was settled, a past and continuing process of colonisation.
A Pākehā majority controls the process - think referendums and polls that allow the majority to determine the political and human rights for Māori. What happened to equality?
No other wards providing equitable representation are subject to referendums.
It was my time on council and the pushback to Māori representation that prompted me to undertake a deep personal inner reflection and face up to my personal ignorance and bias against Māori.
Andrew Judd.
One of the many questions that resonated was the question of culture. How do I truly identify as a New Zealander and how does Te Tiriti fit it into my life?
After much soul-searching and reflection, I realised that the answer was always there: I’m Tangata Tiriti, I have a place to stand in Aotearoa thanks to the welcome offered by Tangata Whenua in 1840, yet I’d lived my entire life as though I’d just arrived from England.
Finally, it was time to change, to do what’s right and actually be a Te Tiriti partner.
I now stand as Tangata Tiriti and have learnt to recognise the dog whistle, the one specifically blown to rally us Pākehā and evoke all of our fears and biases against Māori.
To be Tangata Tiriti is to be honest with yourself, look within and challenge your personal attitude and understanding of our colonial past.
It means learning about New Zealand history, and applying critical thinking and empathy to the cause and effect of our colonial actions, both past and present.
It means challenging those around you who continue to protect the status quo, being an example to younger generations that we can and must stop the cycle of colonial violence. Ignoring your responsibility as a Te Tiriti partner is an act of colonial privilege.
Be proactive and support a Te Tiriti-centric Aotearoa. The political system we have wasn’t designed to work for us in Aotearoa - it’s British and we’re not in Britain.
We must build a better future for the next generation, one that truly brings us together in a respectful and inclusive way.
We need a new system that supports self-determination for Tangata Whenua. Having this conversation should not scare us.
The Treaty & Me free Thursday lecture series continues at 7pm on June 27 at St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Hastings, where veteran community campaigner Denis O’Reilly from Waiohiki and Central Hawke’s Bay author Mary Kippenberger will help the audience lift their eyes to the future with a talk called Imagining Matariki 2050.
July 11: St Paul’s, Napier. What does honouring the Treaty look like?, Martin Williams, Kirsty Fong and Gywn John.
July 25: St Matthew’s, Hastings. Living a Treaty-based future – a youth perspective, Te Uranga Lee Belk, Piripi Winiata, Layla Christison and Henry Lyons.
