Pita Sharples: Solutions to advance the Maori people lie within the culture itself

Pita Sharples

Opinion

The future of New Zealand is deeply intertwined with the future of Maoridom and is, in the eyes of the global community, uniquely intertwined with the idea of this nation.

In a world increasingly homogenised by global commerce, migration, communications, travel and trade, Maoridom provides an enduring point of difference that this nation enjoys. It's a point of difference that other cultures envy; it's a difference that we must preserve.

For this nation to thrive economically, culturally and with a sense of social justice, Maori must be able to play a full role in all parts of society. Not only as leaders, educators, jurists, artists, business chiefs and sporting champions, but as citizens whose rights, culture and fundamental worth are valued and supported.

The Maori people have come a long way since the 1970s through movements such as Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Maori, Wananga and other tools of revitalisation. But there is still much to be done in terms of revitalisation of the Maori people, the language and the culture. One only really needs to walk through today's Maori communities and to speak to the people to understand that the reality of equality for Maori is still far off.

Whilst it is true that many Maori are in jobs, we must look at the quality of those jobs. Whilst many Maori have improved health statistics, education statistics etc, there has been a cost. Many Maori have been isolated from their iwi base, many are faced with negative images of themselves in the media, many are forced to push their cultural values to the side so they can take part in today's society.

Our wish, and what I and the Maori Party are working towards, is a society embracing Maori culture as well as the people; where Maori are able to enjoy their health, education, whilst also enjoying being Maori; where Te Reo Maori can be heard on the streets, in the shops, by all people - true equality for Maori.

It is my belief that solutions to further advance the Maori people lie within the culture itself. Maori people are natural entrepreneurs; innovative and creative. We need to nurture these natural skills and create opportunities for their expression.

This future that I hope to see for our people cannot be achieved in isolation. We need to provide frameworks to see these into fruition. We need to nurture our leaders of tomorrow, who are grounded not only in business, but in the community and in Maori culture.

We need to empower our communities so they can realise their potential. We need to create a positive and nurturing environment for Maori, so that their creative and entrepreneurial skills can be fostered.

We also need to create a New Zealand society that embraces Maori culture and people fully.

This is the vision of the Maori Party, to ensure that being Maori is something to be proud of, to ensure that our communities and our whanau are healthy, and to ensure that our future generations grow up in a society that is rich in health, rich in culture, and rich in dollar terms.

We wish to create a better tomorrow for our rangatahi and future generations, where they can stand proud and see the world as an opportunity to participate as global citizens, to be embraced by society and live as Maori. Such a vision for Maori must surely be close to a vision for all New Zealanders.