Silvia Cartwright: We discuss issues of race

Opinion

Dame Silvia Cartwright, Governor-General

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. Nga mihi o te tau kia koutou.

Greetings: I welcome you all to Government House and thank you for coming to mark this most important of dates in our country's young history. I am delighted you have found a way to share this special day with us here in Wellington.

Earlier today I was at te pitowhenua, the birthplace of our nation, Waitangi. I travelled then to New Plymouth to share in Waitangi Day celebrations there. The atmosphere was wonderful, with thousands of people enjoying the day. And as we gather today in the grounds of Government House, throughout New Zealand, thousands upon thousands are marking the day in their communities the length and breadth of the country.

Today, as every year at Waitangi Day, we stop to look at ourselves as New Zealanders and where we find ourselves as a nation.

It is a time when we take stock, when we discuss and debate the meaning of this day and nationhood generally. Because of the special nature of Waitangi Day we look more closely at our race relations than on any other day of the year.

Our nation is unique in its formative influences and in its racial composition. All those of us who have travelled or who come from other countries to live or work here will agree. We are a country of the Pacific, but one which is home to all manner of peoples.

We continue to have difficulties of adjustment and acceptance of each other, as does virtually any other nation which is multicultural. But what we do better than many of those nations is that we discuss and debate our issues of race, the rights and privileges of all sectors of society and we work to redress inequities and to ensure that each person regardless of race, sex, religion or national identity has the same opportunities to thrive in this country.

Each time I consider our place in the family of nations, I recall with pride that New Zealand was among the first countries to support the establishment of the United Nations. It remains a significant organisation through which New Zealand engages with the world, whether to resolve issues of international importance through dialogue and exchange of views or to offer our assistance to countries in need because of internal conflict, or natural disaster.

I am convinced that the principles that led to the formation of the United Nations remain true today. The Charter of the United Nations reaffirm[ed] faith in the fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small to practise tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.

These are the principles that still drive the way we behave to each other and to other nations.

But there remain areas where we must work harder to achieve the vision of a just society.

Tolerance and living together in peace means that we must eliminate racism both overt and covert from our society if New Zealand is to flourish and remain a good world citizen. And all cultures and traditions, be they religious, social or race-based, must be examined regularly to ensure that they are inclusive, that they do not exclude or repel those who are not of the majority or are part of a vulnerable group.

There is no excuse in the year 2005 for customs that seek to limit the participation of women or people of other ethnicities, any more than we can tolerate the notion that one ethnic group is superior to another.

New Zealand today is a multicultural nation but our foundation will always be bicultural and most of us have relished the advantages of having two perspectives on life here: Maori and Pakeha.

Maori culture is New Zealand's indigenous culture. It has sprung from this land. It is something we all acknowledge, something we embrace, cherish and appreciate. What this culture means to us as a nation cannot be overstated.

As Governor-General, I have had the privilege of learning a great deal about tikanga Maori. I have visited many marae and experienced many powhiri and almost always I am met with extreme kindness and affection.

The welcome ceremony is moving and uniquely New Zealand. It is a means of uniting people, of locals and visitors. It is done with huge warmth and a confidence that is striking. It also provides an important forum for discussion. Ideas are articulated and people can think about and respond to them.

And the powhiri is only one part of the colourful, valuable and vast resource that is tikanga Maori.

Our culture is like us, the people it guides, and indeed like all living organisms. Our culture evolves so it can survive. So today we see men and women of all ethnicities moving in the world of Maori with increasing confidence and pride. We see a renaissance of Maori song and language. It has happened quickly and comprehensively. Only four years ago, it was necessary to give people coming to Government House the Maori words of the National Anthem. Today virtually every student of school age can sing them without notes, as can more and more adults of all races.

We have woven tikanga Maori into every part of our national life.

With the passing of time, our society has changed and so has the way we do things. And tikanga has also evolved. As one Maori observer has said: If our tipuna, our ancestors, of over 300 years ago came back today, they would probably not understand half the tikanga of today.

Cultures and traditions everywhere adjust to meet changing aspirations in society. If they don't, they wither. Maori decide where and when changes will be made, and as they do, they too will be influenced by modern notions of inclusiveness, tolerance and courtesy.

All New Zealanders must support and engage in the changes to our uniquely indigenous culture. It is an important part of our identity. It is what helps mark us out internationally. I have no doubt that this will continue to be a natural and organic process, and I very much look forward to seeing how our indigenous culture will advance to meet the challenges of a multicultural society.

Changes in New Zealand can be found in many other areas. One needs only to look at Anzac Day, another very important national day of commemoration, to see how cultures and behaviours progress over time.

Not long ago, Anzac Day was a time of conflict between the peace movement and mainstream New Zealand. Now, the two viewpoints have converged. The day is one of sharing, of remembering our fallen heroes with pride and with sorrow at their sacrifice. The recent interment of the Unknown Warrior was a time when we united as a people, honouring what he and the thousands like him had done for each one of us.

I believe that Waitangi Day will one day attain a similar status. It will be seen not as a day of protest but of friendship, of sharing and of national pride. For many New Zealanders, it already is.

We focus on our Maori/Pakeha relations on Waitangi Day, but I want also to acknowledge the incredible diversity that is the hallmark of our society. We are indeed a multicultural nation. This is a wonderful asset and one that makes us the exciting and vibrant country we are today.

Tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

* An edited version of the Governor-General's address at Government House yesterday.