‘Protect Papatūānuku’, anti deep-sea oil drilling and toxic mining hikoi arrives at Te Tii Marae, Waitangi, Feb 5. 2014. Photo / Jos Wheeler
‘Protect Papatūānuku’, anti deep-sea oil drilling and toxic mining hikoi arrives at Te Tii Marae, Waitangi, Feb 5. 2014. Photo / Jos Wheeler
Jos Wheeler is a director of photography for film, documentary and music videos. His photography archives feature many historic protest images from the last 15 years. He writes about confrontation and coming together, through his lens.
'Maori Seabed For Shore', Anti Deep Sea Oil Drilling / Stat Oil Go Home hikoi leaves Te Tii Marae for Te Whare Runanga / Upper Treaty Grounds, Waitangi; Feb 6, 2015. Photo / Jos Wheeler
The history of protest in Aotearoa for the past 50 years, has beensynonymous with kaupapa Māori - such as land rights, language revival, tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and environmental protection but has too often been expressed in the media as Māori versus Pākehā.
'Aotearoa Is Not For Sale', hikoi of 10,000 leaves Aotea Square, down Queen St to QEII Square; April 28, 2012. Image on sign: Iconic photo of Dame Whina Cooper by Michael Tubberty.
In the 1980s to early 2000s these occasions often escalated to confrontation and the butting of heads with racist opposition, including police, sometimes quite literally. Over the last decade, through my lens, it's clear things have started to change as Māori have begun to make headway against a colonial system.
'Return The Land / Protect Ihumatao', The occupation of stolen whenua at Ihumatao, Aug 29, 2019. Photo / Jos Wheeler
There is still a long way to go to restore the balance for tangata whenua but now we are seeing more Pākehā and tauiwi coming together to stand alongside Māori, addressing issues that face all New Zealanders.
'Wai Maranga Mai Hokianga' - drawing attention to the ongoing pollution of Hokianga-Whakapau-Karakia, Feb 6, 2019. Photo / Jos Wheeler
This can only continue to progress positively as more of this country's history is taught in schools and the next generations grow up knowing the true history of Aotearoa.
'End Colonial Violence" - thousands gather under the banner of 'Love Aotearoa Hate Racism' and march in Auckland after the Christchurch Terrorist attack, March 24, 2019. Photo / Jos Wheeler
