Land of the Long White Cloud | Episode 2: Inheriting Privilege | RNZ
Summary
TLDRThis script explores the complex identity of a Pākehā New Zealander, grappling with the historical injustices against Ngāi Tahu and the privilege of European descendants. It narrates a personal journey of understanding, beginning with the discovery of a great-great-grandfather's land acquisition through a race, to the realization of the need to educate and advocate for Māori rights and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The speaker reflects on their own responsibility to challenge Pākehā norms and work towards a balanced society, acknowledging the material and cultural privileges that come with their heritage.
Takeaways
- 🏁 The speaker identifies as Pākehā, which refers to individuals of white European descent, particularly those with a history of colonization in New Zealand.
- 🏞️ By 1890, 90% of the Ngāi Tahu people were landless, a result of colonization and land dispossession.
- 🤝 The speaker's ancestors, Joseph and Bessy Doyle, had a positive relationship with Hori Kerei and Tini Kerei Taiaroa, indicating some level of support and understanding for Māori people.
- 🏅 The speaker's great-great-grandfather was known as a supporter of Māori representation in parliament, influenced by his friendship with Māori individuals.
- 🏆 The same ancestor won land in a running race, which was originally Ngāi Tahu land, highlighting the irony and complexity of his support for Māori rights.
- 📚 The speaker was not taught about Te Tiriti o Waitangi in school and felt a responsibility to educate others about its importance and the history of colonization.
- 🌐 The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the context of Māori history and the systems they had in place before colonization.
- 🔄 The concept of 'restoring balance' is presented as a way to honor Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to address historical injustices.
- 🚫 The speaker acknowledges the Pākehā privilege and the need for Pākehā to challenge their own patterns of thinking and understanding.
- 🏡 The speaker grew up on land that had a history of being taken from tangata whenua (indigenous people), without being aware of this history.
- 🌱 The speaker calls for personal responsibility in learning about one's ancestors, their history, and the ways they can contribute to a more balanced and just society.
Q & A
What was the situation of Ngāi Tahu by 1890 in terms of land ownership?
-By 1890, 90% of Ngāi Tahu were landless, meaning they either didn't have any land or didn't have enough land for economic survival.
What does the term 'Pākehā' refer to in the context of the script?
-In the script, 'Pākehā' refers to people of white European descent, particularly those of colonizer descent in New Zealand.
What is the speaker's perspective on their Pākehā identity?
-The speaker identifies as Pākehā and acknowledges it as a conflicted identity due to the historical context of colonization and the desire for a different history.
Who were Joseph and Bessy Doyle, and what was their relationship with Hori Kerei and Tini Kerei Taiaroa?
-Joseph and Bessy Doyle were the speaker's ancestors who had a positive relationship with Hori Kerei and Tini Kerei Taiaroa, Māori individuals with whom they shared a friendship and mutual support.
What was the significance of the speaker's great-great-grandfather being known as an outspoken supporter of Māori representation in parliament?
-The great-great-grandfather's support for Māori representation in parliament was significant as it was a positive stance during a time when Māori rights were being challenged, and it likely stemmed from his friendship with Hori Kerei Taiaroa.
How did the speaker's great-great-grandfather win land on the Canterbury Plains?
-The speaker's great-great-grandfather won land on the Canterbury Plains by being a good runner and winning a running race, which awarded him two parcels of land.
What was the speaker's reaction upon learning about Te Tiriti o Waitangi in a university paper?
-The speaker was upset and felt critical about not having learned about Te Tiriti o Waitangi earlier, reflecting on the importance of understanding the context of colonization and the treaty.
What is the speaker's view on the role of Pākehā in addressing historical injustices and honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
-The speaker believes that Pākehā have a responsibility to understand their history, challenge their own patterns of thinking, and work towards restoring balance and honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi without stepping out of their privilege.
What is the significance of the area named Doyleston?
-Doyleston was named after the speaker's great-great-grandfather who purchased the land there. It signifies the colonization and renaming of a place that had a history with tangata whenua.
What does the speaker suggest as a way to restore balance and work towards a healthier society in Aotearoa?
-The speaker suggests learning about one's ancestry, understanding the impact of colonization, and using personal influence within family and community to challenge thinking patterns and work towards honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
What kind of privilege does the speaker acknowledge growing up on the Canterbury Plains?
-The speaker acknowledges the material privilege of growing up on stolen lands, as well as the privilege of cultural representation in school books and media, and the normalization of Pākehā ways of being.
Outlines
🏞️ Colonial History and Identity Conflict
The speaker identifies as Pākehā, a term for people of white European descent in New Zealand, particularly those with a history of colonization. The speaker reflects on the conflicted identity stemming from the colonization of Māori lands and the ignorance of Pākehā about their history. The narrative includes the speaker's ancestors, Joseph and Bessy Doyle, who had a positive relationship with Māori leaders Hori Kerei and Tini Kerei Taiaroa. The speaker's great-great-grandfather was an advocate for Māori representation in the late 1800s, yet paradoxically won Ngāi Tahu lands in a running race, highlighting the complexity of historical relationships and the speaker's struggle with their ancestral legacy. The speaker also discusses the importance of understanding the history of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the broader context of colonization to address the imbalances in society.
🌱 Privilege and Responsibility in Aotearoa
The speaker acknowledges the material and societal privileges that come from growing up on lands originally inhabited by tangata whenua (indigenous people). They discuss the lack of awareness about Māori ways of life and the historical context that has shaped the current society. The speaker emphasizes the responsibility of all individuals, particularly Pākehā, to learn about their ancestors' history and their role in colonization. They call for a collective effort to restore balance in Aotearoa by challenging established patterns of thinking and promoting understanding and respect for Māori culture and rights. The speaker also reflects on their own upbringing and the need to build a different future, despite not being able to change the past.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Ngāi Tahu
💡Pākehā
💡Te Tiriti o Waitangi
💡Landless
💡Colonization
💡Privilege
💡Tangata whenua
💡Hori Kerei Taiaroa
💡Adult Education
💡Restoration of Balance
💡Drain Road
Highlights
By 1890, 90% of Ngāi Tahu were landless, highlighting the historical land dispossession of indigenous people.
Pākehā identity is conflicted, stemming from being of white European, particularly colonizer, descent.
The speaker identifies as Pākehā, acknowledging the complex history and desire for a different past.
Ancestral stories carry the weight of historical conflict for Pākehā New Zealanders.
The speaker's ancestors, Joseph and Bessy Doyle, had a positive relationship with Māori leaders Hori Kerei and Tini Kerei Taiaroa.
Hori Kerei Taiaroa was an MP for Southern Māori, and the speaker's ancestors looked after his property during his travels.
The speaker's great-great-grandfather was an outspoken supporter of Māori representation in parliament in the late 1800s.
The great-great-grandfather won land in a running race, which was originally Ngāi Tahu land.
The speaker grapples with the contradiction of ancestral support for Māori rights and the acquisition of their land.
The speaker's education on Te Tiriti o Waitangi came late, sparking a desire for broader understanding and communication.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi's understanding is critical but requires context of tangata whenua's systems and colonization disregard.
The speaker feels a responsibility to speak to Pākehā people about the importance of honoring Te Tiriti.
The speaker acknowledges Pākehā privilege and the impact on Māori health and well-being.
The speaker's great-great-grandfather purchased land on the Canterbury Plains, with unknown restoration efforts.
Growing up on 'stolen lands' brings material and societal privileges, normalizing Pākehā ways of life.
The speaker emphasizes the collective responsibility to restore balance in Aotearoa through understanding and action.
The speaker calls for challenging one's own patterns of thinking and understanding to build a different future.
Transcripts
(ethereal music)
- By 1890, 90% of Ngāi Tahu were landless.
In that same period, my Pākehā ancestor
could win lands in a running race.
As Pākehā, we don't have the tools to understand
the now, because we don't understand our history.
I identify as Pākehā.
What that means is, people of white European descent,
particularly coloniser descent.
So, it's a conflicted identity in that sense.
Some of the stories of our ancestors carry that conflict,
that we sit with as Pākehā New Zealanders,
that conflict of wanting it to be a different history
than it actually is.
It was really interesting to me when mum told me
about my ancestors, Joseph and Bessy Doyle,
who had this positive relationship with
Hori Kerei and Tini Kerei Taiaroa.
Hori Kerei Taiaroa was an MP for southern Māori
and was travelling a lot and so my ancestors used to
look after their property.
My great-great-grandfather was known as an outspoken
supporter of Māori representation in parliament
in the late 1800s and I think it came,
obviously, from that friendship.
So, there were people who were supporters
and one of my ancestors was a supporter
of Māori representation and Māori rights
and that seemed like a positive, honourable thing.
It was then really interesting for me,
digging deeper and finding my great-great-grandfather's
obituary and in that, it said that he was a good runner,
and that one of the more memorable prizes
that he won for winning a running race
were two parcels of land on the Canterbury Plains.
That was Ngāi Tahu lands, and this was in the late 1800s.
By 1890, 90% of Ngāi Tahu were landless.
They either didn't have any land,
or didn't have enough land for economic survival.
And the very lands that his friend, Hori Kerei Taiaroa,
is fighting for justice in relation to.
That challenged me to think about what I was needing
or wanting my ancestors to be,
and what narrative I was wanting to create.
Whatever I find out about my ancestor,
the thing for me is about what am I doing about all of this?
It was actually in a place of privilege,
in a fourth year paper at Canterbury University,
that I first learned about Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
I was pissed off that I hadn't learned that stuff.
We can't understand Te Tiriti itself
if we don't understand this context of hundreds
of years of settlement of tangata whenua
and that they had all the systems in place
of law, education, health, and then understanding
the process that followed, which was a complete disregard
of Te Tiriti and the process of colonisation.
I just felt so critical to have that understanding
and so then I went into adult education,
where there was a need to communicate
that understanding to a broader audience.
So when we tune to thinking about honouring Te Tiriti,
it's about the restoration of balance.
It's always been really clear that my responsibility
is to be speaking to my own people,
'cause some of the big blocks to a healthy society
are Pākehā blocking Māori being able to pursue
their own health and well-being.
Obviously, I do stuff because I want to shift
our understanding as Pākehā,
and our work to honour Te Tiriti.
But within that, I don't step out of my Pākehā privilege.
(water bubbling)
This is Drain Road, where I grew up in Doyleston.
My great-great-grandfather arrived in 1864.
He was a 21-year-old Scottish farm labourer.
Not long after that, he purchased land
on the Canterbury Plains.
Land that tangata whenua had relationships with
for hundreds of years before.
That area that he purchased was named Doyleston,
after him, by him, for him.
There wasn't the conversation around,
well, did this place already have a name?
I don't know what happened with those lands.
We don't own it.
It says in his obituary he didn't give them back.
Whether he did any restoration around that, I don't know.
I got to grow up on these lands, actually having
no idea about any of the history.
(waves crashing) (relaxing music)
There's material privilege that comes
from growing up on stolen lands.
There's the privilege of the kids in the school books
having the same colour skin as me, the same types of names
In the media, my people, Pākehā, being positively portrayed,
and that's the privilege that you become the normal.
There's a whole loss of understanding
Māori ways of being in this place.
Hundreds of years of ways of doing things
that I grew up with no knowledge of
but the fact that I can succeed in a society
without that knowledge, that's how privilege works.
We all have a responsibility in terms
of restoring balance in Aotearoa, to do what we can.
Things like learning about where your people came from,
how they got to be here.
Thinking about, where do I have influence?
What can I do amongst my family, amongst my community?
It is about challenging your own patterns
of thinking and understanding.
And that's never something that you tick off.
I can't change the story of my ancestors,
but I can try to build a different future.
(soothing music)
(waves crashing)
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