Waitangi Day-Kulin Nations 08

8.2.08

In the Kulin Nations, Waitangi day for the whanau started with our tamariki holding our Tino Rangatiratanga flag A beautiful testament to 168 years of our Haapu and its resistance and struggle against colonial rule.

Indigenous nations and peoples from all struggles gathered outside the NZ settler consulate on Waitangi Day.

After a welcome from our elder Nan Old (Taranaki), Cheryl (ISJA) read the Aboriginal Trent Embassy Declaration, as peoples resident in Melbourne that support Indigenous struggle we wanted publicly acknowledge and affirm the Sovereignty of Aboriginal Nations in Australia.

Sina read a statement from Te Ata Tino Toa, companera Tia Taurere, "The Tino Rangatiratanga flag symbolises the long tradition of struggle and resistance by Maori against colonisation and the Crown sponsored theft of Maori land and resources. It is a symbol used by Maori who continue to resist the pressures of colonisation and cultural and economic genocide. Such a concept embraces the spiritual link Maori have with 'Papatuanuku' (Earth mother) and is a part of the international drive by indigenous peoples for self determination."

Sina then set about shattering settler fairy tales & mythology reminded the whanau gathered, that the Treaty of Waitangi still remains to be honoured 168 years after its signing.Waitangi is a day of protest, a day of mourning and a day of hope to continue the fight to defend our whenua since they stepped on it day one.

The NZ Settler Governments refused to sign the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous peoples and the recent human rights abuses of the peoples of Tuhoe by nga poaka (police) on behalf of the NZ settler state.

The New Zealand Government likes to extol its human rights record to the world. Meanwhile, it conveniently ignores the condemnation of various UN bodies when they don’t suit the Government’s fairy tale of amicable race relations. In 2006, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous People visited Aotearoa New Zealand to investigate breaches of human rights as a result of the Foreshore and Seabed Act. Following the investigation, the Rapporteur issued a report detailing the violations of human rights which the New Zealand Government has roundly ignored.

Needless to say, people around the world are not blind to the New Zealand Government’s double-speak when it come to Maori. Statements from around the world, including the Canadian Postal Worker’s Union and the Zapatista Liberation Army indicate that support for the right of Maori to self-determination will not be denied.

Just like the crap served up on here recently on strayalia Day, what is the nz settler state celebrating? We are definitely not celebrating our dispossession and lack of our Tino Rangatiratanga, Mana Motuhake, Sovereignty or Self Determination. That’s for sure. Our reality as Indigenous peoples oppressed by the coloniser has been one of invasion, genocide and theft and repression.

Rayna Fahey (Green Party, Radical Mamma, Pakeha Anarchist) then spoke about decolonisation and anti racism, affirming Indigenous rights is about human rights and respect, “ Respect for people and respect for our environment", and what it means to live up to treaty obligations as a settler, of knowing your history and what your ancestors did.

Marisol Salinas (Mapuche, Environmentalist) gave the solidarity of the Mapuche peoples for the Maori struggle for self-determination. The Mapuche are under siege by the Chilean state as they seek to defend heir lands from the greed of multi nationals and corrupt, racist governments. Marisol encouraged us to keep fighting, the Mapuche are fighting the same fight Maori & Aboriginal peoples. "We need to protest, to stand up for our rights, we can win."

Nick Chesterfield (Kaurna Nation) a seasoned campaigner for Indigenous rights in the Pacific, notably of late Nick’s mahi with West Papua has been inspiring.

He gave an awesome korero about Aboriginal Sovereignty and the legal fiction that settler states are, proudly holding his Aboriginal passport Nick reminded us of our inherent Sovereignty as Indigenous/First Nations peoples that colonisation will never extinguish. Nick spoke about indigenous unity in the pacific region and how we are all related through culture and song lines, and the need for us to rekindle and reinforce our relationship as indigenous peoples in the pacific.Together we can meet the challenges we face as we resist colonisation in the Pacific.

We were then honoured to have the Aboriginal Tent embassy represented by long time freedom fighter Robbie Thorpe (Krautungalung, Gunnai Nation) addressed us. “Land thieving, colonising, genocidal racists,” This is invasion, and colonisation means for Indigenous peoples. " Australia is a crime scene, based on racism, and premeditated genocide against Aboriginal nations , Robbie then pointed out that this is a history shared by Indigenous nations around the world.He then reiterated how crucial it is for us to support each other’s struggles in the Pacific. Robbie then gave good serve against the four setter gubbaments and their refusal to affirm Indigenous human rights to Self Determination at an International level. Shame all right.

With a large Australian Federal Police presence Robbie reminded us that in the Pacific Australia and NZ & Amerikkka are the biggest colonisers. Sina then expanded on the role the AFP has in the Pacific and how the have built up over the past 10 years their presence in the pacific, they are a deployable paramilitary police group, resourced to the hilt. They are as Kevin Carmody sings, “ terrorists dressed in uniforms under the protection of their law”. The use of paramilitary police style repression & humans rights abuses in Tuhoe recently looks like part of an over all picture of state/police repression of Indigenous peoples thorough the Pacific at the movement. Are our human rights the price we have to pay in the Pacific for settler, economic, trade & security agreements and arrangements?

With the Mob converging on Kkkanberra for the opening of the Gubbament, Indigenous rights are gaining momentum both here and throughout the Pacific and the world. We are standing up, we are unified; there’s a change in the wind for sure. Ka whawahi tonu matou ake tonu atu

Labels: Aboriginal Tent Embassy, indigenist activism, Indigenous Sovereignty, Te Ata Tino Toa, Tino Rangatiratanga