I’m a 68yr old NZ male born of Anglo Celtic heritage in the deep south where as a boy ta moko was rarely if ever seen. I remember in the 90’s on a visit home from Australia (where I now live) to the newly opened Ta Tapa Tongarewa museum in Wellington.. literally bursting with pride at this incredible new facility and having lingered for ages, particularly around the Māori exhibit with its stunning wharenui and other collected treasures. I was approaching the cloak room to retrieve my jacket, where a young Māori mum was collecting her child’s stroller and setting it up. She was wearing a beautiful chin tattoo, a moko, and it was the first time I had seen it up close and on the flesh. She radiated a strength and resilience and grace that took my breath away, and I remember thinking how stunning and cool she looked. A renaissance in Māori culture, pride and identity was well under way by then and it actually had the effect of making me as a pakeha feel pride in my country too. We must not, cannot, let the ugly retrograde and divisive agenda of this neo liberal clown show tear us apart. Aotearoa is a much more multi cultural society now than it was when I was a kid and we are so much better for it. A deep appreciation of our First Nations and their beautiful culture is the glue that imo will promote harmony and keep us all united in tolerance and acceptance, and fortify us against the bigotry of the unrepresentative swill who are running this great country into the dirt. Kia kaha ❤️🖤🤍
Thanks for this, it really resonates as I am also a migrant in Australia and have always struggled with where we fit into the dominant narrative and in relation to our Indigenous peoples. Not belonging to either group makes me think deeply about who we are really as a country. I personally love the idea of embracing Australias antiquity and think it should be celebrated along the same lines as other famous ancient civilizations, so struggle to wrap my head around how others feel so threatened by this possibility! Seeing the way Māori continue to embrace their own ancient traditions brings me hope that what is old will one day be new again!
Appreciate the comparison with your own lived experience :) Ehara tāku toa i te toa takatahi, engari he toa takitini
I’m a 68yr old NZ male born of Anglo Celtic heritage in the deep south where as a boy ta moko was rarely if ever seen. I remember in the 90’s on a visit home from Australia (where I now live) to the newly opened Ta Tapa Tongarewa museum in Wellington.. literally bursting with pride at this incredible new facility and having lingered for ages, particularly around the Māori exhibit with its stunning wharenui and other collected treasures. I was approaching the cloak room to retrieve my jacket, where a young Māori mum was collecting her child’s stroller and setting it up. She was wearing a beautiful chin tattoo, a moko, and it was the first time I had seen it up close and on the flesh. She radiated a strength and resilience and grace that took my breath away, and I remember thinking how stunning and cool she looked. A renaissance in Māori culture, pride and identity was well under way by then and it actually had the effect of making me as a pakeha feel pride in my country too. We must not, cannot, let the ugly retrograde and divisive agenda of this neo liberal clown show tear us apart. Aotearoa is a much more multi cultural society now than it was when I was a kid and we are so much better for it. A deep appreciation of our First Nations and their beautiful culture is the glue that imo will promote harmony and keep us all united in tolerance and acceptance, and fortify us against the bigotry of the unrepresentative swill who are running this great country into the dirt. Kia kaha ❤️🖤🤍
E tika tākuta! ❤️
Thanks for this, it really resonates as I am also a migrant in Australia and have always struggled with where we fit into the dominant narrative and in relation to our Indigenous peoples. Not belonging to either group makes me think deeply about who we are really as a country. I personally love the idea of embracing Australias antiquity and think it should be celebrated along the same lines as other famous ancient civilizations, so struggle to wrap my head around how others feel so threatened by this possibility! Seeing the way Māori continue to embrace their own ancient traditions brings me hope that what is old will one day be new again!