The Treaty is like a Bridge
You may remember my series of posts last year, which recounted the learning process I had gone through over many years about the Treaty and the relations between the parties through the years.
Behind my learning about all this was an even earlier and more general body of learning, starting with the overview of British history we were taught in years 12 and 13, and continuing in India, when I read a lot about British Imperialism, Gandhi's efforts to confront that monster, and the effects of colonialism on the country nowadays.
I also talked to people, both Indians and New Zealanders, who had lived through the later years of the Raj, and had experienced some of the negative consequences of that administration. So I was prepared to learn about a similar process here, once I returned to NZ in the mid-60s.
Most of us have happily forgotten that story, except when watching films like Attenborough's "Gandhi", but it is very much alive for the people whose ancestors and families were on the receiving end.
And so it is a real eye-opener to really come to share that experience, even at second-hand. New Plymouth's mayor, Andrew Judd, has described it as crossing over the bridge to the Maori side of the river.
New Plymouth is in the middle of a debate about a Council proposal to establish a Maori ward (like a Maori seat in parliament) for the next local elections. Many voters, Maori and Pakeha, are opposed, but the Council has taken this step because they don't know what else to do to make sure Maori views are heard at Council meetings.
And we have all seen snippets of the current debate between Gareth Morgan and Don Brash about the place of the Treaty and how best to honour it. I have no doubt that Gareth's arguments are on the right lines. Maori language should have been a compulsory part of education here 100 years ago! How else would Welsh have been revived in Wales, or Hebrew in Israel, and a host of other similar resurrections of near-defunct languages around the world?
Surely it is high time we all took the bull by the horns, fixed up the past mistakes where possible, and got on with the job of living in harmony. As Andrew Judd says, what has anyone got to worry about?
PS: Have a look at Gwynne Dwyer's latest article, in relation to my comments on Tim Morgan's "Perfect Storm":
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