It is still astounding how ignorant and one-sided mainstream news stories continue to be. Over time I feel New Zealand; Maori and non-Maori should develop and change in understanding of the past, present and future. ‘Call to sack academic over ‘racism’’ article yet again reinforces how New Zealand’s dominant culture remains entrenched with underlying racism.
The vast majority remains ignorant to the colonization, suppression and marginalization that was imposed upon Te iwi Maori. History concerning the Treaty, Te Reo, and land confiscations is prime example of blatant acts from Pakeha immigrants towards Maori. The imperative for New Zealand to fully recognize and comprehend these huge happenings in history is essential in understanding the complexities of the Maori culture and people of today. It is inevitable that there will be negative repercussions in our Maori people if we were stripped of who we were and continue to be disadvantaged today.
What continues to sadden me is the strong dominant culture in our country that sees no shift in opinion or action towards Maori, particularly in mainstream media.
Professor Margret Mutu, a wahine toa, educated in both Te Ao Maori and Te Pakeha, a huge rangatira for our Maori people. The article deeming that she is a “racist” yet again reinforces Maori in a negative way. She is a prominent, proud woman who has gained her tickets in the Pakeha education system yet she is stripped of these accomplishments through her portrayal in the media.
“…they will be having another look at her position and harm she is bringing to Auckland University…” –David Rankin
As a student of the University of Auckland and a student of Margret Mutu, I feel this comment is appalling. She educates and teaches Maori tikanga, Maori perspective, Maori language and Maori culture, something that is severely threated today and she supposedly brings harm? Of the little Maori who are in the education field she is the one who brings harm? Not the Maori Native Schools Act that sought to destroy the Maori Language, but an individual who lectures and educates the minority of people who choose to participate and take part in her Maori papers. Mutu merely states, “How it is” not fabricating or down playing what has happened, or what is happening, and she is labeled as a racist, not a activist or freedom fighter, or even someone that speaks of things in a candid manner, but a racist.
It is also interesting that the Herald has published David Rankin’s comments as Mutu’s comments have “caused offence to hundreds of thousands of New Zealander’s” yet the Herald chose to talk to a Maori. Why? Is it because a Maori goes against what another Maori says?
Does the media want to stir tension within our own people? It seems as if the media is creating us vs. them within our own culture, consequent portraying our people in a derogatory way. The news story is framed to severely undermine and take away what Margret Mutu has said positioning someone of her own heritage going against her. “If one Maori thinks she’s racist, it must be true because its coming from her own kind” is the attitude I’m gathering from story.
All in all, the media is fueling ignorance and close-mindedness within New Zealand. How are Maori supposed to revitalize their culture if the little resources and educators we do have are being threatened? Have they targeted Mutu because she is a threat to the Pakeha system? Does the system want to continue to keep Maori at the bottom of the heap? Whatever the reason is, mainstream media continues to do an amazing job at feeding uneducated stories to society.
