Ihum¯atao ‘frontline’ in Nelson
An Ihuma¯ tao solidarity event in Nelson was an impromptu ‘‘frontline’’ for supporters who could not make the trip north.
Supporters of the Ihuma¯tao occupation gathered on the city’s church steps on Saturday, singing waiata and haka, despite the pouring rain.
Nelson local Tamanui Tera said he would have gone to the event ‘‘rain, hail or snow’’ to show his support.
He said the widespread support for Ihuma¯tao was partly thanks to social media raising awareness on the topic.
‘‘This issue has been around for years, but with the help of things like social media it’s affecting people more than it has in the past, people have become more aware. It’s not something new.’’
Another attendee, Chrissy Randall, said she was there to support ‘‘the next generation’’.
‘‘I’ve been through Bastion Point in my lifetime, and I want to support the younger people because it’s not over, it’s always been there.’’
She said it was an issue that faced many indigenous peoples around the world, and Ihuma¯ tao was part of a ‘‘global fight’’ to ‘‘protect the rights to the little bit of land we have left’’.
The protests at Ihuma¯tao in Auckland began when Pania Newton and Save Our Unique Landscape occupied land which was sold to Fletcher’s in 2016 to develop 480 houses. That land was confiscated from local iwi in 1863 and then gifted to the Wallace family, who farmed there for about 150 years.
The Nelson event was a community-led one, with help from local Nik Moke, Rob Herewini, council hopeful Rohan O’Neil-Stevenson, and several others.
Moke said it was important to recognise the mahi of the organisers, as ‘‘the event would not be possible without everyone’’.
O’Neil-Stevenson attended having recently come back to Nelson after visiting Ihuma¯tao in person. He said Nelson’s event was like a ‘‘microcosm’’ of Ihuma¯ tao, rain and all.
‘‘It was really inspiring being there, I can’t wait to get back ... it’s the first time I’ve been in a situation like that, surrounded by te ao Ma¯ ori.
‘‘It’s amazing what they’re doing up there. They’ve kept the kaupapa really pure.’’
Another organiser, Estella Davis, said the national response to Ihuma¯tao was reflecting a ‘‘shift in statistics’’ for Ma¯ ori.
She said she believed the overrepresentation of Ma¯ ori in statistics on things like illness, suicide, and family violence meant people had put other issues ‘‘on hold’’, but said Ihuma¯ tao was a reflection on how those problems came together.