More muddled meddling by Brash
DON BRASH’S paranoia about Maori seems to be getting worse.
For years he, and his ‘‘Hobson’s Pledge’’ lobby group, have been preaching his message that Article 3 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi provides that all New Zealanders have identical rights. That message depends on disregarding Article 2 of Te Tiriti, which guarantees tangata whenua ‘‘full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their Lands and
Estates Forests Fisheries and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess so long as it is their wish and desire to retain the same in their possession’’ (English version).
Perhaps he should read Maori Boy, the first volume of Witi Ihimaera’s memoir (the second volume, Native Son, has just been published), which describes the loss of a hapu’s source of kai moana, as the result of pollution from a new sewage outlet. He might then realise that the local body’s decision to discharge sewage into TokaaTaiau, which, while environmentally stupid, didn’t breach the legal rights of nonMaori citizens, was a clear breach of tangata whenua rights under Article 2.
Now, inexplicably, Dr Brash has taken aim at the action of British High Commissioner Laura Clarke, in formally (but in private) expressing regret to Ngati Oneone and the three Turanga iwi, on behalf of her government, for the deaths of a number of Maori at the hands of Captain Cook’s crew, during the first contact between Cook and Maori, at the Turanganui River. He says that she should be withdrawn from her post and that the British Government should butt out of New Zealand race relations.
Reason obviously isn’t Dr Brash’s forte. The expression of regret by Ms Clarke was made not primarily as an individual but on behalf of the British Government. Passing on messages for that government is part of her job, not grounds for sacking. And the British Government isn’t interfering in New Zealand race relations: it’s acknowledging a tragic reaction by some of its employees, 250 years ago.
Dr Brash also decries Ms Clarke’s reference to nine Maori deaths, quoting Cook’s diary estimate of four to five deaths as proof that she was mistaken. In accepting Cook’s guess as authoritative, trumping information passed down by iwi historians (considered more reliable by leading historian Anne Salmond), Dr Brash sounds both racist, in his assumptions about the two different historical tools, and naive, in expecting all the deaths to be witnessed by Cook at the time of the clash — delayed deaths from shooting aren’t unusual, even with modern care (one March 15 victim died seven weeks later).
Ironically, having accused Ms Clarke of ‘‘factually incorrect meddling’’, his own meddling was factually incorrect, suggesting that Abel Tasman, a Dutchman employed by the Dutch East India Company, visited New Zealand on behalf of the Portuguese.
Dr Brash has become an embarrassment to many, both Maori and pakeha.
It was an interesting combination City Choir, an ensemble of 16 cellists (how often does one hear that?) led by Heleen du Plessis, and organ joining in ‘‘Norma’s Big Birthday Bash’’ to celebrate the 100th birthday of Norma, the town hall organ, and it attracted a lot of people. Unfortunately, carrying Dunedin’s tradition of not booking early to extremes, far too many of those attending hadn’t booked at all: 15 minutes before the advertised start the box office queue extended down past the library. Consequently, the concert started 18 minutes late.
Starting on time and only admitting latecomers between items would have been fairer to performers and audience, and might have persuaded concertgoers to book in future: if technophobe Civis could manage it online that morning, so could others.
But once begun, the concert was very good (Civis’ favourite was perhaps the SaintSaens Adagio from Symphony 3 Organ, arranged for the 16 cellos), concluding with variations on ‘‘Happy Birthday’’, with the audience joining the choir in the final chorale.
Thank you, impresario, arranger and MC, City Organist David Burchell. A great show!