Courage best answer to intolerance

The Herald this week marks the launch of Super Diverse Women — a new organisation dedicated to championing the rights and achievements of women from indigenous and migrant backgrounds. Today, we talk to of What Ever it Takes, a home-based rehabilitation

I am Maori, Pakeha. My father is of Ngapuhi descent and comes from a family of 16. He is from a little coastal village called Rawhiti where it was predominantly Maori. His grandfather Himi Clendon was the illegitimate child of Captain James Reddy Clendon who was the then United States Consul. My mum’s whanau are from Ngati Toa, Ngati Raukawa, Kai Tahu and Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa. My grandparents on my mum’s side’s philosophy was that you needed to learn the Pakeha way of life to become successful. I attended Maori boarding schools in Hawke’s Bay — Hukarere Maori Girls College and Te Aute College. This shaped my life in the sense that I had the absolute privilege to grow up in and have access to te ao Maori and the Pakeha world. It’s given me the ability to adapt and not feel intimidated in either setting. I really wasn’t aware that I was Maori or different in colour to my other friends until I was in my early 20s. During a Treaty of Waitangi workshop a Pakeha colleague got up to speak and talked about how all Maori were dirty and poor. He professed to be a staunch Christian. He looked me straight in the eye and said “but you are a different Maori”. That rocked my world that people would think that way. I was quite devastated.

HRead more in the Super Diverse Women series at nzherald.co.nz

What benefits does society garner from more gender and ethnic diversity?

Well, diversity brings the opportunity for people to learn tolerance, acceptance and appreciation. As tangata whenua our role is to manaaki and awhi our visitors and as manuhiri we are respectful visitors to our hosts and to the whenua. From a business perspective it brings many economic opportunities as we open ourselves up to the rest of the world. As a Maori business our practice model is tikanga-based and so this resonates with many indigenous groups around the world and that is a growth opportunity for us.

Many New Zealanders like to think they are part of an increasingly tolerant society. Is this fact or fiction?

We like to think we are tolerant but I don’t think this is really the case. Many of those attitudes come from generations gone. I think as we have more cross-cultural relationships tolerance will increase. What I think we as indigenous people do well at is support the movements of other indigenous groups — the protests at Standing Rock and the Dakota pipeline is a great example.

Have you faced discrimination, as a woman and/or as a member of a migrant community or ethnic minority?

Because of the nature of our mahi — supporting high needs, complex, acquired disability, accident-related, mainly Maori and Pacific whanau — the discrimination I see is mainly institutionalised. As an example Maori are overrepresented when it comes to serious injury at around 23 per cent and yet the services that Maori have to access are only mainstream.

What advice do you have to others who face it?

Don’t give in and be courageous! Dame Tariana Turia has been my mentor in many ways when addressing disparity.

Do women from migrant communities or ethnic minorities face double discrimination?

out as they underestimate me and often it is to their detriment. It is a great position to be in!

What are your views of quotas as a way of ensuring more diversity?

I am not really a supporter of quotas however the advantage that we have as tangata whenua of Aotearoa is the envy of the world. It’s important that we retain the kaitiakitanga of this land and are able to work in partnership with all groups to understand, respect and treat Aotearoa with the mana it deserves.

What are other strategies that could be effective in creating more diverse workplaces or social institutions?

Our organisation includes people from a wide range of ethnic groups. What is most critical for us is an alignment of our core principles through our Pou Te Aho Takitoru so as an example Pono, Tika, Aroha — being honest, in the right way and with the best intentions.

How can the media do a better job of reflecting New Zealand’s growing diversity?