Rapper’s speech sends PM a message
A star of the New Zealand Music Awards, rapper Tom Scott, used his acceptance speech to deliver a strong message to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
The musician, who won one of the biggest accolades of the night with the Album of the Year award, told Ardern to visit Ihuma¯ tao.
The prime minister has received steady criticism for refusing to visit the contested site in South Auckland, where protests continue after building consents were issued to turn a sacred and historic site into a subdivision.
Thousands of people have shown their support for the Ihuma¯tao cause, travelling from around the country to visit the disputed land.
On Thursday night, Scott repeated the message about visiting the protest site to the audience at Auckland’s Spark Arena, which included Ardern. ‘‘Jacinda Ardern should go to Ihuma¯tao,’’ he said, upon winning the award for Best Hip Hop Artist.
Backstage, he doubled down on his pressure for the Government to address other issues of colonisation.
‘‘Jacinda Ardern should just go down there, because I have been down there and you feel the different wairua when you are there.
‘‘I just thought, if I have one thing to say, it is that.
‘‘If people say, the classic middle New Zealand s..., that it is going to ‘start a whole bloody aargh’, well, good. It should.
‘‘We are on stolen land.’’ Scott, who performs under the name Avantdale Bowling Club, said some people might be frustrated or may question why he – a Pa¯keha¯ man – was pushing so hard for indigenous rights.
‘‘That is the most important thing you can say with art, in this country, we are a f ..... colony, we benefit off the misery of the native people of this land,’’ he said.
‘‘Not everyone has the privilege to talk to so many people but I got given that privilege today and I wanted to say something.
‘‘I know I have got some nerve saying that as a Pa¯ keha¯ .’’
A large contingent of New Zealand musicians have put their weight behind the protests at Ihuma¯ tao. Musicians such as Stan Walker, Ladi6, Jess B and Teeks have all performed at the site.
Other big winners at the Music Awards on Thursday night were 19-year-old pop singer Benee, altrock band The Beths and music juggernauts Six60.