works by The Tu Wai Indigenous Resource Centre, Aotearoa
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Toituu te whenua,
ngaro atu te Tangata
People die, the land remains
We are descendents of the mountains and rivers of Aotearoa. Here natural life knows us. We are embedded in the land. Our tears, our breath, our bones, our blood is throughout the environments of healing, existence, sustenance and has been since the beginning of time. As Tangata Whenua (people of the land) our survival is dependent upon our balance with the natural world and the health of that natural world. The material and cultural wealth of Tangata Whenua is dependent upon the wealth of animal and plant life. We are healed by the plants, nourished by the forest food, given guidance by the animal life. These relationships are incorporated with our stories of creation, gods and goddesses, way of life, our world view. Yet our relationship with our natural world continues to be disrupted. Nature has been enslaved in Aotearoa. Thought of as an obstacle to be overcome, dominated, and exploited much like the Tangata Whenua who live within it.
Ko
aku nei take pu ka watea tou rangatiratanga i au i rangatira ana.
Ko au nei take pu ka tangohia toku nei rangatiratanga i a koe e rangatira
ana.
When I
am stronger than you, you retained your freedom because that is according
to my principles.
When you are stronger than me, you take away my freedom because that is
according to your principles.
Aotearoa is being smothered by New Zealand. A hundred years of environmental and cultural desecration has occurred in Aotearoa since the Pakeha took control. The clearing of the vast forests massacred the forest life to make way for the alien grass, cows, and cowboys. They came with their agricultural culture. A culture with specific religion, resource use and management, property rights, law enforcement, roles for men and women, and the differences go on. Therefore there is now an idea in Aotearoa that the rights of cow boys and farmers supersede the rights of Tangata Whenua. The rights of farmers, the rights of the dairy industry, deny the existence of the native. In 1840 100% of the land in Aotearoa was in Tangata Whenua hands, now only about 6% of land remains in Tangata Whenua hands.
He
toka tuu moana, ka tuu, ka tuu, ka tuu. Ahakoa i awhatia mai te rangi,
whakapaapakitia i te Ra. Te toka, ka tuu, ka tuu, ka tuu.
The rock
stands in the ocean, everlasting. Even though it is rained on by the sky,
beaten by the scorching sun. The rock stands everlasting.
Our destiny as descendents of the original people of this land is not negotiable. Our inheritance, our rights and responsibilities as Tangata Whenua do not come from the New Zealand Government. We are not confused nor misled about their real intentions. Intentions to rape our ancestral lands and forest life. Intentions to desecrate the waterways and exploit the people.
Economic development is the battle line between our two world views. Industry has taken the entire traditional lifestyle away from the community. Tangata Whenua communities today face environmental threats on most of our ancestral lands. Tangata Whenua are suffering endlessly from the effects of colonisation.
We must evolve on our own terms.
Ka
whawhai tonu matou, ake ake, ake
We will continue to fight forever
Today we
will struggle to preserve what remains and to recover what was taken from
us. Our memories compel us to act. Our actions move to preserve the wealth
of animal and plant life, to rehabilitate our techniques of guardianship
of Aotearoa, and to sustain and enhance communities. The vision is to
return and survive by the land. Free ourselves from everything that oppresses
us.
We want our dignity. We demand our dignity. Our ancestors died fighting
for the rights of the people. So we must take a stand. They won't give
it to you. You have to fight for it. There's so much pressure on us to
assimilate. It's about taking and learning from your traditions, carefully
reflecting on them, as you make your decisions for now, for your life
way. We must reawaken the people in revolutionary unison.
We are the Landlords, Guardians, Defenders and Resisters. Think very deeply
about what you can do to make a difference.
Detail - Noku Te Whenua 2003
for information about works, please contact the Tu Wai IRC : tuwaiirc@hotmail.com