works by The Tu Wai Indigenous Resource Centre, Aotearoa
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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.
Detail - Noku Te Whenua 2003
for information about works, please contact the photographer: whenuaproductions@hotmail.com