Climate Conversation Group

Yesterday, on Marae Investigates, Mr Morgan was asked what he thought about Mr Key saying the King was wrong about Maori owning the water. He replied: “That once again says the Prime Minister is culturally ignorant, and that’s unfortunate.”

via King’s spokesman calls Key ‘culturally ignorant’ – NZ Herald News.

Next thing you know, they’ll be calling Key a “denier”. Then all who oppose them.

His people believe him

Well of course they do.

via Maori have always owned water – 3 News.

Earlier today King Tuheitia told the national hui on the issue that Maori have always owned water.

The big chiefs and the long-time activists were at Turangawaewae to discuss one issue – water – and looking for one thing – unity.

So, King Tuheitia told the hui “we’ve always owned the water”; you’re quite sure that the hui didn’t tell him? Because I was under the firm impression that the purpose of a hui was to find the will of the people, not to announce it to them.

Just one question: why do Maoris say they own the water, when no other race on Earth believes that they do?

Do they know what water is?

Water is very large. There is so much of it that you cannot even hold it all in your possession, so you cannot defend it. We all know you did not create it, because all of it was here before you were born. Every atom of it will be here after you die, so we’ll get it all back then anyway, however you manage to bully us over it while you’re here. We’d prefer you went home and stopped making a noise about it. Earn your money as we all do – by hard work, intelligence and perseverance. That will make you happy. But keep your hands off our water.

Nineteenth century Maori village. Click for whole scene.

From Owen McShane’s newsletter Straight Thinking comes his article The Reactionaries and the Modernists – Maori at the Cross Roads, published in the National Business Review (behind a paywall) on 22nd August.
 
Owen presents the choice between modernism and tribalism as being Maori’s to make, but the consequences equally punish or reward the rest of us. The infiltration of our public decision-making by regressive, animist religious practices impedes our development.

Maori have a choice

One road will take Maori into a future in which they participate in the modern world, contribute to economic growth and development, and contribute to their own and their children’s wellbeing.

The other road leads them backwards into a Tribal World based on animist religious beliefs such as mauri, (the life force) and which regards science as the “latest force of colonization.” Read more… »