News Polynesia

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 4, 18 May 1978, Page 6

News Polynesia

Although it was not discussed, to a great extent during the conference, several representatives raised the problem of communication in the Polynesian sector pointing to the lack of facilities available to get the information from the ‘resource people’ to the various communities in a manner that would be understood. Conference delegates were aware that in order for full participation to take place, people at grassroots level must be able to understand the issues and be able to relate to them. It would appear that Polynesians higher up in the hierarchy, who are closer to the top of the decision making body are finding it difficult to communicate with their people as the existing facilities are either inadequate or nonexistent. The problem is very real indeed and perhaps conference has not paid very much attention to a significant aspect of social development. It is possible that what apfpears to be apathy in the Polynesian public is basically a failure of the masses to understand the issues as they have not been able to see, hear or know of its existance. The efforts of Mana in trying to help in this respect must be commended in my view this is an area of great importance to the development of the Polynesian communities in New Zealand. Those who can instigate positive change in the community are basically in isolation from those who need

to be involved. Without an effective mass media for communication, they will forever be in this position. Mana alone cannot fulfil this great need although they have shown that where there is a weill, there is a way. There are interesting developments in Auckland at present with the advent of Radio Manukau which promises to place some emphasis on this area of need. The present facilities offered by the existing media (radio and television included) has not been utilized to its fullest extent by ‘resource people’. This may appear to be a pledge for Mana, support but it is more than that. People who consider that they have a contribution to their ethnic communities should by now realize that communication would be one of their major stumbling block. It means that some concerted effort must be made to use present facilities to its utmost by placing some kind of priorities on the type of information that is being diseminated. It also means that the suitability of some of the media must be considered from the Polynesian viewpoint in order to ensure that communication does take place. We must not let the effortso f Mana go to waste and right now Mana needs your support. It may be just the right springboard for the development of a communication system that will fill the existing gap-